09.12.2024

The team of NGO West Ukraine Digital congratulates Kharkiv IT Cluster Executive Director Olga Shapoval and the entire team on the launch of the first European digital hub, Eastern Ukraine EDIH 🤖

What digital advancements does the hub offer?
✔️ Technology testing before investing
The hub will provide consulting for businesses and communities on selecting digital tools and help them test these technologies.

✔️ Digital skills training
The project will offer opportunities for upskilling company employees.

✔️ Support in attracting investments
Businesses and communities will receive assistance in finding funding sources.

✔️ Networking within an innovative ecosystem
Thanks to the project, businesses and communities will be able to build connections within the digital community.

Kharkiv IT Cluster is one of West Ukraine Digital’s key partners, as they, like our team, are committed to developing digital education and technologies and promoting digital transformation in their region 💻

Together, we are driving Ukraine's technological potential forward!

05.12.2024

Development of an Export Plan for LANS: A Step Toward International Success

The Ukrainian company LANS, specializing in the production of high-quality knitwear, has taken a significant step in its growth. Through the educational program Export Alliance Mastery: Center for Export Capacity Development and with the support of the NGO West Ukraine Digital, the company has developed an export roadmap to adapt to international markets and effectively expand its presence abroad.

Striving for export has become a natural phase of growth for LANS. Building on its domestic market experience, the company recognized the substantial potential to scale its products internationally. Today, LANS aims to establish a stable presence in Bulgaria, its first international destination.

Export activities require not only adapting products to international standards but also gaining a deep understanding of customer needs in various countries. For this, the company turned to West Ukraine Digital, an organization specializing in supporting Ukrainian enterprises in entering foreign markets.

The development of the export plan for LANS included several stages: market analysis, product adaptation, marketing strategy, logistics, and distribution. With the expert assistance of West Ukraine Digital, LANS received a clear and structured plan for entering the international market. This preparation allows the brand to integrate effectively into new environments while preserving its values and uniqueness.

LANS’s next steps involve actively working with Bulgarian distributors, launching advertising campaigns, and gradually exploring other European markets.

LANS exemplifies how Ukrainian businesses, despite current challenges, can not only survive but also become competitive on the global stage.

25.11.2024

LANS: A Story of Resilience and Growth in Ukrainian Business

Founded in 2012 in Kharkiv, LANS specializes in producing high-quality knitwear. In 2022, despite significant challenges, the company successfully relocated to Rohatyn (Ivano-Frankivsk region), where it continues to delight customers with its products: women’s lingerie, swimwear, men’s T-shirts, and loungewear.

Building on its experience in the local market, LANS is actively expanding into international markets, focusing on exports to Moldova, Romania, and Bulgaria. Through participation in the educational program Export Alliance Mastery: Center for Export Capacity Development, the company has developed a clear strategy for entering these markets. Experts from West Ukraine Digital created a roadmap for LANS, including product adaptation to international standards, effective market entry models, and recommendations for marketing promotion.

This success story was made possible through a program developed by the Visionest Institute in partnership with the Entrepreneurship and Export Development Office under the Diia.Business national project, funded by the Estonian Centre for International Development.

LANS is more than just lingerie — it’s a story of courage, adaptability, and the pursuit of new heights. Support Ukrainian brands today!

25.11.2024

The West Ukraine Digital Team Attended the Presentation of the Museum Fund of Ukraine Registry

The West Ukraine Digital Project Office is a partner in implementing this innovative initiative. Specialists from the office are educating museum workers across Ukraine on how the registry functions. Oksana Kachurivska, head of West Ukraine Digital, conducts both online and offline sessions to demonstrate how to use the registry, how to input data, and what information will be publicly accessible versus internal-only:
«Our goal is to clearly explain the benefits of the registry. Previously, some data was stored on Russian servers or kept in paper formats, which made quick data sharing impossible and hindered collaboration with international partners. In our sessions with museum workers, we guide them through the entire user experience, discuss potential limitations, and address common mistakes. So far, we have introduced the registry to nearly 1,000 museum professionals across Ukraine»
The project aims to consolidate all data about Ukraine's Museum Fund into a single digital platform, improving access for researchers and the general public. The registry will help preserve collections during wartime and facilitate tracking to prevent theft and damage. It will be accessible to all users and specialists. To date, over 300 of 652 museums have joined the registry.

The project is being implemented under a memorandum between the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Center for Cultural Studies, and the Foundation for International Solidarity, with support from the government of the Republic of Poland.

14.11.2024

⭐ Self-assessment is incredibly important – it’s a way for the team to understand if it’s moving in the right direction and to identify which areas need strengthening. That’s why we at West Ukraine Digital are proud to inform you that we have completed the Aspire self-assessment with our partners at Mercy Corps. We are very grateful to the international humanitarian organization for the projects we’ve implemented together and for this wonderful opportunity to evaluate ourselves and our path forward!
✅ Discussed how we assess ourselves and our areas of work✅ Received expert advice from Mercy Corps specialists✅ Developed directions in which we can grow✅ And we are ready to put them into action!
We would also like to remind you that West Ukraine Digital is a partner of Mercy Corps in the Economic Resilience Support Program for Ukraine, currently active in the Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kyiv regions.
As part of this program, businesses affected by the full-scale war can receive up to $20,000 for recovery.
Details are available here
Implementing the best initiatives together to become stronger!

