Serhiy Tokarev on Hardware Innovation and Deep Tech Accelerator Results

Deep Tech Accelerator: Hardware Edition, organised by AI HOUSE with the support of the Ukrainian Startup Fund and the Kyiv Aviation Institute, wrapped up on 25 April at MacPaw Space. The winner of Demo Day was TechNovator, a start-up developing wireless power transfer technology. Serhiy Tokarev, an investor, tech entrepreneur, and founder of Tokarev Foundation, highlighted the results.

Demo Day results: participants, format, and winner

The accelerator lasted four months and brought together nine hardware teams. During the programme, participants worked with 25 mentors, joined AMA sessions and breakfast meetings with business founders, attended lectures by 30 speakers, and visited the Esper Bionics production facility.

According to Serhiy Tokarev, hardware start-ups often face a more difficult path to investment than software companies. Their development cycles are longer, technical risks are higher, and early-stage investors are usually less willing to wait for results. That is why AI HOUSE chose structured acceleration as a way to help teams move faster.

“At AI HOUSE, we decided not to wait for hardware start-ups to find their own way to market. Structured acceleration helps shorten that path and gives teams earlier access to the expertise, partners, and feedback they need,” says the founder of Tokarev Foundation.

The teams worked in various fields, including agricultural technology and robotics:

• Tova Industries — a natural-light delivery system that combines hybrid lighting with fibre-optic technology;

• SeedMe — a greenhouse automation platform that helps farmers manage microclimate conditions more efficiently;

• Watcher AI — an AI-powered video surveillance platform designed for military and security use cases;

• Snipel Systems — an autonomous system for detecting and intercepting drones;

• Robol — a robotics project focused on humanoid robots and AI-powered autonomous coffee shops;

• UA GREEN — vertical wind turbines equipped with AI-driven predictive maintenance technology;

• Ukrainian Laboratory Instruments — an AI-powered laboratory station for automating chemical experiments;

• Vuzoll — a robotic assistant for service businesses with built-in CRM integration.

The programme’s winner was TechNovator, a start-up working on wireless power transfer technology. Its solution is designed for use with medical implants, drones, and robots. The technology can power devices remotely, even while they are moving, without cables, direct contact, or overheating. The TechNovator team received a $10,000 grant to support further scaling.

According to Ruslana Dovzhik, CEO and co-founder of TechNovator, the company’s approach differs from conventional wireless charging solutions. The system can operate in complex environments and does not require coils or precise positioning. She says the team aims to create a new standard for energy transfer that could reduce dependence on wires and replaceable batteries.

Over the course of four months, the teams refined their products, gained access to networking opportunities, and engaged with leading industry experts.

Serhiy Tokarev notes that the nine teams represent only the accelerator’s first test. However, the results of Demo Day made it clear that Ukrainian engineers can compete on a global stage if the right conditions are created for them.