10 May 2024
Latitude59, one of Europe's most prestigious startup conferences, took place in Tallinn, Estonia, bringing together over 3,500 participants, including more than 900 startup representatives from 63 countries worldwide. Among the 20 national delegations, the Ukrainian delegation stood out proudly, consisting of 7 innovative startups: Beholder, DrugCard, Banani AI, The Great Catalog, Emery, Uspacy, and Crosscheck.Over the course of two days, 200 speakers presented on five different stages, providing valuable insights on topics relevant to startup representatives. Nearly 600 investors, with a combined investment portfolio of at least 30 billion euros, participated in the event, creating numerous formal and informal networking opportunities. These included networking drinks with delegation partner Presto Ventures, a Sunset Cruise with Specialist VC, Founders' Speed Dating with VCs, and other events.
Ukrainian startups had the opportunity to pitch on the Google Pitching Stage in front of an audience and an investor jury, which included representatives from Presto Ventures, SID Venture Partners, Lemonade Stand, and Tenity.
Startup Impressions from the Event
Uspacy shared their experience: "We received feedback from investors, including Presto Ventures, which we will use to make certain decisions regarding the further development of our product. The side events for networking were excellent. We had many meetings with investors and other founders, making our time very productive."
Crosscheck noted: "This was our first startup event, and it went wonderfully. The Techosystem team organized everything perfectly. We really enjoyed the individual sessions with investors, like the networking drinks with Presto Ventures and the cruise with Specialist VC. Such insider events are top-notch. Overall, everything was superb!"
Great Catalog highlighted the importance of networking: "Networking among the delegation teams, peer-to-peer learning, and experience sharing – this was our first experience in a delegation, and it was incredible. It was great to see so many cool companies in the delegation, like Beholder, and to learn from their experiences, teaching each other new things."
Emery expressed their admiration for the event: "One of the highlights of Latitude59 was the wealth of knowledge and industry insights we gained. The sessions were filled with valuable information that will undoubtedly influence EMERY's future strategies. The event also highlighted the growing importance of startups in the defense sector in the European market, a rapidly developing sector shedding old stigmas and opening new exciting opportunities. Our participation in Latitude59 was made possible by Techosystem, and we are immensely grateful for their support. Techosystem played a crucial role in promoting Ukrainian startups on a global level and fostering collaboration within Ukraine's tech landscape."
Banani AI praised the event organization: "Everything was very well organized; there wasn't a single moment when I didn't know where to find the necessary information related to the conference, schedule, etc. We received a lot of positive feedback about our product and business model and exchanged contacts with potential clients, which is very useful!"
DrugCard emphasized the event's effectiveness: "For DrugCard, the event was highly effective, especially thanks to side events in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors. We are very grateful to Techosystem, Lift99, and USF with the Ministry of Digital Transformation for the organization and cohesion of our delegation, which unites the Ukrainian system and allows generating new ideas. Latitude59 2024 was an exceptional event that provided EMERY with invaluable opportunities and insights. We eagerly look forward to leveraging these new connections and knowledge to continue our mission of revolutionizing English language learning. Thank you, Latitude59, for an unforgettable experience."
Beholder, winners of the pitch contest, shared their impressions: "It was incredible to participate in Latitude59 and meet with the Ukrainian delegation. We were impressed by the level of the teams and the quality of their products. We even decided to engage one of the delegation's teams for one of our projects. The Ukrainian delegation organizers' team was inspiring – a big thank you for their quality work and motivation."
Participation in Latitude59 was a significant milestone for Ukrainian startups, providing them with opportunities for development, networking, and investment. The warm reception of Ukrainian delegates, the genuine hospitality of the Estonians, and the incredible organization of the event made this conference an unforgettable experience for all participants. Thanks to such events, the Ukrainian startup ecosystem continues to grow, gaining new knowledge, connections, and opportunities for expansion. We can confidently say that everyone at Latitude59 in Tallinn, Estonia, heard about Ukraine! We are proud to have contributed to such a vibrant representation of Ukraine on the international stage.
The participation of the Ukrainian delegation was organized by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine together with the Ukrainian Startup Fund and Techosystem in partnership with the European consortium Seeds of Bravery, Presto Ventures, and Lift99 Kyiv Hub.