08.11.2024

Recently, representatives of the NGO West Ukraine Digital attended the partner event of the international humanitarian organization Mercy Corps, titled "Shared Vision — Shared Actions" in Lviv.
During the event, we discussed the coordination and common direction of actions among various public and charitable organizations to strengthen civil society. In particular, we addressed topics such as business development, inclusion, equality and accessibility, as well as organizational responsibility toward their employees.
It was a very productive two-day forum, where we had the opportunity to build new connections and set priorities for our activities. We are very grateful to Mercy Corps for the invitation to this intensive event!
We also remind you that West Ukraine Digital is a partner of Mercy Corps in the Economic Resilience Support Program for Ukraine, which is currently active in the Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kyiv regions.
As part of this program, businesses affected by the full-scale war can receive up to $20,000 for recovery.
More details can be found here
We unite our efforts to strengthen our collaboration and explore innovative ways to achieve our shared goals!

04.11.2024

West Ukraine Digital is participating in Export Alliance Mastery: the Center for Export Capacity Development — a practical educational program for Business Support Organizations aimed at enhancing consulting competencies of employees and boosting strategic capacity in supporting export development and international projects.
The program involves business support organizations (BSOs), such as associations, clusters, unions, chambers of commerce, regional development agencies, and others.
The program covers two key areas — export consulting and organizational development strategy.
With the professionalism of the trainers, the intensity of the learning process, and the number of practical tasks based on real companies, the program is comparable to a master’s degree from top European universities. The program trainers include leading practitioners from the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, and Estonia. A bonus of the program is a funded trip to Estonia for experience exchange with successful business support organizations.
The Export Alliance Mastery program was developed by Visionest Institute (Estonia) in collaboration with the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development as part of the national Diia.Business project. The project is implemented with financial support from the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV).

18.09.2024

We invite entrepreneurs of Kharkiv region to join a webinar on the grant program from the international humanitarian organization Mercy Corps as part of the Economic Resilience Support Program for Ukraine.
The event will be useful for anyone interested in gaining new knowledge and skills, as well as financial assistance for developing their own business.
We will talk about:➡ the current program of support for small and medium-sized businesses in the amount of USD 20 thousand under the Economic Resilience Program of Ukraine (ERP)➡ peculiarities of submitting a grant application, preparation of a project application➡ algorithm of the grantee's path
Speakers:Oksana Kachurivska, Head of the Diia.Business Entrepreneur Support Center in Ternopil and the West Ukraine Digital project office, grant writer and project manager, business development expert.Natalia Handz - Deputy Project Manager
🕰️ September 24, 16:00✍�� https://forms.gle/cofEBgZXDUmAfW2E8 
Why you should attend:● The event is free of charge● Valuable knowledge and practical advice● Opportunity to get answers to your questions
*The event is organized by the NGO West Ukrainian Digital in cooperation with the NGO Association of Private Employers. The Economic Resilience Program for Ukraine (ERP) is implemented by the ERP consortium, which includes Mercy Corps, Right to Protection, Helvetas and JERU (a joint partnership of Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide) with the support of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

18.09.2024

We took part in the Inclusion Week on September 10-12 in Kyiv, organized by the international humanitarian organization Mercy Corps in partnership with Alliances.Global and Humanity and Inclusion.
During the three days, we gained important knowledge about inclusive communication, service delivery standards, and accountability to the affected - the main aspects of effective humanitarian action.
Our projects, which cover a wide range of areas, help us respond to the needs of a wide range of people. Inclusive communication is key to ensuring fair access to services, building trust and accountability to those we support.
We thank our partners for their organization and cooperation!

01.09.2024

We took part in a meeting with local businesses in the Rubizhne community on the occasion of the Entrepreneur's Day.

This meeting was not only an opportunity to share valuable knowledge, but also an important platform for open discussion of business support issues

During the meeting, Natalia Gandz, project manager of West Ukraine Digital, told more about grant opportunities for entrepreneurs and, in particular, about the details and stages of the second phase of the Economic Resilience Programme for Ukraine, which the international humanitarian organisation Mercy Corps is implementing together with West Ukraine Digital. The programme provides financial support to small and medium-sized businesses that have suffered from the consequences of the full-scale war and need funds to restore or expand their operations. The programme is available in the Dnipro and Kyiv regions, and from September it will also be expanded to the Kharkiv region. Preparing a high-quality application and receiving a grant is not an easy task. The requirements of donor organisations, logical project matrices, budgeting, and evaluation of results all require attention and hard work to win the competition.

