What 1991 Ventures does

1991 Ventures is a London-based FCA-regulated venture capital fund and accelerator (legal entity: 1991 Ventures LLP) focused on mission-driven early-stage startup founders from Central and Eastern Europe and Ukraine. The firm launched a £15 million seed fund in March 2024, backed by UK limited partners Venrex and Samos Investments, deploying cheques of up to £400,000 (~$500,000) per company at pre-seed and seed stages. Stated sector focus spans security, defense, AI infrastructure, fintech, logistics, energy, and healthcare, with portfolio to date including Deus Robotics (warehouse automation), The Fourth Law (FPV drone autonomy), A2i (defence procurement), Let'sData (information operations), Ability AI (martech), and Finmap (SME financial management).

The accelerator arm (1991 Accelerator) operates three branded programs: Bridge to Scale, a 12-week equity-free EBRD-backed accelerator for Ukrainian-led startups expanding across the EU; the UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator, a 10-week UK market-entry program run under a UK Government strategic partnership now anchored in Article 4 of the UK-Ukraine One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement; and the $10 million Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund, which 1991 operates as fund administrator for 98 Ukrainian startups. The accelerator model is equity-free for participants; value capture for the VC fund occurs through preferential access to alumni as deal flow rather than direct accelerator equity stakes.

The firm was founded by Ukrainian brothers Denis Gursky and Viktor Gurskyi, who launched predecessor organization SocialBoost in Kyiv in 2016 and the 1991 Mariupol tech hub in 2019 (destroyed in the 2022 Russian invasion). The organization has supported 315+ startups since 2016, with alumni collectively raising $50M+ since 2022. Revenue mechanics are standard for a small emerging-manager fund: management fees on the £15M AUM, carried interest on exits, and services revenue from institutional accelerator partners. Headcount is small (six core team members listed), with headquarters at 184 Shepherds Bush Rd, London and operational presence in Kyiv.

Name

1991 Ventures

Legal name

1991 Ventures LLP

Website

https://1991.vc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

1991 Ventures is a London-based FCA-regulated £15M seed fund and equity-free accelerator investing up to £400K in early-stage startups from Central and Eastern Europe and Ukraine, with sector focus on security, defense, AI infrastructure, fintech, logistics, energy, and healthcare.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital and Accelerator Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

Keywords

• Venture capital fund
• Seed stage investing
• Startup accelerator programs
• Equity-free acceleration
• CEE Ukraine startups

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. VC Fund Management — Management Fees: Traditional VC fund management fee structure on the £15M fund under management. FCA-regulated fund.
2. VC Fund Management — Carried Interest: Carry on successful portfolio exits from the £15M seed fund investing up to £400K per company.
3. Accelerator Program Operations: 1991 Accelerator operates equity-free programs backed by institutional partners (EBRD, Google). The accelerator generates deal flow for 1991 Ventures. The team also operated the $10M Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund as fund operator.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

1991 Ventures operates a dual-entity venture capital and accelerator platform targeting early-stage startups from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Ukraine. The fund invests up to £400,000 per company across pre-seed and seed stages, while the accelerator runs equity-free investment readiness programs including Bridge to Scale (EBRD-backed), UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator, and the Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund. Together these programs have supported 315+ startups since 2016, with portfolio alumni raising over $50 million since 2022.

Product overview

1991 Ventures operates as a dual-entity organization comprising a London-based venture capital fund and an equity-free accelerator. The core offering consists of 1991 Ventures, a £15M seed fund investing up to £400,000 in early-stage startups from CEE and Ukraine, alongside 1991 Accelerator which provides equity-free investment readiness programs. The accelerator runs multiple branded programs: Bridge to Scale (EBRD-backed 12-week equity-free accelerator for EU expansion), UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator (UK market scaling program), and manages the $10M Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund. The organization has supported 315+ startups since 2016 with alumni raising over $50M since 2022.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bridge to Scale: 12-week equity-free accelerator backed by EBRD helping Ukrainian-led early-stage startups expand across the EU and become investment-ready.
• UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator
• Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund

Products and services

• 1991 Ventures Seed Fund A London-based £15M FCA-regulated seed fund investing up to £400,000 per company in early-stage tech startups from CEE and Ukraine. Focuses on security, defense, AI infrastructure, fintech, logistics, energy, and healthcare sectors. Targets 40+ companies across the fund lifecycle.
• 1991 Accelerator An equity-free startup accelerator that prepares high-potential, early-stage Ukrainian founders for global expansion and fundraising through investment readiness programs. Since 2022, alumni startups have collectively raised over $50 million.
• Bridge to Scale A 12-week equity-free accelerator backed by EBRD, designed to help Ukrainian-led early-stage startups expand across the EU, become investment-ready, and secure deals. Includes mentorship from 15+ leading CEE, European, and UK-based VCs and 30+ industry experts. Offers €25K secured investment and EBRD grants up to €30,000 per project.
• UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator A 10-week investment accelerator within UK-Ukraine TechBridge, aimed at scaling Ukrainian startups to the UK market. Prepares startups for raising capital in the UK through mentorship, expert support, fundraising assistance, and direct investor introductions. The 2024 cohort (20 startups) raised $12M+ within one year of Demo Day.
• Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund A $10 million fund providing equity-free financing for Ukrainian startups. Managed by 1991 Accelerator, it provides cash awards along with Google support, mentorship, and product expertise to Ukrainian-founded tech companies affected by wartime conditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 315+ startups supported since 2016; 7 startups in 1991 Ventures investment portfolio; alumni have raised $50M+ since 2022
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• YC WorldcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025YC World, a global investigation and due diligence platform, became an official due diligence partner of 1991 Accelerator. YC World conducts enhanced due diligence on startups to verify links to Russia or Belarus, sanctions exposure, hidden affiliations, ownership, and beneficiary structures.
• UK-Ukraine TechBridgemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024UK-Ukraine TechBridge is a strategic government partnership between the UK and Ukraine to connect technology sectors. 1991 Ventures serves as the implementing partner for the Investment Accelerator component. The program now falls under Article 4 of the UK-Ukraine One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement.
• UK GovernmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK Government is a key partner through UK-Ukraine TechBridge, a strategic partnership between both countries' governments. Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports Gareth Thomas endorsed the program. Supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
• Ukraine Ministry of Digital TransformationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkraine Deputy Minister Oleksandr Bornyakov confirmed the program as part of the UK-Ukraine TechBridge strategic government partnership to connect tech sectors and foster economic recovery.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Flyer One Ventures: Ukrainian VC fund investing in early-stage startups from CEE/Ukraine at Seed and Series A. Direct peer given overlapping geographic focus, stage, and the fact it participates as a VC partner in 1991's Bridge to Scale cohort.
• Presto Ventures: CEE-focused VC running a €150M defence-tech and resilience-tech fund in partnership with Czechoslovak Group. Direct peer in CEE early-stage investing, with overlapping defence-tech thesis and Bridge to Scale partnership.
• SMOK Ventures: US-based pre-seed/seed fund investing $100K–$1M in CEE/diaspora software, gamedev, and AI startups. Direct peer in early-stage CEE investing; Bridge to Scale VC partner.
• J&T Ventures: Czech VC managing €90M+ across three funds, investing up to €3M in early- and growth-stage tech across Central and Southeastern Europe. Direct peer in CEE early-stage with Bridge to Scale partnership overlap.
• Blackwatch VC: London/Valletta-based VC focused on Seed and Series A in defence, homeland security, intelligence, and cybersecurity. Direct peer in defence-tech investing from the UK with overlapping Bridge to Scale partnership.
• Neulogy Ventures: Bratislava-based VC focused on early-stage CEE startups in software, deep tech, and life sciences. Direct peer in CEE early-stage investing with overlapping Bridge to Scale partnership.
• Big Pi Ventures: Greek VC investing in early- and growth-stage tech companies from Southeast Europe. Direct peer in CEE/SEE early-stage investing with Bridge to Scale VC partnership.
• Blue Lake VC: UK-based VC backing immigrant founders in B2B software at pre-seed and seed with SEIS/EIS. Direct peer given UK base, immigrant-founder thesis, and Bridge to Scale partnership.
• U.Ventures: VC investor focused on Ukraine/CEE startups; led the $3M Deus Robotics seed round in which 1991 Ventures participated. Direct peer and co-investor in CEE early-stage deals.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator operator running equity-taking cohorts worldwide. Comparable to 1991 Accelerator as a global accelerator incumbent, though Techstars operates at much larger scale and takes equity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/83537189

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 1991 Ventures