1991 Accelerator
1991 Accelerator is a Kyiv-originated startup accelerator and the operating arm of 1991 Ventures, a London-based £15M seed fund that runs equity-free investment-readiness programs for early-stage founders from Ukraine and Central & Eastern Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersKyiv, Ukraine
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What 1991 Accelerator does
1991 Accelerator is a Kyiv-founded startup accelerator, established in 2015–2016 by brothers Denis and Viktor Gursky through their tech organisation SocialBoost, that prepares early-stage Ukrainian and Central & Eastern European founders for global expansion and fundraising. Its service portfolio comprises equity-free investment-readiness programs — Bridge to Scale (12-week EBRD-backed accelerator), the UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator (10-week UK Government-backed), and the Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund ($10M, 98 startups) — delivered alongside a 200+ mentor network and demo days in Warsaw and London. The organisation does not develop proprietary technology; its operating stack is a Webflow website plus standard programme-management tooling, with no API, SDK, or AI product of its own.
In March 2024, the founders launched 1991 Ventures, a £15M FCA-regulated London-based seed fund (LLP, FRN 1000926, Appointed Representative of AQ1443 Ltd) that invests up to £400,000 in mission-driven CEE/Ukraine startups across security, defence, AI infrastructure, fintech, logistics, energy, and healthcare. Since 2016, 1991 Accelerator has supported 315+ startups across 45+ programs, with alumni collectively raising over $50M since 2022 and the 2024 TechBridge cohort alone raising more than $12M within a year. The venture generates revenue through a hybrid model: programme-operator and management fees from institutional partners (EBRD, Google, UK Government) fund accelerator operations, while the VC arm derives returns from equity stakes in portfolio companies such as Deus Robotics, Let'sData, Ability AI, Finmap, A2i, and The Fourth Law.
1991 Accelerator firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 1991 Accelerator
- 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 Accelerator is a Kyiv-originated startup accelerator and the operating arm of 1991 Ventures, a London-based £15M seed fund that runs equity-free investment-readiness programs for early-stage founders from Ukraine and Central & Eastern Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
1991 Accelerator industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Accelerator & Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
Keywords
Where 1991 Accelerator is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kyiv
- HQ country
- Ukraine
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
1991 Accelerator business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Accelerator Program Operations: 1991 Accelerator operates equity-free programs, meaning no equity is taken from participating startups. The accelerator receives funding from partners (EBRD, Google for Startups) to run programs and support startups.
- 1991 Ventures VC Fund: 1991 Ventures is a £15M seed fund that invests up to £400,000 in early-stage startups from CEE and Ukraine. The VC arm generates returns through equity investments in portfolio companies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Equity-free accelerator programs with no equity taken |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund grants |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | EBRD business development grants for Bridge to Scale participants |
| Other | Multi-year contract | 1991 Ventures pre-seed and seed investments |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
1991 Accelerator product offering
Product offeringCore offering
1991 Accelerator operates equity-free accelerator programs that prepare early-stage Ukrainian and Central & Eastern European startup founders for global expansion and fundraising. Its portfolio includes the EBRD-backed Bridge to Scale program, the UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator, and the Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund ($10M grants). Its companion entity 1991 Ventures is a £15M London-based seed fund investing up to £400,000 in startups from CEE and Ukraine across sectors such as security, defense, AI infrastructure, fintech, logistics, energy, and healthcare.
Product overview
1991 Accelerator operates as an accelerator and venture capital organization, not a unified software product. Its core offering consists of multiple accelerator programs including Bridge to Scale (EBRD-backed 12-week equity-free program), UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator, and the Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund ($10M grant program). The companion entity 1991 Ventures is a £15M seed fund. Programs provide mentorship, investment readiness training, EU/UK market expansion support, direct investor access, and grant funding up to €30,000 per project. Alumni have collectively raised over $60M since 2022. The portfolio includes 98+ startups across sectors like AI, fintech, healthcare, and logistics, but these are separate companies, not modules of 1991's own product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bridge to Scale A 12-week equity-free acceleration programme for Ukrainian-founded startups relocated across Europe, helping them raise capital, enter new markets, and scale internationally. Provides mentorship, investment readiness training, CEE & EU market support, direct investor access, and potential EBRD grants.
- UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator A 10-week investment accelerator within the UK-Ukraine TechBridge partnership designed to equip Ukrainian startups with insights into the UK investment landscape, refined fundraising strategies, and expertise from UK-based venture capital funds for scaling to the UK market.
- Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund A $10 million fund operated by 1991 Accelerator providing equity-free cash awards along with Google support, mentorship, and product expertise to Ukrainian-founded tech companies. Selected 98 startups with up to $100,000 each.
- 1991 Ventures A £15 million London-based seed fund investing up to £400,000 in early-stage tech startups from CEE and Ukraine, focusing on security, defense, AI infrastructure, fintech, logistics, energy, and healthcare sectors.
- 1991 Acceleration: First Batch A program for Ukrainian startup founders to gain in-depth knowledge and competencies necessary for developing their own startup and entering international markets. Includes mentorship, workshops, and demo day.
- 1991 Acceleration: Next Batch A continuation acceleration program for Ukrainian founders to develop their startups and expand internationally. Covers topics from product development to fundraising.
Quantifiable outcome
- 315+ startups supported since 2016
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use 1991 Accelerator
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
1991 Accelerator technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
1991 Accelerator partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- UK-Ukraine TechBridgecoreStrategic partnership between UK Government, Ukraine Ministry of Digital Transformation, and Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1991 Ventures serves as implementing partner for the Investment Accelerator component, helping Ukrainian startups enter UK market and raise capital. Falls under Article 4 of UK-Ukraine One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement.
- UK Government - Department for Business and TradecoreDBT programs including Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP), Help to Grow, and Innovate UK grants available to Ukrainian startups through UK-Ukraine TechBridge partnership.
- Ukraine Ministry of Digital TransformationcoreGovernment ministry supporting UK-Ukraine TechBridge strategic partnership and Ukraine's tech sector development.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
1991 Accelerator competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
1991 Accelerator social profiles
Digital presence1991 Accelerator financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
1991 Accelerator leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
1991 Accelerator funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
1991 Accelerator M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 1991 Accelerator
What does 1991 Accelerator do?
1991 Accelerator operates equity-free accelerator programs that prepare early-stage Ukrainian and Central & Eastern European startup founders for global expansion and fundraising. Its portfolio includes the EBRD-backed Bridge to Scale program, the UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator, and the Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund ($10M grants). Its companion entity 1991 Ventures is a £15M London-based seed fund investing up to £400,000 in startups from CEE and Ukraine across sectors such as security, defense, AI infrastructure, fintech, logistics, energy, and healthcare.
Is 1991 Accelerator a public or private company?
1991 Accelerator is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was 1991 Accelerator founded?
1991 Accelerator was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is 1991 Accelerator based?
1991 Accelerator is headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine, in the Europe region.
How does 1991 Accelerator make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Accelerator Program Operations are the primary driver. The others are 1991 Ventures VC Fund.
Does 1991 Accelerator have an API?
No public API is recorded for 1991 Accelerator.
What industry is 1991 Accelerator in?
1991 Accelerator's product category is Startup Accelerator & Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated). Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6282.