The event also discussed topical issues, including access to loans, grants, and participation in various support and development programmes. Entrepreneurs shared their stories of relocation and business recovery in the new environment. Igor Bondarenko, co-founder of the innovative company AGK Ukraine LLC, which has been operating in Rubizhne for 20 years, shared his story with the participants. Last year, the company attracted grant funds from the international humanitarian organisation Mercy Corps during the first phase of the Economic Resilience Programme for Ukraine, which allowed it to set up an autonomous green electricity supply for its production process.

Thank you for the invitation and cooperation! Such meetings facilitate the exchange of experience, cooperation and business development, providing support and new opportunities for all participants, regardless of their place of residence or origin. Supporting entrepreneurship in these difficult times is an important element of Ukraine's economic resilience.

The Economic Resilience Programme for Ukraine (ERP) is implemented by the ERP consortium, which includes Mercy Corps, Right to Protection, Helvetas and JERU (a joint partnership of Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide), with support from Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

22.05.2024

National program “Trajectory” for veterans, military personnel and spouses: get a grant to develop your own business
Trajectory, a national educational and grant program for veterans, military personnel, and spouses, is launched.
The goal of the program is to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with basic knowledge, practical advice and financial support to start and develop their own business. The program was initiated by Diia.Business, a network of entrepreneurial support centers, and Aurora, a chain of multimarket stores.
Based on the results of the training and the business projects presented, 50 participants will receive UAH 100,000 of financial support on a competitive basis to start or develop their own business. The application deadline is June 16, 23:59.
“Strong people create the best future! The main thing is to set the right trajectory. I and the team of the Ministry of Veterans are very impressed by this principle, which is the essence of the program. And we are already following it, proposing and implementing projects and tools that will give impetus to the application of unique knowledge and skills and become an incentive for development. After all, we perceive every veteran who is returning to civilian life today as a leader, as a driver of the economy, capable of generating ideas and implementing them. There are already many examples of this. The Ukrainian Veterans' Fund of the Ministry of Veterans has provided grants for more than 500 projects to develop their own business, from a coffee shop to providing psychological assistance to their brothers and sisters. So there is a demand, and we will help implement them together,” says Oleksandr Porkhun, acting Minister of Veterans Affairs.
The Program is open to all:● Veterans (persons with the status of combatants)● military personnel (persons who participated in the implementation of measures to ensure national security and defense, repulse and deter the armed aggression of the Russian Federation)● spouse (official spouse of veterans or military personnel, including those killed, missing and captured)
“At the Ministry of Digital Transformation, we are actively working on the digital transformation of business. We initiate educational and grant programs, introduce new digital services and services. We also support the initiatives of our partners aimed at developing the entrepreneurial skills of Ukrainians. Among these initiatives is the new Trajectory accelerator. It is designed to provide veterans, military personnel and their families with resources and tools to realize their entrepreneurial ambitions. According to the survey, 64% of veterans and active military personnel want to start their own business. So our common goal is to support them on this path and create conditions for the successful development of small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine,” said Valeria Ionan, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine for European Integration.
When selecting applications, priority will be given to businesses that produce kitchen utensils, metal for the kitchen, textiles, towels, clothing, accessories, toys, plastic goods, and garment companies.
*You can apply for the Program even if your activity is not included in the list of priority sectors.
The training will be held online and will include both theoretical and practical parts. During the first theoretical stage, participants will attend a webinar on developing a business plan, lectures by veteran entrepreneurs, and sessions with a psychologist. During the second practical stage, future entrepreneurs will create a business plan and receive individual consultations from experts.
“We believe that supporting entrepreneurs, especially those with unique experience and skills, is the key to building a strong economic future. These are the superhumans of the present and the future with a unique experience of endurance, discipline, teamwork and thirst for results,” said Taras Panasenko, CEO of Aurora multimarket chain.
You can find out more about the project and apply for participation on the Program's landing page here.
The application deadline is June 16, 2024.
The Trajectory educational and grant program was initiated by the Diia.Business network of entrepreneur support centers and the Aurora multimarket chain. The national project is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, and the Entrepreneurship and Export Development Office, with the assistance of UNDP in Ukraine and the Government of Sweden, the Ukrainian Veterans Fund of the Ministry of Veterans.

