The UK and Ukraine have launched the second round of the InnovateUkraine clean energy accelerator, backing a further 14 innovative green energy projects with a combined £17 million investment from the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Together with the 12 projects supported in the first funding round (you can read more about Cohort 1 here), the new cohort will accelerate the development of low-carbon solutions that address Ukraine’s immediate energy resilience and security needs, while also contributing to longer-term global climate and energy goals.
The selected projects address priority areas critical to Ukraine’s energy resilience and decarbonisation, including:
Beyond grant funding, InnovateUkraine provides structured monitoring and a dedicated accelerator programme to support delivery and readiness for market. This support helps reduce risk by increasing technical maturity, strengthening commercial models and building visibility with potential investors.
Round 2 focuses more intently on innovations at higher levels of technical readiness compared to the first cohort, with all innovations entering either pilot or early scaling phases. Over the next 12–24 months, projects will be demonstrated in operational settings, generating real-world performance data and robust evidence of market relevance.
By funding the riskiest stage of innovation – taking technologies from concept through to field demonstration – InnovateUkraine lowers barriers to private investment and creates clearer, more credible pathways to market. Projects were selected through a competitive process which assessed the scale of the challenge to be addressed, the strength and market potential of the innovation, the capability of the project team, and potential wider impacts for Ukraine’s energy transition, security and communities.
The launch of Round 2 builds on the strong performance of the first funding round, which supported innovative solutions addressing Ukraine’s energy needs across heating, biogas, waste recycling and battery storage.
By funding project teams to build, test and demonstrate technologies in real-world conditions, InnovateUkraine helps mature innovations, strengthen use cases and create compelling investment propositions. The programme’s success highlights both the capability and appetite for deep collaboration between UK and Ukrainian innovators, reinforcing the UK’s long-term commitment to Ukraine through the UK–Ukraine 100-Year Partnership.
The launch of Round 2 was marked by a celebration event in Kyiv, bringing together funded project teams, accelerator partners, government representatives and academic leaders to recognise the next phase of UK–Ukraine collaboration on clean energy innovation.
Announcing the news recently, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy said:
“We welcome and support the InnovateUkraine initiative as a vital platform for advancing innovation, resilience and cooperation in the energy sector. Ukraine and the UK share over a century of energy collaboration – a legacy that today shapes our strategic dialogue and joint efforts for green recovery and energy security. We are grateful to the UK Government for its unwavering support in helping Ukraine build a modern, sustainable and decentralised energy system.”
His Majesty’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Neil Crompton, added to the announcement:
“InnovateUkraine is delivering real action through our UK–Ukraine 100-Year Partnership. This second round brings a further £17 million of investment to tap into Ukraine’s talent, drive innovation and help strengthen its energy resilience – both today and for generations to come.”
Get in touch
Investors and potential partners interested in engaging with the Round 2 portfolio are encouraged to contact the InnovateUkraine accelerator team at info@innovateukraine.io.
