The first international MSCA Lviv 2026 competition, organized by the Melville Sikorsky Challenge Accelerator (MSCA), was successfully held in Lviv, bringing together innovators, investors, experts, universities, and companies from around the world.
The event was conducted in English and included pitches of innovative projects, prototype demonstrations, expert discussions, and negotiations with potential investors.
Key results of MSCA Lviv 2026:
- 126 applications submitted
- 44 finalist projects
- 42 projects presented their solutions during the finals
- Participants from 14 countries
- 130 participants (96 in-person, 34 online)
- 15 Ukrainian cities represented in the finals
Among the finalists are 34 teams from Ukraine and 10 international teams (Israel, Greece, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Japan, Luxembourg, Ireland, the U.S., Turkey, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal).
The competition covered three strategic areas:
- Defense & Security
- Biomedical Engineering & Health
- Renewable Energy & Energy Security
- Innovations that meet the challenges of our time
The finalists presented solutions aimed at overcoming wartime challenges and post-war recovery:
- defense: demining systems, robotic complexes, countering UAVs
- medicine: digital diagnostics, rehabilitation technologies, medical devices
- energy: energy sustainability, waste processing, cutting-edge generation systems
Winners of MSCA Lviv 2026
Defense & Security
Robotic UGV Platform (Ukraine, Kyiv)
Prize: $5,000
(project details are subject to an NDA)
Biomedical Engineering & Health
“Meniscus Resector” (GMD, Ukraine)
Prize: $5,000
Renewable Energy & Energy Security
“Plastalyst” (AC Biode, Japan / Luxembourg)
Prize: $5,000
Investor interest in the ALLIGATOR boiler project (Ukraine) was also noted.
Separately, non-competitive angel investments were announced for:
- Manuscriptum (KPI)
- AURA (KPI)
- PHYSREHAB (Odesa Polytechnic)
- RehubHand (National University of Water and Environmental Engineering)
Investments and Acceleration
MSCA will continue working with the winners and selected finalists through acceleration programs and negotiations with investors.
Terms of cooperation:
- 3% success fee on raised investments
- 5% equity stake for startups (or customized terms for growth-stage companies)
Mission and significance
MSCA serves as a strategic bridge between the Ukrainian innovation ecosystem and British and European investors.
The competition confirmed: Ukraine has strong engineering and scientific potential even in wartime. Ukrainian innovations are technologies ready for scaling.
Next steps
The next MSCA competition is scheduled for September 2026 with a focus on:
- Cybersecurity
- Artificial Intelligence
- Protection and Restoration of Water Resources
Media Contacts:
+380 66 985 17 31
info@mscaltd.co.uk
https://mscaltd.com