16.04.2024

National educational program Svitanok launches to enter the international market
The national educational program Svitanok aims to strengthen the capacity of Ukrainian companies with little export experience to enter the international market by providing relevant knowledge, tools and expert advice.
The program will select 100 representatives of micro, small and medium-sized businesses that want to expand their export geography and foreign partner base.
The following can apply for participation:● export managers, company executives responsible for foreign economic activity● Representatives of companies planning to start or expand export activities in 2024 or have export experience and are existing exporters with little experience from micro, small and medium-sized businesses in all industries.
The training will take place in offline and online formats from May 7 to 28, 2024, and will include 12 online lectures and 5 group offline/online meetings at 10 Diia.Business entrepreneur support centers in Bucha, Odesa, Uzhhorod, Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih, Poltava, Lutsk, Ternopil, Rivne, and at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
Among the main topics of the training:● Opportunities and challenges for Ukrainian companies in the international market● Methods of market research● Peculiarities of export legislation and regulation● Marketing tools for product promotion in the international market● Choosing the best strategy for implementing innovations in the international market● Conducting trade negotiations and concluding agreements
The speakers and mentors of the educational program will be experts and practitioners who promote and scale products on international platforms. Each module will consist of theoretical and practical trainings, homework assignments, and feedback sessions based on the results of the homework.
Based on the results of the training and the overall rating of the educational component, 20 participants will receive comprehensive plans for expanding export opportunities and recommendations for improving their business strategy for entering the international market. An additional component of the program will be the opportunity for 20 finalists of the national educational program to receive three months of free access to the Kompass* software product, as well as the creation and content of pages for companies in the professional network LinkedIn.
*Kompass is an international B2B search portal, a leading long-standing Martech company that provides data and innovative solutions for sales, marketing and procurement professionals around the world.
You can participate by filling out the registration form for the program's landing page here: https://svitanok.net.ua/ The application deadline is April 29, 2024.
*After filling in the registration form, all registered participants will receive an e-mail by May 3 with information on further participation.
For more details, please contact the program email: au.ten.konativs%40ofni
The National Education Program “Svitanok” was initiated by the Entrepreneur Support Center Diia.Business in Ternopil and implemented by the network of Diia.Business centers with the assistance of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development with the support of the European Union and the German Government within the framework of the EU4Business: SME Recovery, Competitiveness and Internationalization Program, which is implemented in Ukraine by the German Federal Company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the NGO West Ukrainian Digital and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the German Government, GIZ

28.02.2024

Workshop on the initialization of the project to develop an online platform for small and medium-sized enterprises

Recently, Ternopil National Technical University hosted a workshop on the initialization of a project to develop an online platform for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The event was attended by Oksana Kachurivska, head of the NGO West Ukrainian Digital, head of the Diia.Business center in Ternopil, an expert in attracting resources for community development, cooperation with international partners and donor organizations.
The event discussed digital transformation as a key topic for sustainable business development.
Other invited experts included:● Ruslan Savchyshyn, founder and CEO of MagneticOne.Group, a group of IT companies, public figure, volunteer and philanthropist;●Ihor Stefaniv, UNDP Regional Program Coordinator in Ternopil Oblast;● Mykhailo Ratushniak, Head of the NGO League of Entrepreneurs "Ukrainian Business";●Viktor Palianytsia, director of Palianytsia V.A., private entrepreneur● Yaroslav Kovalchuk, Director of SMARTTECHBUD LLC;●Olga Gevko, Director of Profi-Center (LLC "Training and Consulting Company "Profi-Center").
The members of the professional community of stakeholder experts shared their thoughts, ideas, and experiences, provided valuable recommendations, and found common ground for the future development of the project. The ideas and recommendations received will be used as a guide for further work.
The project continues to work towards increasing the competitiveness of domestic SMEs and the overall economy. Together we can achieve more!
Project team: Iryna Strutynska, Liliia Melnyk, Halyna Kozbur, Lesia Dmytrytsia, Olena Sorokivska, and Roman Sherstyuk - would like to thank everyone for their productive participation in the event.
The project is implemented with the support of The British Academy and Erasmus Jean Monnet.
#DigitalTransformation
#TheBritishAcademy #ErasmusJeanMonnet
#SustainableDevelopment #SME #ActionBusiness #UNDP #Ternopil

25-26.01.2024

SME Grantees Forum held under the Program to Support Economic Resilience of Ukraine

