‘Just Transition through Entrepreneurship’ aims to support Ukraine’s green recovery and just transition in the face of structural changes, economic challenges, and war-induced disruptions by providing holistic support for aspiring entrepreneurs, existing entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurial support organizations.
Supporting Ukraine’s green recovery and just transition through SMEs
Key stats
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Duration
01.03.2024 to 30.11.2024
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Supporting
150 small businesses and up to 6 organizations
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500 Euros/month
direct financial support for businesses
Objectives
Supporting green recovery and just transition of Ukraine's economy through providing direct support for SMEs and entrepreneurial organizations.
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Locations
Lviv Oblast and Volyn Oblast, Ukraine
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Targeted SDGs
Micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up a large majority of businesses in Ukraine. At the moment, they face several challenges that put their survival at risk. This has a significant impact on the country’s economy as a whole, given that SMEs are responsible for over 63% of employment in Ukraine.
Coal regions, such as Volyn and Lviv oblasts, face increased uncertainty due to the transition from coal and plant closures. Therefore, providing access to direct financial support, training and upskilling is crucial so the necessary changes to limit global warming do not negatively impact local employees.
On the other hand, the Russian war of aggression has had immediate and longer-term consequences on human health, ecosystems, and the economy. It also created setbacks in terms of Ukraine’s green transformation and the country’s plans to align itself with green economy principles. Supporting local businesses would be highly beneficial in meeting the challenges faced by SMEs in the regions and would give them much-needed financial relief.
In order to support the SMEs, the objectives of the project are to:
- lay the groundwork for a more inclusive, resilient, and environmentally conscious Ukrainian economy;
- ensure that existing small and medium enterprises in Lviv and Volyn regions can maintain their operations and create resilient businesses;
- empower potential entrepreneurs in formalizing their business ideas and transforming them into commercial and marketable products;
- build capacities and knowledge base for business support organizations to adapt to structural changes and provide long-term, sustainable support for businesses
Supporting SMEs within the affected sectors to adapt to structural challenges and maintain their operations contributes to the well-being of the Ukrainian economy and ensuring a fair transition where no one is left behind.
Project tracks
The project aims to support Ukraine’s green recovery and just transition in the face of structural changes, economic challenges, and war-induced disruptions by providing holistic support for aspiring entrepreneurs, existing entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurial support organizations. The project consists of four tracks.
Businesses Track
This track supports existing enterprises directly and indirectly related to the coal mining sector in their recovery and just transition through direct financial support, mentoring, training, and network development over a period of six months.
Learn moreIdeas Track
This track focuses on introducing entrepreneurship as a viable career path within the target regions by supporting aspiring entrepreneurs in developing their business ideas through three months of training, mentoring, network development, and access to resources.
Applications for this Track are now open!
Learn moreEcosystem Builders Track
This track works with business support organizations to develop services and programs for entrepreneurs in the region geared toward recovery and growth through creating avenues for sustainable, long-term support that extends beyond the duration of the program.
More information to follow soon.
Partnerships Track
This track brings together stakeholders across different sectors in an all-day summit, including government representatives, policy-makers, business leaders from German, European and local companies, entrepreneurs, civil society organizations, industry experts and investors.
More information to follow soon.
How can the Just Transition through Entrepreneurship project support you?
Through its different tracks, the project aims to provide holistic support for the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Lviv and Volyn Oblasts with a particular focus on those who are affected by the structural changes of the energy transition and the war-induced disruptions.
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For entrepreneurs:
If you are an entrepreneur with an established business that has a connection to the target regions of Lviv and Volyn, you can receive direct financial support, access to training and workshops, opportunity to develop your network and connect with experts in Ukraine and the EU market, and dedicated mentoring to support you in adapting to structural changes and grow your business.
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For aspiring entrepreneurs:
If you have an idea for a business that could create economic, environmental or social impact that supports a just transition in the target regions of Lviv and Volyn, you can take part in a pre-incubator where you will have access to workshops, resources and budget for expert services to turn your idea into a product or service that can enter the market.
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For organizations:
If you are working at a business support organization or are an individual supporting entrepreneurship and economic growth in Ukraine, you can take part in the partnerships or the ecosystem builders track. More information about this will be available soon!
Get involved
If you are interested in the program as a participant or partner organization, please use the contact form below or contact us at justtransition@enpact.org.
Project Partners
The ‘Just Transition through Entrepreneurship’ Project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The project is implemented by the non-profit organization enpact.