The $1 million grant program “CREATE!” from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund, and KSE Foundation, with the compliance support of Oschadbank JSC and expert assessment by KSE Graduate Business School, announces new winners. The project aims to help Ukrainian women in manufacturing scale their businesses.
Olha Sirman owns the Jelly Bar brand of cocktail sweets based in Lviv. The entrepreneur produces lollipops, jellies, marshmallows, and cocktail candies that can be bought in more than 60 stores across Ukraine.
The winner will use the funds to purchase a tempering machine and equipment to work with marmalade. It will expand the range of products and increase production productivity.
“Entrepreneurship is an opportunity to give people pleasant emotions. I constantly want to improve our products, develop new flavors and products, learn something new, and share my experience with other entrepreneurs,” says Olha.
Olena Yatsenko is a co-owner of Yourbee_honey, a honey production facility in Kryvyi Rih. The grantee’s company produces honey and honey products at its own apiary.
The winner will use the grant funds to attend educational courses and purchase a cremation machine, a dispenser for bottling products, and other equipment to expand her production capabilities.
“I want to scale my business, particularly the cream-honey business. I aim to create the most useful, tasty, and affordable product for every Ukrainian,” says Olena.
Kateryna Senchyna is a co-owner of the Chesnyi Syr cheese factory in Lviv. The winner’s workshop produces natural craft cheeses and dairy products.
The entrepreneur will use the grant to buy additional equipment, such as a vacuum cleaner and a cutter. It will help improve the efficiency of the production process.
“Our goal is to provide the Ukrainian market with high-quality dairy products and develop a culture of craft cheese consumption in Ukraine. We want to introduce a high-quality Ukrainian product to the world in the future,” says Kateryna.
Maria Havryliuk is a co-founder of Gunia Project, a decor and accessories brand based in Kyiv. The winner’s team creates exclusive ceramic products, jewelry, and clothing.
The entrepreneur will use the grant to scale up her textile production by purchasing a machine for embroidery using the Richelieu technique.
“We want Gunia Project to become a brand ambassador of Ukrainian culture in the world,” Maria shares her plans for the future.
Oleksandra Vakarova is the founder and co-owner of Bark&Go, a dog clothing company based in Lviv. The entrepreneur’s sewing shop produces comfortable and functional clothing for pets.
The winner will use the grant funds to pay for a training program to develop international sales and purchase seam sealing equipment to improve product quality.
“To be successful in business, it is important not to give up, to constantly learn, to find the right people for your team, always to be involved in your own business, and not to be shy about attracting investments,” emphasizes Oleksandra.
According to the program’s results, the organizing committee received over a thousand applications from Ukrainian businesswomen. The names of the following will be announced gradually.
The Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund (UMAEF, formerly Western NIS Enterprise Fund) invests in funds for the implementation of the grant program. The fund supports initiatives to promote reforms in Ukraine and transformative projects.