On January 25-26, Lviv hosted a two-day grantees' forum for representatives of small and medium-sized businesses that received financial support from the international humanitarian organization Mercy Corps under the Economic Resilience Support Program, which helps restore and/or expand small and medium-sized businesses affected by the war.
At the event, the results of the program's activities were presented to entrepreneurs, and participants had the opportunity to get to know each other better, share their experiences in the program, establish useful contacts and cooperate together. The average amount of financial assistance is USD 20,000, which is allocated, depending on the needs, to restore, reorient or expand businesses with a focus on creating and/or preserving jobs for IDPs and war-affected populations.
Oksana Kachurivska, Head of West Ukraine Digital NGO, Head of the Diia.Business entrepreneur support center in Ternopil: "We are pleased to cooperate with the international humanitarian organization Mercy Corps within the framework of the Program to Support Ukraine's Economic Resilience. And even more so, to create platforms for entrepreneurs where they can communicate, interact, share experiences and develop. This is especially important during the relocation period, because in times of war we must look for ways to ensure that businesses do not just exist, but increase their potential and capabilities."
Taras Bendarevsky, SME Support Manager at Mercy Corps, shared with the participants the main results of the SME support component implementation and information on other opportunities and programs implemented by Mercy Corps. An important part of the event was a discussion with the participants about their experience in the program and how to use it to improve future programs. Applications for participation in the program in this area of support have been temporarily suspended. Information on the future development of the program is available here.
The forum consisted of thematic blocks: program presentations, panels with entrepreneurs' success stories, and practical lectures.
An important part of the meeting was feedback from the participants, discussion of the difficulties encountered during the relocation, resumption of operations and participation in the grant program, as well as achievements due to the financial support provided. During the panel of success stories, business representatives Anton Molchanov, Stanislav Kulaev and Inna Fedosienko made their own short presentations and shared their experience of relocation and resumption of operations.
Anton Molchanov, founder and director of Tekstura, spoke about his experience of moving from Luhansk to Lviv region and resuming work. The company produces furniture and textiles and has been on the market for over 6 years. Unfortunately, the production facility was completely destroyed and the rest is under occupation, so it was not possible to relocate the equipment. Despite the need to restore many aspects of the business and the equipment that has been purchased and accumulated over the years, sales and production capacity are already higher than before the outbreak of full-scale war. Thanks to financial support from the international humanitarian organization Mercy Corps, the company managed to purchase new equipment for the mass production of textiles, increase production volumes, increase profitability and create new jobs. There was little impact on the production of Tekstura Home furniture (chairs, beds, armchairs, sofas), the launch of Tekstura Linen home textiles and Tekstura Kids soft beds and mattresses.
Stanislav Kulayev shared the activities of Las Ville, Malvita, a bakery and confectionery company in Sumy region. The company produces flour confectionery, short-life cakes and pastries, long-life biscuits, puff pastries, cottage cheese products, custard cakes with cream, and biscuit products. Since the first days of the full-scale war, the business has been under full occupation. Later, the company managed to resume production and operations in general. Thanks to financial support, the business managed to purchase equipment, increase jobs, resume bread production and expand its range of confectionery products.
Inna Fedosienko, co-founder of the Slobozhanshchyna Vegetables Farm, also shared her experience of relocation. The farm grows vegetables and cereals, tubers and root crops. Since the first days of the full-scale war, it has been under full occupation in the Kharkiv region. To date, the company has partially resumed operations in Ivano-Frankivsk region. Thanks to the support of Mercy Corps, the farm has its own refrigerated semi-trailer. The vehicle greatly helps with harvesting crops in the field and allows them to avoid using third parties for transportation services.
In addition, the participants were looking for points of contact and overlap between the activities of their organizations. They also discussed their experience of interacting with local authorities and integrating into a new place of residence and doing business.
Speakers working in various industries shared their experience and ideas on how to set up company processes and scale up during the war.
The participants discussed the implementation of Lean in production with Andriy Dmytriyev, a consultant at Lean Institute Ukraine. The speaker has over 12 years of experience in developing and implementing production system improvement programs. He worked on Lean projects for the following companies: Nova Poshta, MHP, This is Pivbar, Biopharma, Tribo, Comfy, Centravis, InterAgroPack, Blanche, Yuria-Pharm, Kragelund, etc. In particular, they reviewed approaches and examples of technology implementation at various enterprises.
Solomiia Vozna, Key Account Manager, Expert at robota.ua, shared labor market analytics from robota.ua with the owners of the relocated business during a practical lecture. They also discussed the demographic situation, the activity of employers and job seekers, the main market trends, and the opportunities provided by robota.ua for recruiting staff.
Lyudmyla Kalabukha, who has 29 years of experience in sales, shared five new methods of organizing the sale of your products in the Ukrainian realities of 2024. The UN Honorary Ambassador for Women's Entrepreneurship Development, an expert in top media, has written 3 books on sales that became the Best Books of Ukraine 2017/20/22.
We discussed exports and models of entering the foreign market with Valentyna Lyashenko, Foreign Economic Activity Manager of the International Cooperation Department of the State Enterprise "Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development". Valentyna has more than 6 years of experience in communicating with foreign partners and retailers and assists them in selecting Ukrainian brands for cooperation. During the lecture, they also discussed in more detail how to communicate with large foreign chains, what is important for Ukrainian companies to consider in cooperation with chains, and what businesses need to know before participating in trade fairs.
Supporting the relocated entrepreneurs is essential for them to become stronger and make a positive contribution to the development of the economy and the recovery of Ukraine. This is understood not only by us, but also by the partners who supported our joint meeting. As a support to the participants, Lean Institute Ukraine gave everyone a discount on tuition at the School of Maintenance Service Development. robota.ua, a Ukrainian company that develops online recruitment, provided all entrepreneurs, forum participants with branded gifts, as well as promotional codes for discounts and consultations that will help in the selection of employees on robota.ua.
We are grateful to our partner, the Center for Innovation Development, which currently supports and advises about 100 local authorities on adaptation, recovery and development of the local economy, cooperation with businesses, including relocated ones, economic integration of IDPs, etc. In particular, through the implementation of the Economic Profile (Vkursi Economy).
To summarize, the forum was extremely useful, as it allowed us not only to meet other organizations, but also to learn about their work and achievements, and to enrich each other with practical advice and specifics of the activities of the companies that received funding.
We hope that such meetings will continue and become a good tradition for sharing experience, and the result will be long-lasting!
The event was organized by the NGO West Ukraine Digital in partnership with the international humanitarian organization Mercy Corps and together with the Entrepreneur Support Center Diia.Business in Ternopil within the framework of the Open Program to Support Economic Resilience of Ukraine, which is implemented with the financial support of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

