About us
Risk for Good
Despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, we strongly believe that investing in Ukraine's innovations not only is a sustainable aid for recovery (and quality jobs in Ukraine) but the nation's resilience and untapped potentials present unique opportunities for substantial returns.
ua.ventures is a group of German business angels and entrepreneurs supporting Ukrainian start-ups and scale-ups with smart capital. At the same time, ua.ventures aims to build bridges between Ukrainian, German, and European innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors. Extensive humanitarian projects in 2022 led to the founding of Ukraimpulse in 2023, later rebranded as ua.ventures.
As European entrepreneurs and investors, we operate independently of political or governmental influence. We are convinced that private capital, risk, and entrepreneurial initiative—where business models are not built on subsidy funds derived from taxpayer money—lay the foundation for innovation and resilience in Europe.
Talk is cheap. Let's do it!
Picture:
Parkovyi Bridge,
Kyiv, September 2023. Source: ua.ventures
Michael Hübner
Michael has been an entrepreneur all his life, specializing in building SMEs in IT, industrial services, security technology, and e-commerce. He has been actively involved in business across Eastern Europe, with company branches in Ukraine and Georgia.
In recent years, he has focused on investing in and advising start-ups, even founding a microfund for startup investments in Georgia. Currently, he is engaged in networking within the Ukrainian ecosystem, expanding UA.Ventures' relationships with both Ukrainian and German companies. Additionally, he represents the German branch of Kitsoft, a GovTech company providing the Diia infrastructure for the Ukrainian government.
Stefan Schandera
As Managing Partner of Gigahertz Ventures, Stefan Schandera invests primarily in the hardware and deep tech sectors. He founded his first startup as a student in Dresden in the mid-90s.
Since 2002, he has lived and worked in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Southeast Europe—first for international organizations, primarily the World Bank and UN, in innovation and tech transfer, and since 2016 as an entrepreneur.
This also included experience in conflict areas (management of an international business school in ethnically divided North Kosovo). Stefan is a certified risk and crisis manager as well as a certified consultant for crisis, risk, and turnover management. In February 2022, Stefan and Gigahertz Ventures initiated "Bus-loads of Hope", and in April 2022 "Buses for Bucha".
Sebastian Schwenke
Sebastian is an angel investor, ecosystem builder and entrepreneur from Berlin. Sebastian runs BACB Business Angels Club Berlin-Brandenburg – Berlin’s largest angel network – as MD and connects startups with angels & VCs on a daily basis. In his 7+ years in the industry, he has facilitated over 90 pre-seed investments with a volume >15M€, held 50+ workshops for “virgin-angels” and early-stage enterprises.
His own investments are made via the family-run FOBS Bet. GmbH, the Berlin Angel Fund and ua.ventures. Among others, he supports the startups Aumio, Rausgegangen, BerlinGreen, Quouch, and AI Beatz as an advisor and investor.
In March 2022, Sebastian and BACB were among the initiators of the "Angels4Ukraine" initiative, that provides smart capital to displaced Ukrainian founders and entrepreneurs in the Berlin area.
Gigahertz Ventures GmbH
Gigahertz Ventures GmbH is a Dresden-based business angel syndicate. Gigahertz Ventures angels are experienced entrepreneurs and managers with a successful track record in tech entrepreneurship. They have accomplished the journey “from idea to global business development and tech leadership”, concluded by a successful DAX-40 exit.
The focus is on hardware and deep tech investments, with a portfolio that includes technologies such as lasers, plasma systems, and semiconductors.
In February 2022, Gigahertz Ventures initiated and co-organized the project "Bus-loads of Hope." Between March and December 2022, the project successfully evacuated more than 4,500 people from conflict zones to safer regions within Ukraine. In May 2022, the project "Buses for Bucha" followed, again initiated by Gigahertz Ventures.
Our humanitarian activities in 2022
Bus-loads of Hope
Only two weeks after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Gigahertz Ventures personally delivered and handed over the first buses of our project "Bus-loads of Hope" to our Ukrainian partners on Ukrainian soil. The good example helped attract additional sponsors and supporters. More buses and substantial supply for fuel and bus maintenance should follow.
By the end of 2022, the joint project of Gigahertz Ventures, Kharkiv-based CFSR, and ICC International Chamber of Commerce Ukraine had evacuated more than 4.500 people from war zones to safe places within Ukraine. On their way to these war zones, our buses have been carrying tons and tons of humanitarian supplies. The Cologne-based NGO Libereco - Partnership for Human Rights provided substantial support in setting up our donation infrastructure.
The project was entirely funded by private indivduals and enterprises, without any government subsidies or taxpayer money. Drivers supported the project on a voluntary basis. No overhead costs were claimed. All aid went 100 % to the beneficiaries.
By 2024, CFSR has expanded the aid organization around the buses in the Kharkiv region. Today, the buses are used for social purposes on both short and long routes in the Kharkiv region. When necessary, they are also deployed for evacuations in contested areas of the Kharkiv region.
Our partner CFSR ensured at all times that we were able to implement the joint project at the highest professional level. During our travels to Ukraine, we felt safe at all times. Thank you for that!
2022/03/22 ARD (German TV): "Ukrainische Grenze: Viel Papierkrieg für Hilfskonvoi" (Ukrainian border: Lots of paperwork for humanitarian aid convoy) TV report on the bus project
Buses for Bucha
In May 2022, Gigahertz Ventures' "Bus-loads of Hope" initiative established contact between the City of Bucha (Ukraine) and the City of Dresden (Germany), leading to the inception of the "Buses for Bucha" project. On June 16, 2022, Holger Zastrow and Stefan Schandera from Gigahertz Ventures handed over three buses to the City of Bucha— a generous donation from the City of Dresden.
The preparation and transfer of the convoy to Bucha was a collaborative effort involving DVB Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG, the Dresden city administration, Gigahertz Ventures ("Bus-loads of Hope"), and other partners.
Coordination and convoy management were handled by Gigahertz Ventures. The buses were deployed for social purposes in the Bucha region, providing transportation for the elderly, disabled individuals, and children.
A year later, in Spring 2023, the City of Bucha proudly established its own municipal transport company "BuchaTransService". These buses are now operating as part of a regular public transport service, not only serving the city itself but also covering the entire Bucha district up to the borders of Kyiv. We are delighted about this development and take pride in having contributed to its realization.
All supporters, drivers, and coordinators worked on a voluntary basis. No overhead costs were incurred—100% of the aid directly benefited those in need.
Thanks to our partners in Bucha, we always felt safe and welcome. We are truly grateful for your care and warm hospitality.
Angels4Ukraine (BACB)
Initiated by BACB Berlin Business Angels Club Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (Germany) in early March 2022, Angels4Ukraine is a network of German and international business angels united in one cause: To support Ukrainian Founders, who had to relocate to the Berlin area due to the Russian invasion, in any way we can.
Angels4Ukraine is the first touchpoint in the greater Berlin area for any needs and questions founders and startups from Ukraine might have in these difficult times. We will match you with the right people to help you and your team keep going, even in Berlin and Germany!
Let us know how we can help you! From help with relocation of operations or data, legal and tax issues, or simply funding to keep things up and running - our vast network can help you with a lot of matters. Simply let us know what you need and we'll connect you to the right people.