NGO EasyBusiness became a partner in implementing the grant competition under the EU4Business program for Ukrainian SMEs. The program’s results were summarized at the event “Presentation of the Grant Program Results for 100 Ukrainian SMEs with Export Potential and Innovation Capacity.”
Funded by the European Union and the German government, 100 Ukrainian micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises with export potential and innovation capacity each received €10,000 for recovery, development, and resilience.
Executive Director of EasyBusiness, Partner at Civitta, Dmytro Lyvch, thanked the program’s strategic implementer, the German federal company GIZ, as well as the European Union and the German government for supporting Ukrainian businesses under the EU4Business grant program.
“Business development and support are the foundation of economic growth. The EasyBusiness team has been working on this for 10 years. Thanks to €1 million, 100 entrepreneurs were able to scale their businesses, enhance export opportunities, enter new markets, and realize their innovation potential. We are grateful to the European Union and the German government for supporting Ukraine through the EU4Business program,” – stated Dmytro Lyvch.
EasyBusiness experts conducted two waves of the grant competition and received 1,128 applications. 824 teams passed the technical selection process, and 100 businesses received grants. The competition was intense: 11 applicants per 1 grant.
Among the winners: 16 relocated businesses, 77 companies with export potential, and 59 companies owned and founded by women.
During the event, grant program participants shared the results of their participation and how it affected their businesses. More than half of the program’s winners reported increased revenue and sales growth thanks to the grant funds.
“Recently, we developed and patented a unique new technology that has no analogs in the world. To introduce it to European dealers, we needed EU certification. Thanks to the grant, we achieved this. Grant programs are the most crucial source of funding for the development of Ukrainian businesses, especially for innovative, export-oriented businesses with high added value and intellectual property,” said Andrii Zaiats, CEO of Neverdark LLC.
“For us, this grant provided significant support in implementing our marketing strategy. Thanks to the program, we developed a website and a promotion strategy for EU markets. We are already receiving inquiries and new clients from Europe. The existence of such grant programs is a breath of fresh air for small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine. It helps them survive in difficult times and focus on strategic development instead of just survival mode,” noted Olha Romanenko, Co-Founder of Ekopan LLC.
“Thanks to the EU and German government grant, we were able to upgrade our production and improve our manufacturing process. Our company’s primary goal now is to expand our export potential. The grant helped us move in this direction. We installed a compressed air system, ensured uninterrupted operation of production equipment, and thus increased productivity. Grant programs provide confidence in uncertain times. They reassure us that the projects we dream about, plan, and implement will 100% be realized,” said Olha Melykh, Owner and Director of Kvota LLC.
The EU4Business initiative in Ukraine helps entrepreneurs create and sustain jobs, expand exports, and increase profits.
In 2022 alone, the EU4Business initiative funded 42 projects with a total budget exceeding €246 million, supporting 25,522 companies.
Entrepreneurs created approximately 23,750 new jobs, and their turnover increased by 18%.
The grants align with the goals of the Ukrainian government’s #eRobota initiative under the Ministry of Economy.
100 grants of €10,000 each are provided under the international cooperation program “EU4Business: Recovery, Competitiveness, and Internationalization of SMEs,” funded by the European Union and the German government.
The program aims to support Ukraine’s economic resilience, recovery, and growth, create better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and promote innovation and exports. More details: www.eu4business.org.ua.
The strategic implementer of the program is the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Partner for implementation – EasyBusiness.
The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of EasyBusiness and does not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union, the German government, or GIZ.