🦄 Jaunaragiai - Backing Lithuania’s youngest founders with capital, opportunities, and network Jaunaragiai is a philanthropy-powered startup fund that supports youth (16–29 y.o.) with their first capital, network, and growth opportunities. Whether you're still in school/university or fresh out, we believe your startup idea deserves a chance - no matter your background. We invest in very early and early-stage, youth-led teams with small tickets, co-investment support, mentorship, and programs that help turn ideas into businesses. We're especially excited to support Junior Achievement alumni! What we can help with: • Early-Stage Investment – €10K–40K from Jaunaragiai, plus intros to VC funds and angels • Pre-Accelerator – programs to help you build & validate (first edition launched, more coming soon) • Hackathons/Bootcamps – our annual startup event for young creators • Mentorship – from experienced founders & operators • Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs – up to 6 months abroad with EU funding • Equity-free grants – coming soon Waiting for Startups with: Idea, Prototype, MVP, or First traction stage – led by youth (aged 16–29). Fund range per team: • Investment – €10K–40K per team • Co-investment support – up to €500K rounds with partners • Grants – coming soon Investment conditions: Equity (standard or convertible), often co-investing with angels/VCs Support from our board: • Martynas Kandzeras (Entrepreneur, Investor) • Vladas Lašas (Investor, UPS Lithuania Founder) • Milda Mitkutė (investor, Vinted Co-Founder) • Greta Monstavičė (Katalista Ventures Co-Founder) • Tomas Moška (Turing College Co-Founder) • Andželika Rusteikienė (LJA CEO) • Marijus Andrijauskas (FIRSTPICK Partner)
The Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organisation that offers a nine-month objective-based program to help deep-tech startups rapidly scale their businesses. CDL organises a series of full-day sessions (every eight weeks) and provides mentorship from world-class experienced entrepreneurs, investors, scientists, etc. The focus on setting three objectives for the next 8 weeks and experienced mentors volunteer to help startups achieve these goals. CDL-Estonia is a part of the CDL program 13 locations globally and presents the Digital Society stream. Focus is on data-driven startups of digital society, cybersecurity, and genomics & digital health. CDL-Estonia is located at the University of Tartu. Three sessions occur in Tartu or Tallinn during the program, and one is online. The program is free to startups (no equity, not fees). Applications can be submitted at the CDL-Estonia website. CDL is in the TOP 10 active startup accelerators globally according to the CB Insights report (October 2023).

Dual-Use Tech VC Fund & Accelerator with one of a kind in the region dual use pre-accelerator and accelerator programs. The programs identify technologies aligned with NATO emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs) and provide pathways toward strategic partnerships, technology development, and funding opportunities, with access to both markets and networks in Europe and the United States.

We concentrate on supporting pre-seed and seed-stage dual-use startups led by pioneering individuals and teams. Our primary interest lies in backing those committed to research and development, aiming to tackle intricate technical issues that have substantial prospects for commercial deployment in the defense and security sectors. These startups are characterized by their ambitious drive for rapid growth and their dedication to resolving critical challenges in these crucial areas.

Waiting for Startups with: Various stages
Fields of interest: Dual Use
Benefits for Startups: Investment, one of a kind in the region dual use incubation and acceleration programs with partners from US, NATO and EU, mentorship, community, networking
Fund range per team: 50K - 1M Eur
Investment conditions: Equity
Market focus: Lithuania and other NATO countries

Orion Ventures is a Lithuanian corporate venture capital fund investing in early stage startups. It was established as an employee fund by investment banking firm Orion Securities in 2021. When evaluating start-ups, the team of Orion Ventures draws on their experience in corporate finance and investing, which has accumulated over nearly 30 years of operations. The experienced team thoroughly evaluates all financial indicators and takes the time to analyse the market and dig deep into the start-up’s plans. They are looking for ambitious teams and companies with strong background in technology to invest in and work with.

