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.

In 2025, EIT Food organises the following activities in Ukraine:

Agriculture as Ukraine’s Economic Backbone

Ukraine continues to play a vital role in global food security. As the world’s leading exporter of barley and a key global supplier of sunflower oil, wheat, and maize, the country’s agrifood sector is one of its greatest strategic assets.

As of early 2025, agriculture contributes approximately 7.4% to Ukraine’s GDP and accounts for over 50% of all goods exports, employing nearly 16% of the national workforce. Even amidst the challenges of full-scale war, agriculture remains the backbone of the Ukrainian economy.

Wheat dominates Ukraine’s arable land, followed by barley, sunflower, maize, rapeseed, and soybeans. However, the sector faces deep-rooted structural issues — including low land utilisation, a fragmented value chain, and limited internationalisation for small producers. These challenges make it clear: Ukraine’s future in agrifood depends on accelerating innovation, boosting resilience, and creating stronger connections to the European market.

Where Resilience Meets Innovation

At the same time, Ukraine is quickly emerging as a hub for agrifood innovation. A new generation of start-ups and scale-ups is leveraging advanced technologies like drones, AI, satellite data, and smart logistics to modernize agriculture and food production. From climate-smart solutions to regenerative practices aligned with EU standards, Ukrainian innovators are developing answers to some of the most urgent challenges in global food systems.

Despite wartime constraints, the country’s agrifood ecosystem is growing in both creativity and ambition. EIT Food is proud to stand with Ukraine — providing targeted support through programmes that develop entrepreneurial talent, foster resilience, and strengthen the country’s connection to European innovation networks.

In 2025, EIT Food organises the following activities in Ukraine:

1. Challenge Labs – Two Powerful Editions Continue in 2025

Following the success and strong visibility of the 2024 editions, Challenge Labs in Ukraine return in 2025 with two focused tracks for different stages of innovation:

🌱 AgriFood Innovation Camp (for Start-ups)

Organised in collaboration with corporate accelerator Radar Tech and consulting company CIVITTA Ukraine, this 2-week online bootcamp supports early-stage agri-food start-ups working on sustainability, food tech, smart farming, and circular solutions.

What’s in it for participants?

Expert-led workshops: from lean ideation to EU business modelling

1:1 mentorship with top Ukrainian and European experts

Networking with investors and ecosystem stakeholders

A chance to pitch live at the New Food Summit 2025 in Kyiv

🟢 Recruitment opens very soon!

🚀 Amplifiers: EIT Food Challenge Labs (for Scale-ups)

This edition of Challenge Labs is designed for mature Ukrainian scale-ups ready to grow beyond their current stage. Delivered in partnership with the Home of Startups Accelerator, the programme offers a hybrid format that combines online learning with in-person mentoring to help businesses refine their strategies, strengthen operations, and explore new growth opportunities.

Participants benefit from:

• Expert-led workshops on topics like intellectual property, compliance, market positioning, and business development
• Individualised mentorship with experienced professionals
• Support in building tailored expansion roadmaps
• Direct access to valuable networks of peers, experts, and stakeholders

📈 In 2024, five companies reached impressive new milestones in business development — and we’re excited to scale that impact in 2025.

🟢 Recruitment opens very soon!

2. ReGrow: UA – Supporting Agrifood Innovation and Resilience

ReGrow: UA is a new initiative by EIT Food CLC North-East designed to stimulate bottom-up innovation and community-led resilience in Ukraine’s agrifood sector. With the war continuing to disrupt supply chains, infrastructure, and food systems, ReGrow: UA empowers local actors to design and implement impactful solutions that respond to real needs on the ground.

Selected Ukrainian organisation(s) will receive:

• €40,000 in funding per project
• Support in developing local training, incubation, or pilot activities
• Promotion and visibility across EIT Food and partner platforms
• The opportunity to feed into larger EIT Food programmes and networks

ReGrow: UA offers a powerful tool to rebuild Ukraine’s agrifood sector from within — turning disruption into opportunity and laying the groundwork for long-term innovation and sustainability.

🟢 The request for proposals is now open, deadline is 30^th of May
👉 Apply here for ReGrow UA

3.Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) in Ukraine - EIT Food in collaboration with Radar Tech officially launched its 2025 edition. This programme is designed to support women innovators in the agrifood sector, providing them with education, mentorship, and financial assistance for the best solutions to develop innovation ideas.

Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) aims to provide comprehensive support to women in their early-stage entrepreneurial path in discovering their potential, providing them with appropriate knowledge and access to a wide network of contacts so that they can successfully set up and develop a sustainable business in the agrifood industry. During the programme, EWA participants (Mentees) take part in dedicated trainings, workshops and events, while developing ideas under the individual supervision of a professional mentor.
The EWA programme offers 6 months of tailored support, including 1:1 mentoring and both online and offline trainings. Participants gain access to a valuable network of investors, experts, and corporates, along with financial support of up to €1,000 and a chance to win a €10,000 grant. The programme is completely free of charge and includes a special Visibility Pack for one standout Mentee per country.

Applications for the EWA programme in Ukraine are open until 25 May - HERE.