Ukrainian NGOs Impact Force and SILab Ukraine launch business accelerator to strengthen Ukraine's economy
Ukrainian NGOs Impact Force and SILab Ukraine, with the support of numerous Ukrainian and international partners, are launching the Impact Business accelerator for Ukrainian entrepreneurs seeking to contribute to the recovery of Ukraine's most conflict-affected economic sectors.
We presented the Impact Business accelerator on February 14th at 2:00 PM and recommend watching the recording to learn everything about the application form, program participation requirements, and the opportunity to receive up to €20,000 to develop your business.
Impact Business, presented during the discussion "The Movement of Social Innovation as the Key to Fair, Sustainable and Equitable Recovery of Ukraine" at the World Economic Forum on January 17th, is an in-depth acceleration program designed for active companies registered in Ukraine that will contribute to Ukraine's post-war recovery and create a positive and long-lasting social impact with an estimated increase in Ukraine's GDP of over $250 million over five years.
This pilot program will support 25 Ukrainian businesses operating in agriculture, energy, infrastructure, healthcare, cybersecurity, and other sectors that seek to integrate social impact as part of their strategy. The main goal of the pilot project is to create a powerful ecosystem that will encourage more socially-driven businesses to reinvest profits in creating positive social change, as well as contribute to the development of the social impact economy in post-war Ukraine.
By joining the Impact Business acceleration program and meeting its criteria, successful applicants will gain access to live lectures, workshops, and research focused on integrating social impact into their strategy, as well as general business growth topics, and receive advisory support from world-renowned experts, coaches, and mentors, access to investors and global technology resources.
At the end of the program, the two businesses with the best results will have the opportunity to receive up to €20,000 in financial support for their team. Financial support will be provided in the form of smart grants from the Ukrainian Social Venture Fund and as part of the "Collaborate for Impact" project, implemented with the financial support of the European Union and in cooperation with EVPA.
"The full-scale Russian aggression has changed our vision of the role of business in society. It is already clear that business cannot operate under the old rules: sell a product - make a profit. Ukraine needs to be rebuilt, and therefore business must become responsible and not only generate profit but also bring about qualitative changes. Social impact should be one of the key indicators of the development of every business. The recovery of Ukraine in various sectors will require rapid innovative solutions with a significant social impact. That is why an important component of the acceleration program will be a focus on social impact, the technology of its formation, and measurement," - Olena Kalibaba, co-founder of SILab Ukraine and CEO of the Ukrainian Social Venture Fund.
The potential of the Ukrainian social entrepreneurship sector is very significant, as volunteering and social entrepreneurship are in the blood of Ukrainians. Ukraine is a kind of hive where the extraordinary self-organization of people amazes the world, and horizontal ties make it possible to quickly and effectively solve complex tasks of unprecedented scale. This was evident both during the Maidan and after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"We strive to nurture leaders of change and build an ecosystem that strives for a better future for Ukraine. By launching Impact Business, we want to support a new generation of entrepreneurs in Ukraine, promote the development of social entrepreneurship, and help social innovators navigate the challenges and make their impact louder and more visible," - Nina Levchuk, co-founder of the NGO Impact Force.
DEADLINE: February 22, 2023
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