27.11.2023

Presented the results of the Face of Business in the Community project

On November 27, the final press conference of the Face of Business in the Community project, which was implemented from April to November 2023 with the support of the EU4Business program, was held. At the event, entrepreneurs and all interested parties were presented with the results of project activities within the framework of the project, which was implemented and coordinated by the city council and the Diya.Business Entrepreneur Support Center in Ternopil.
In particular, the project implemented:- investment passport of the community of Ternopil- investment profile of the community on the website of the Ternopil City Council- a separate new section Investment opportunities in communities in the E-Ternopil mobile application- an entrepreneur's road map for entering new markets- an analytical report with an assessment of the export potential of SMEs of the community and an algorithm for promoting products outside the community- a portal for entrepreneurs with functionality for submitting documents and receiving a decision based on the outcome of the review- local profile of the Ternopil community and analytical report of the general characteristics of the SME sector- provided more than 100 consultations for active entrepreneurs and those who want to start their own business- conducted training courses:for active entrepreneurs Sustainable business development;for those who just want to start their own business How to build a fast-growing business;- produced online training courses on relevant topics, which are available on the educational platform of the center with unlimited access.
Ihor Krysovaty, deputy mayor for the activities of the council's executive bodies, gave a welcome speech:
«The greatest thanks to all entrepreneurs and persons who were interested in this project and were able to take direct part. Especially in the Ternopil community, the role of small and medium-sized enterprises is very high, both for the economy of the city and, in general, for the economy of the state. After all, as a rear area, first of all, we must work on the sustainable development of the economy and support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For our part, we hope that there will be more such successful projects».
Tetyana Anishchuk, Deputy Director of the EU4Business: Recovery, Competitiveness and Internationalization of SMEs program spoke about the areas of work, current opportunities and available support tools of the EU4Business program for small and medium-sized businesses:
«Our program is aimed at creating better conditions for doing business in Ukraine. A large part of our program is cooperation with municipalities - communities with a population of 100,000 to 250,000. We are very glad that the Ternopil community has successfully implemented all the measures that meet the goals of our program and today there are already really valuable results».
Deputy head of the Entrepreneurship Development Fund, Valery Maiboroda also noted that the results of the project are quite tangible and will definitely have a long-term effect on the development and establishment of local business.
«This project is very valuable for us because, thanks to the joint cooperation, we were able to give the entrepreneurs that value and added value so that they could receive support, consulting, the necessary help in solving their questions and creating new tools», – said the head of the NGO WEST UKRAINE DIGITAL, Oksana Kachurivska
The results and implemented materials within the framework of the project were shared by: Tetyana Korchak – the head of the Department of Economy, Industry and Labor of the Ternopil City Council, Maryana Zvarych – the head of the Department of Digital Transformation and Media Communications of the Ternopil City Council, and Nataliya Lazarchuk – the head of the Face of Business in the Community project, project manager of the Center Diia.Business in Ternopil.
We will remind you that the goal of the project The face of business in the community is creation of better conditions for the development of entrepreneurship in the community, the formation of an innovative business culture and the acquisition of communication skills, which will contribute to expanding the access of SMEs to new sales markets outside the community.
Reference information:The event was organized within the framework of the project Face of business in the community, which is implemented by the NGO WEST UKRAINE DIGITAL within the framework of a grant competition for systemic support of small and medium-sized enterprises commissioned by the international cooperation program EU4Business: recovery, competitiveness and internationalization of SMEs, which is jointly financed The European Union and the German government. The grant competition is carried out by the Entrepreneurship Development Fund, the strategic executor of the program is the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The program is aimed at supporting economic stability, recovery and growth of Ukraine, creating better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as supporting innovation and exports.
The content of the publication is the sole responsibility of the NGO WEST UKRAINE DIGITAL and does not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union, the German government, GIZ

06.11.2023

Materials implemented as part of the project «Face of business in the community»

In modern conditions of war, the search for investment resources for development is a very difficult and urgent task for every community. And yet, when, if not today, to popularize one's own investment potential and take steps to meet the investor?
That is why we are pleased to present:��the investment passport of the community of Ternopil was developedInvestment passport is a comprehensive information document for potential internal and external investors, containing information about the community, its factors of investment attractiveness and investment opportunities.The document helps entrepreneurs to open a new or expand an existing business in the community��an investment profile of the community was created on the website of the Ternopil City Council🔸a separate new section «Investment opportunities in communities» in the E-Ternopil mobile application ��an entrepreneur's road map for entering new markets��Analytical report with an assessment of the export potential of SMEs of the community and an algorithm for product promotion outside the community
The investment profile and section in the mobile application reflect the credit and investment attractiveness of the community and its investment potential.
Information about free land plots, premises, investment projects is displayed here, in addition, entrepreneurs, as well as all other interested persons, can submit their own investment idea and use the guide for investors.
This will allow potential entrepreneurs to invest in projects and, thus, participate in community development, establish business relationships with partners and consumers, evaluate competitors and assess their own investment potential.
We will be glad to see investors among partners who intend to conduct their business in the territory of our community!
All these developments became possible thanks to the cooperation of the NGO "West Ukraine Digital" together with the Ternopil City Council on the implementation of the "Face of Business to the Community" project. The project is aimed at creating better conditions for the development of entrepreneurship in the Ternopil community, forming an innovative business culture and acquiring communication skills, which will contribute to the expansion of SME access to new sales markets outside the community.
The materials were developed within the framework of the international cooperation program "EU4Business: recovery, competitiveness and internationalization of SMEs" with co-financing from the European Union and the German government. The program is aimed at supporting economic stability, recovery and growth of Ukraine, creating better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as supporting innovation and exports. More details: www.eu4business.org.ua The strategic executor of the program is the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The executor of the grant competition is the Entrepreneurship Development Fund. The executor of the grant is the public organization "West Ukraine Digital".
The content of the investment profile and investment passport is the sole responsibility of the Ternopil City Council and does not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union and the German government.

