Ukraine: {Ukraїna}

Recent update: Joint Press Statement on Russia's aggression of Ukraine

Ukraine is the world’s leading exporter of barley and the most important producer of sunflower oil

Agriculture as Ukraine’s economic backbone

Agriculture is one of the strategically important sectors in Ukraine, accounting for 8.2% of the GDP and 14.5% of total goods exports in 2010. It absorbs approximately 15.8% of the total employment. Wheat is the single most important crop in terms of arable land, occupying 20.8% of the total area and accounting for 46.0% of the total output of cereals by volume in 2009. Other important crops in terms of cultivated area are barley, sunflower seed, maize, potatoes, rapeseed and soybeans.

Room for Improvement

Due to an agri-food industry with a very fragmented structure and fraught with small producers, it is essential to facilitate constant innovation to foster internationalisation and competitiveness. Another problem is that production is very diverse and the degree of utilisation of agricultural area of the country is very low.

In 2024, EIT Food organises the following activities in Ukraine:

Challenge Labs:

This year EIT Food is ramping up its efforts to strengthen Ukraine's agri-food sector by introducing two editions of Challenge Labs, providing an exciting opportunity for Ukrainian entrepreneurs to lead the way in agrifood innovation. With Ukraine facing extraordinary challenges due to the ongoing war, energy crises, and economic difficulties, bold solutions are needed to rebuild the future. Challenge Labs seeks to empower startups, scale-ups, and small producers to develop impactful, market-ready innovations that can address these pressing issues while driving sustainability and resilience in the industry.

Each edition focuses on addressing specific aspects of these challenges:

1. AgriFood Innovation Camp – In collaboration with corporate accelerator Radar Tech and consulting company CIVITTA Ukraine, this edition unites top startups to develop innovative solutions aimed at ensuring sustainability and entrepreneurship in times of crisis. Participants will join an online bootcamp, receive expert support, and prepare for the final pitch at the huge offline event in the Ukrainian capital (New Food Summit 2024)
2. Amplifiers: Challenge Labs – EIT Food partnering with deep-tech accelerator VACUUM offers participants a comprehensive program of expert-led workshops and mentoring, with a strong focus on market readiness and expansion into the EU. Participants gain insights into EU legal frameworks, certification requirements, and foreign market strategies, all while enhancing their entrepreneurial skills. The program is targeted at scale-ups and small producers, empowering them to bring innovative solutions to market during this critical period.

EWA (Empowering Women in Agrifood):

Empowering Women in Agrifood – EWA programme aims to provide women entrepreneurs across RIS targeted countries with the required knowledge, confidence, support and networking opportunities to meet and exceed their aspirations, leading them to successfully start and develop sustainable businesses.

The programme will run for a period of 6 months supporting early-stage female entrepreneurs and it will seek out and assist women to grow and develop their businesses with a tailored, focused approach that specifically considers the concrete challenges which female entrepreneurs face generally as well as the barriers, which can limit entrepreneurial activity.

The Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) programme, implemented by Radar Tech in Ukraine, has officially launched its 2024 edition. This initiative aims to support women innovators in the agrifood sector, providing them with education, mentorship, and financial assistance for the best solutions to develop innovation ideas.

Out of an impressive 123 applications, 10 finalists were selected to participate in the six-month programme. The highly competitive selection process reflects the strong potential and innovation within Ukraine's agricultural sector.

Running from June to November 2024, the programme includes three offline events and culminates in a final Demo Day in November. The most promising projects eligible for grants of €5000 and €10000 to further develop their businesses.

Throughout the programme, participants will work closely with mentors, developing their ideas and business strategies. The EWA programme represents a significant step towards empowering women entrepreneurs in Ukraine's agricultural sector, fostering innovation, and contributing to the country's economic growth and sustainable future in agriculture.

LLC "Corporate Accelerators" (Radar Tech)

Radar Tech, established in 2016 as Ukraine's first corporate accelerator, has led innovation programmes across diverse sectors including telecom, agriculture, fintech, energy, retail, metallurgy, healthcare, and logistics. With over 1000 applications and 250+ alumni, including 35% women, their programmes facilitate partnerships between startups and corporations. They organise diverse initiatives like acceleration programmes, hackathons, and workshops, engaging 50+ experts and 10+ mentors per program. With a strong network and marketing team, they've achieved a media reach of 10 million, all while bolstering the local startup ecosystem and reshaping corporate mindsets. Learn more about LLC "Corporate Accelerators" (Radar Tech) on their webpage.