Waiting for Startups with: MVP
Fields of interest: Sector agnostic
Benefits for Startups: Help with M&A and capital raising
Fund range per team: 20000-50000
Investment conditions: Equity, convertible note
Market focus: Agnostic

VNTRS (Ventures) is a digital consulting and pre-seed investment company that bridges the gap between digital product development and technology investments. We specialize in supporting early-stage tech companies, particularly those in the pre-seed and seed stages, by offering expertise in tech, growth, design, and business development. VNTRS is distinct for reinvesting parts of their fee for equity in selected companies, becoming shareholders and long-term partners, and currently boasts a diverse investment portfolio of over 30 early-stage tech companies.

Waiting for Startups with: MVP, first income, growth
Fields of interest: SaaS and tech
Benefits for Startups: Access to senior talent, growth, networks
Fund range per team: 30-300K
Investment conditions: Sweat Equity 1-5%
Market focus: New Nordics

Baltic Sandbox Ventures is an early-stage VC dedicated to developing the Deep Tech and Life Science ecosystem in the Baltic region. Our focus is on early-stage individuals and teams that are engaged in research and development and are seeking to address complex technical challenges with significant potential for commercial applications.

Fields of interest: DeepTech, Life Science, Software++ 

Waiting for startups with: “Scientific minds” who are doing R&D on the specific solutions/technologies (minimal viable team); founders with a proven scientific background; strong innovation component

Benefits for startups: Investment, incubation and acceleration programs, mentorship, community, networking

Funding range per team: 5000 EUR grants per team member and up to 15K per team, investment – from 25 to 400K EUR, depending on the stage

Investment conditions: Grants - non-equity, investment - equity

Gamedev Fund is an early-stage investment fund aiming to help talented teams in shipping their games by providing knowledge, contacts, and funds. We invest in premium indie games for PC/consoles with a playable demo on hand.

Fields of interest: Premium indie videogames

Waiting for startups with: Playable demo

Benefits for startups: Investment, mentorship, network.

Funding range per team: 100k-500k Eur

Investment conditions: Revenue sharing, equity, etc.

FIRSTPICK is a high-speed VC fund and an accelerator for tech startups in the Baltics.

We are investing in Fintech, SaaS, Deeptech and Consumer marketplaces, but are not limited to those. Our initial ticket is €50-€250K, but we can invest up to €1M into a single company through follow-on rounds. Idea stage startups can use our equity free grants to get started.

Founders access our bulletproof combo of investment and know-how through our pre-acceleration and acceleration programs. While founders train for the marathon, we are like coaches running by their side and supporting them from the idea to the growth stage. Our portfolio startups receive precious early market access, impactful partnerships, and deep expertise of the early stage.

Waiting for Startups with: Idea, Team, MVP/Product, Initial traction
Fields of interest: Generalist, Fintech, SaaS, Deeptech, Consumer marketplaces, B2B
Benefits for Startups: Pre-accelerator and grants, Accelerator and investment
Fund range per team: Grants - €5K grants per team member, Investment - initial ticket starts at €50-€250K EUR
Investment conditions: Equity and convertible
Market focus: Baltics

Operating since 2007, Capitalia is the leading financier and financial advisor to small and medium sized companies in the Baltic sea region. Capitalia aims to be a simple, accessible and modern source of alternative finance to businesses.

Fields of interest: Fintech, health, enterprise software, education, energy, transportation, food, security, legal, telecom, gaming, semiconductors, IoT, sports, construction, robotics, hardware.

Waiting for Startups with: Team, prototype, first incomes.

Benefits for Startups:  Investment, Advice, Access to resources, tools and studies

Fund range per team: 100-300k

Investment conditions: Equity.

Market focus: the Baltic sea region.

Invest in early-stage tech companies which focuses on energy, transportation, IoT (internet of things). 

Contrarian Ventures typically work with companies with a focus on smart grid, energy efficiency, big data and analytics, energy storage solutions, e-car infrastructure, smart homes, e-services for customer support, distributed generation, renewable energy solutions and virtual power plants. Contrarian Ventures not only invest but also work side-by-side with the business they invested in - from the first pilot to scale, from local to global presence. 

Fields of interest: energy, transportation, IoT. 

Waiting for startups with: team, MVP, first income. 

Benefits for startups: mentoring, investment, community, networking. 

Fund range per team: from 50 000 to 500 000 Eur. 

Investment conditions: equity based investment.