Ukrainian YEP Accelerator is opening a representative office in San Francisco and launching an international track for startups that are ready to test the US market. The program is aimed at teams with a working product, paying customers and an ambition to raise venture capital while building real sales traction in the United States.
The new track is designed for startups that already have more than an idea. YEP is looking for companies with product-market signals, B2B SaaS or similar scalable models, and founders who can negotiate in English. The practical goal is to help Ukrainian teams prepare for US expansion through sales work, customer discovery, investor communication and local networking.
From preparation to Silicon Valley
The acceleration will end with a five-week offline program in San Francisco. For Ukrainian founders, that matters because Silicon Valley access is not only about being physically present. It is about learning how US buyers evaluate software, how investors read traction, and how teams should explain their market position in a very competitive environment.
Participants are expected to work on US sales funnels, investor meetings and customer conversations. They will also receive access to global technology events, including San Francisco Tech Week, TechCrunch-related events and other industry gatherings where early-stage companies can build relationships.
The final point of the program will be Demo Day. According to YEP, startups may compete for up to 1.8 million dollars from partner funds, including u.ventures, ZAS Ventures, Geek Ventures, Angel One Fund, Vesna Capital, Green Flag Ventures, Network VC, Dnipro VC and Flyer One Ventures.
For Ukraine’s startup ecosystem, the San Francisco office is a signal that acceleration is moving from mentoring toward market entry infrastructure. If the track works, it can give Ukrainian technology companies a more direct bridge to US clients, venture funds and partners, while keeping their product and engineering roots connected to Ukraine.
