Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund

The biggest deeptech hackathon in Moldova GigaHack by Technovator was held with the support of UMAEF! Fifty teams from across the nation gathered for an electrifying event, fueled by the support of mentors, consultants, and juries. After an intense competition, ten outstanding winners emerged, showcasing their talents and innovative ideas! “The desire of startups to push boundaries and shape the future is unstoppable, and events like this prove that Moldova is firmly on the global tech map. We are proud to empower visionary teams like MEDICAL AI, Enjenir.ai, and so many others who are turning big ideas into real-world impact. Together, we're building a future where innovation knows no limits”, says Stella Jemna, UMAEF’s Country Representative for Moldova

The Urban Movement "City Is Me" team interviewed 1200 teenagers aged 10 to 17 living in cities. What are the results? 🔸62% of respondents feel happy living in their city or community. However, one in ten respondents feel the opposite. 🔸The most critical problems in cities are ecology, corruption, and danger from other city residents. 🔸 To become more involved in city life, respondents suggest creating more spaces for communication and meetings, and establishing interaction with city authorities. Read more in the article by Osvitoria: http://bit.ly/3NiuBak

Tourism and peace in the foreground at Moldova Tourism Forum 2024 supported by UMAEF Moldova Tourism Forum 2024, organised by Oficiul Național al Turismului al Republicii Moldova, explored the active contribution of tourism to a peaceful and inclusive future, highlighting the opportunities of the sector for the rural and economic development of the Republic of Moldova. Stella Jemna, UMAEF Country Representative: "UMAEF supports sustainable development, and this cannot be achieved without well-developed tourism. To support the promotion of the country, our fund decided to contribute to the making of a documentary about our traditions, culture and traditional dishes. It will be broadcast on Netflix in 2025, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Moldova and USAID Moldova. It's a great achievement because viewers around the world will have the opportunity to learn more about our cultural identity."

Another Mozaic & Dreamups event brought together Moldova’s most prominent startups for an exciting pitching session, supported by UMAEF. Four innovative startups presented their game-changing ideas to angel investors: 🏢 Realoc.io pitched by Valentin Salamud 📈 OneSyncs pitched by Ion Olari 🚲 Renter pitched by Daniel Trohin 💸 Fagura Moldova pitched by Dumitru Ciorici Stella Jemna, Country Representative for Moldova, represented u.ventures — a VC, which backs local entrepreneurs who dare to build global ventures. We’re proud to support these entrepreneurs as they transform their ideas into thriving businesses!

#TechVillage, Moldova's flagship retreat for startups and investors, wrapped up its 2024 edition, supported by UMAEF. The event, organised by XY Partners and Technovator, brought together more than 30 startups from Eastern Europe and 20 investors and VCs from 12 countries, creating a dynamic platform for meaningful, long-term partnerships. Anton Waschuk, UMAEF’s Director of Innovation, Education and Entrepreneurship, and Stella Jemna, UMAEF’s Country Representative of Moldova, joined the event, set in Butuceni, a scenic Moldovan village. TechVillage adopted an "unconference" approach. Startups and investors interacted in a relaxed atmosphere like campfires and outdoor activities, and over traditional Moldovan meals. This unconventional setting encouraged deeper connections.

🥳 We congratulate Moldovan high school students on an impressive achievement of winning two gold medals at the FIRST Global (IFCA) Challenge 2024 World Robotics Olympiad! The FIRST Global Challenge Robotics Olympiad is an annual global competition that brings together high school students from over 190 countries to solve real-world challenges through robotics. This year's topic was Feeding the Future, which focused on global food security and the aim of creating sustainable food systems.The event promotes STEM education and encourages cross-cultural collaboration, helping students develop technical skills while emphasizing teamwork values. UMAEF is proud to support talented technologists in Moldova by endowing fifty new robotics clubs in fifty schools in Moldova and contributing to the expansion of the National Educational Robotics Program.

👏🏻 We are pleased to announce that Nicoleta Mogildea has joined Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund as a Project Coordinator! Nicoleta will support the Innovation, Education and Entrepreneurship Program in Moldova working under the leadership of Stella Jemna, UMAEF's Moldova Country Representative. She brings a dynamic background in marketing and administrative support, with understanding of the local start-up ecosystem, telecoms and human resources sector. We are excited to welcome Nicoleta and look forward to her professionalism, operational approach and proactive mindset being contributory in achieving the growth of ambitious Moldovan initiatives and fostering the SME development landscape of Moldova.

🏆Results of the Green Future Hackathon supported by UMAEF! On September 21-22, 18 innovative teams from across the country gathered in Kyiv to tackle Ukraine's "green future" at a dynamic hackathon organized by the Ukrainian Leadership Academy and Radar Tech! With great excitement, the jury— featuring Anton Waschuk Director of Innovation, Education, and Entrepreneurship at UMAEF — chose Liteplo team as the winner! They have developed a platform that categorizes typical energy saving solutions for buildings based on an audit, and received the main prize of the hackathon - UAH 150,000. Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund is thrilled to support Ukraine’s economic growth while respecting our planet’s resources!

🔥 IT Arena Lviv, the largest tech conference in Ukraine, were held these weekends with the support of Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund! The event brought together more than 6000 entrepreneurs, innovators, and thought leaders from more than 30 countries for three days of thrilling discussions, business networking, and inspiration. One of the highlights was the Startup Competition, where Anton Waschuk, Director of Entrepreneurship, Education and Innovation at UMAEF, served as a jury member. The stakes were high, with companies vying for an impressive prize fund of $85,000! Moreover, during the Startup Competition, the participants raised a total of $1.5 million in investments for their projects. The conference participants also had the opportunity to learn: 🔹how to scale a tech business at the panel under the moderation of Anton Waschuk 🔹how to implement gender equality in companies and why it will help Ukraine’s recovery at a business breakfast, supported by Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund We are proud to contribute to the development of the Ukrainian IT community and firmly believe in the groundbreaking potential of its innovators!

🧬 The Pharmaceutical Industry & Medical Tourism Forum was held within Moldova Business Week 2024 The event was organized by the Medical Tourism Association of Moldova with the support of Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Find. The Forum addressed essential topics in the field such as investments, quality standards and the international promotion of medical products, along with the importance of education in advancing the sector. “Moldova's success in attracting over 30,000 medical tourists in 2023, generating around $60 million, shows the potential for expansion. UMAEF is pleased to support this growth” — said Stella Jemna, UMAEF’s Country Representative for Moldova, who moderated the panel “Government programs and partners support” within the event.