18-19.08.2023

How to build a fast-growing business — training supported by the EU4Business program

Are you thinking about starting your own business? ��💼
Successfully implementing your business idea in Ukraine during the war is not an easy task at all 💯 However, success in business comes to proactive entrepreneurs who take risks at any time ⚡
So we invite you to the offline course How to build a fast-growing business
The training will include the following topics:🔹Financial and legal aspects for creating a business;🔹Time management and secrets of success;🔹Inspiring leadership in business;🔹Key aspects of grantwriting for business;🔹Business model;🔹 Attracting customers;🔹Sales;🔹 Business marketing.
When? August 18, 14:00-20:00, August 19, 10:00-20:00.Format: offline.Where? Diia.Business Support Center for Entrepreneurs in Ternopil, str. April 15, 2m.Participation is free of charge, subject to prior registration via link
eference information:The training course is organized within the framework of the project "The face of business in the community", which is implemented by the NGO "WEST UKRAINE DIGITAL" within the framework of a grant competition for systemic support of small and medium-sized enterprises commissioned by the international cooperation program "EU4Business: recovery, competitiveness and internationalization of SMEs", which is jointly funded by the European Union and the German government. The grant competition is carried out by the Entrepreneurship Development Fund, the strategic executor of the program is the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The program is aimed at supporting economic stability, recovery and growth of Ukraine, creating better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as supporting innovation and exports.More details: www.eu4business.org.ua
The content of the publication and the course is the sole responsibility of the NGO "WEST UKRAINE DIGITAL" and does not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union, the German government, GIZ.

10, 11, 12.08.2023

Sustainable business development — training within the framework of EU4Business

The project «The face of business in the community» with the support of the EU4Business program continues. We are pleased to announce the start of a new event within the framework of our project - a course for entrepreneurs of the Ternopil community.
The course will help you understand the principles and benefits of a sustainable approach to business:What exactly does sustainable development include? How should you choose goals for your own business? How can innovation help businesses grow? But how should companies communicate and report on their projects?
Business course modules include:🔸Algorithms of forming a successful entrepreneur;🔸Customer orientation;🔸 Export activity;🔸Business model;🔸Fundraising for business;🔸Branding and marketing;🔸Permanence and sustainability of entrepreneurship;🔸Risk management.
Sustainable business development will be especially useful for entrepreneurs who want a step-by-step guide to business adaptation in the face of uncertainty.The course is aimed at owners of small and medium-sized businesses who are interested in:💡further business development;💡creating long-term values;💡building functional partnerships with all stakeholders: employees, consumers, communities, etc.
When? August 10, 16:00-20:00; August 11, 12, 10:00-20:00Format: offlineWhere? Diia.Business Support Center for Entrepreneurs in Ternopil, str. April 15, 2m.Participation is free of charge, subject to prior registration via link
Sustainable development is not just projects of social responsibility, detached from the essence of business processes. It is a "must have" for businesses that want to scale, enter foreign markets and attract investment. So don't miss the opportunity to improve your business for free, and join the course as soon as possible!
The project "The face of business in the community" is implemented by the NGO "WEST UKRAINE DIGITAL" within the framework of a grant competition for systemic support of small and medium-sized enterprises on the order of the international cooperation program "EU4Business: recovery, competitiveness and internationalization of SMEs", which is jointly financed by the European Union and the German government. The grant competition is carried out by the Entrepreneurship Development Fund, the strategic executor of the program is the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The program is aimed at supporting economic stability, recovery and growth of Ukraine, creating better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as supporting innovation and exports.More details: www.eu4business.org.ua
The content of the publication and the course is the sole responsibility of the NGO "WEST UKRAINE DIGITAL" and does not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union, the German government, GIZ.

The BraveTe economic forum for entrepreneurs was held in Ternopil

On August 26, BraveTe Business Forum was held at the Diya.Business Entrepreneur Support Center in Ternopil, where business representatives from the western and central regions of Ukraine gathered.
During the forum, business owners discussed the problems of business in the conditions of war.
The program of the forum consisted of two separate thematic blocks dedicated to the relocation of talents and businesses and the HoReCa market during the war. Eleven speakers working in various fields spoke at the forum. The speakers shared their experiences and ideas, told how to run their own business during the war.

