The Ecosystem Connectors project builds bridges across European entrepreneurship ecosystems with the aim of encouraging a stronger economic integration through facilitating partnerships, knowledge sharing and resource exchange between entrepreneurs and stakeholders. The project’s first edition focuses on connecting Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Berlin while the project’s second edition is focussing on Ukraine and Berlin.
Through regular networking events, dedicated training and workshops, and exchange trips, the project will provide entrepreneurs across Ukraine with market access and business development support, and access to opportunities for international growth.
We’re kicking off the project on the 2nd of December in Berlin with startups, investors and ecosystem stakeholders from Berlin and Ukraine!
2025 Activities
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An evening of exchange centered around entrepreneurship in Kyiv (Ukraine) and Berlin. The event will explore the business opportunities, potential collaborations and best practices from the two ecosystems. If you’re an entrepreneur, investor or ecosystem enabler interested in getting to know new markets, this is the event for you.
In September 2025, up to 35 entrepreneurs and ecosystem enablers from Ukraine will have the chance to take part in a series of tailored workshops to get to know opportunities for expanding their businesses to Berlin. Up to 10 will take part in an all-expenses paid exchange trip to visit the Berlin startup ecosystem.
2 Dec 2024
Ecosystem Connectors Berlin Kyiv launch event
Jan 2025
Ecosystem Report
Feb 2025
Applications open for delegation to Berlin
Jan to Apr 2025
Interactive sessions
Apr to Sep 2025
Workshop series
Sep / Oct 2025
Delegation trip to Berlin
Sign up to take part in our 2025 activities!
Tell us about yourself, your work and what type of collaborations you’re looking for. Based on your profile, we will notify you with updates about upcoming activities.
Thank you for everyone who took part at the Ecosystem Connectors | Berlin Kyiv launch event!
If you couldn’t join us, this recap is the best way to get a feeling of the vibe, energy and enthusiasm that was buzzing throughout the entire evening. You can also catch a quick glimpse into the entrepreneurship ecosystems of Berlin and Ukraine.
The program supports founders and ecosystem enablers in Ukraine as well as founders in Berlin.
Ecosystem Connectors can be your first step towards expanding your work into the EU market through Berlin, gaining global visibility and creating strategic EU partnerships. You can take part in a workshop series led by founders and enablers from the Berlin ecosystem. You will also have the opportunity to join a delegation trip to Berlin in 2025 to meet startups, investors and policymakers and get first-hand insights into the market.
Join our kickoff event on the 2nd of December to get to know the project and how it can support you, and have the opportunity to directly meet and network with ecosystem enablers and founders from Ukraine. You can also take an active part during the delegation trip from Ukraine to Berlin in 2025.
Whether you’re working with a support organization, supporting the growth of the startup ecosystem or investing in startups, you can grow your network and expertise through the Ecosystem Connectors program. You will have the chance to exchange learnings, gain new insights and work with Berlin-based organizations to provide further support to your entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Berlin Founders Program is aimed at aspiring entrepreneurs and representatives of support organizations, providing them with a self-paced crash course on entrepreneurship and an all-expenses paid trip to Berlin.
The project is funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH through the “Bund-Länder-Programm – German Government and Federal States Program (BLP)” in cooperation with the non-profit organization enpact.
The project is being implemented in Ukraine with the support of the ReACT4Ukraine project (“Utilization and Implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine in the field of trade”), that is financed by the German Government. The project aims to improve competitiveness and resilience of Ukrainian small and medium–sized enterprises, especially with regard to EU accession.
The international cooperation project ReACT4UA (“Utilization and Implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine in the field of trade”) is financed by the German Government. The project aims to improve competitiveness and resilience of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises, especially regarding EU accession. The strategic implementer of the project is the German federal company “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH”.