Mykhailo Gapula, deputy head of the Ternopil Regional Military Administration, gave a welcome speech:
- We are interested in the fact that the entrepreneurs of our region have the opportunity to continue their activities and develop, even with an unstable situation in the country. Such events are aimed at giving entrepreneurs and business owners inspiration and motivation for further improvement. In times of war, the economy is the engine that brings us closer to victory.

About 170 participants registered to participate in the form.

Ukrainians are divided into brave and very brave. After all, it is the courage of Ukrainian entrepreneurs that helps to hold the economic front. Therefore, the name of the Forum - BraveTe - became symbolic.

- The West of Ukraine today has an important mission. He must change his reality and adapt to new conditions. Because today many enterprises, people, immigrants have moved to Ternopil. Our task is to communicate these entrepreneurs among themselves within the framework of the forum. Talk about how the city and region should work in this direction. How to adapt to a large number of people and new businesses, what conditions can the region create so that this number increases? To do this, we organized such an event, - noted Oksana Kachurivska, head of the Entrepreneur Support Center Diya.Business in Ternopil, head of the West Ukraine Digital project office

In these difficult times, we must understand the importance of the functioning of enterprises. Such events are new opportunities for Ternopil, because only by expanding the horizons of cooperation will we be able to develop and be a European state.

The business forum was organized with the support of the Ternopil Regional Military Administration, the Ternopil City Council, as well as the general partner - the "Molokia" company. Support in the organization was provided by Visa and PRIVATBANK.

West Ukraine Digital launches new partnerships

After all, it strives to more effectively implement joint projects together with partners.It is for this purpose that West Ukraine Digital concluded a Memorandum of Cooperation with Greennet.This is a company that implements IT solutions from the best global manufacturers, which allows you to easily optimize processes in the region.Therefore, such cooperation will be aimed at the development, implementation and use of such IT products that will help businesses adapt and launch new digital business processes.West Ukraine Digital continues to support the economic front and does everything to increase the level of development of digitalization in the western region of Ukraine.

Switch to Ukrainian services!

Today, the question of how to properly replace the Russian service and switch to technical support of Ukrainian production arises.We are starting work on the implementation of one of these projects - Ukrainian Medical CRM.The goal of the project is to automate the management of the orthopedic and traumatology department of the Ternopil Regional Hospital by developing for them an analogue of the Russian service on the Ukrainian-made CRM systemWe implement the project with the company Eservia.As a result, through the use of digital solutions in the adjustment of activity processes, we automate and optimize the work of the orthopedic and trauma department of the Ternopil Regional Hospital.

Together for digital development and victory!

On July 1, the team of the West Ukraine Digital project office handed over laptops and mobile LTE routers for the Orthopedic and Trauma Department of the Ternopil Regional Clinical Hospital. The Head of the Department, Orthopedic Traumatologist Serhii Hariyan received the necessary help. The equipment was collected thanks to the support of partners and patrons. The team of the West Ukraine Digital Project Office will continue to support the collection of humanitarian equipment for where it is urgently needed, to support the activities of regional administrations and local governments.Follow the news and be the first to learn about our digitization projects!

Together for digitalization of the Western region!

On June 29, in Ternopil, the Head of the West Ukraine Digital Project Office, Oksana Kachurivska, met with representatives of PJSC MTB Bank: Yurii Kralov - Chairman of the Board, Dmytro Tkachenko - manager of the branch in Lviv, Oleksandr Borisov - manager of the branch in Kharkiv. MTB Bank recently became a partner in opening a Project Office. During the meeting, they discussed the perspective and possibilities of further cooperation. The main task and purpose of the partnership is to form the institutional and business capacity of the western region, to direct efforts to its development. The meeting took place at the Diia.Business Support Center for Entrepreneurs in Ternopil.Thank you very much for such valuable support of our Project Office!We invite regions, communities, technological businesses and startups to cooperate for the joint development of digital projects in the Western Region and Ukraine in general.

On February 23, the day before the start of a full-scale war with russia, a meeting of deputy heads of regional state administrations on digital transformation of Ternopil - Mykhailo Hapula, Lviv - Oleksandr Kulepin, Ivano-Frankivsk - Bohdan Futerko and Chernivtsi - Roman Skyhar took place in Ternopil. The meeting took place at the Diia.Business center in Ternopil.During the meeting they discussed the prospects and possibilities of creating a Western Ukrainian project office - West Ukraine Digital under the initiative of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. The main task facing the future office will be the development of the digital environment of the western region, support for the digital transformation of the region, the formation of the Western Ukrainian Center for Innovation and Digitization, joining forces for simple and fast digital solutions.
Already now, we have opened a project office West Ukraine Digital in the new realities, but with the same inspiration for development.We invite regions, communities, technology businesses and startups to cooperate for the joint development of digital projects in the western region and Ukraine in general.