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For three days, 100 participants developed and improved their business ideas with experienced professionals in the fields of entrepreneurship and marketing.

At the Bootcamp, future and existing entrepreneurs studied the peculiarities of building a brand strategy, developed a communication plan, mastered design thinking techniques, and found creative ideas for packaging and promoting their product or service.

Now the participants of the Bootcamp will face the final race – creating a presentation of their project using the tools they received at the event. The authors of the best works will receive educational grants (totaling $30,000) and two cash grants ($5,000 each).

The winners will be determined by the jury: Khrystyna Dolna (UCU Business School (LvBS)), Bohdan Kudelia (LvBS), Ivanna Pogrebniak (New Economy Center project, Promprylad), Valeria Vahorovska (Fondy UA), Anastasia Markova (Communa).

The grant prizes will be awarded to the winners on June 23 at the Brave Summit event in Ivano-Frankivsk.

The event was organized by the Promprylad Charitable Foundation in partnership with Fondy and UCU Business School (LvBS) as part of the Business Support Center as a Place for New Business Recovery Opportunities project with the support of the USAID Economic Support for Ukraine project.

Information partners: Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development, national project Diya.Business.

«RE:space» is a space for eco-conscious people, which was launched at the same time as “Promprylad.Renovation” and now functions as its integral part. The project started with a few containers for separate solid waste collection on the pilot floor of Promprylad and an experiment to see if residents and guests would use them. The result made it clear that there was a demand and that the eco-initiative needed to be developed. Mykhailo Veklyn, the founder of the project, spoke about the “RE:space” initiatives and plans for the future.

 

 

As next step RE:space team started educating the residents of Promprylad and signed Green Office agreements with them (This is a waste management concept that aims to reduce the negative impact of the company’s activities on the environment). Residents and guests of the city were happy to visit the Re:laboratory, a newly created creative recycling workshop in the Parasolka makerspace, and create interesting products (wallets, souvenirs, eco-shoppers, etc.) from recycled materials with their own hands. The RE: Composting project involved 10 families from Ivano-Frankivsk and Prom Food in collecting organic waste. After composting them, fertile soil was obtained, which became the basis of the garden on the Promprylad terrace – the UrbanGreenGarden. 

 

 

Initially, the garden looked like an exhibition stand, but in a year, thanks to the initiative of visitors and funding from Teple Misto’s Small Grants, it was scaled up to an open-air educational space where people could take care of plants, socialize and learn more about eco-consciousness. Here weekly eco-oriented lectures, language courses, art and music classes were held free of charge by various schools. In winter, the project was transformed into “Fresh Greens” that grew microgreens and mushrooms, and the harvest from the project was consumed by the entire Promprylad. 

 

«In 2021, we realized that having gained extensive experience in project implementation, we could grow and have a positive impact on the environment. We had an established team and a sufficient circle of like-minded people to scale up and create a waste management infrastructure for the residents of Ivano-Frankivsk,” – says Mykhailo Veklyn, “So, in October we opened a public sorting station “RE:space” – an educational space aimed at being an example of environmental awareness, the concept of which is based on the principles of ZeroWaste 5R. (The hierarchy of waste management includes 5 steps/components: waste prevention, reuse, recycling, energy recovery and disposal)». 

 

 

After russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, RE:space suspended its services for 4 months, and the team was actively engaged in volunteer and humanitarian activities. 

«Every day we received a large number of requests to resume the work of the public sorting station. It was difficult for the team to make a positive decision due to several factors: the safety of visitors and whether the environmental component is relevant, whether it is morally right to raise these issues during the war. Thanks to active visitors and new team members, we were able to resume RE:space activities in July».

 

The first project after the restoration was the Solidarity Cafe, which aimed to unite residents and visitors. 

 

«Many people have learned about our initiative, and friendly relations have been established between visitors. Our goal is to create not only a space, but also to form an environment of like-minded people. The project “Take care of the environment. Sort” project is aimed at collecting Tetra Pak packaging. Due to russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it was not possible to deliver Tetra Pak to the plant in Kharkiv region and the collection was suspended. A partner was found in Rivne region to resume collecting packaging, but the issue of storage and reducing the volume of raw materials became urgent. For this, they needed loading and packaging equipment and a press.  As of today, team has already collected more than 7 cubic meters of recyclable materials».

 

Back in September 2021, RE:space applied for Biggggidea crowdfunding to raise 100 thousand hryvnias for equipment for the future educational space. Despite all the challenges, the amount was raised, and the International Renaissance Foundation doubled the funds raised. All the equipment has been purchased and is awaiting reconstruction of one of the buildings at the Promprylad innovation center to open in 2024.

 

«We have ambitious plans for 2023 – launching the Green Office project for legal entities. Today we work in the format of a social enterprise, transferring 80% of our net profit to the development and operation of our NGO Zero Waste Ivano-Frankivsk. That is why we are starting to establish cooperation with offices, cafes and IT companies. We plan to open a small coffee grounds processing shop on the territory of Promprylad, continue to develop the social enterprise, and resume the Solidarity Cafe and UrbanGreenGarden projects. To realize our plans, we are looking for financial support, new partners, and expanding our team of like-minded people.

 

When we decided to start our cooperation with the Promprylad.Renovation innovation center in the first days of its launch, we understood all the risks and difficulties that awaited us along the way. But at the same time, we could not miss this opportunity to realize our plans. We trust the Promprylad team, share common values, and strive to change Ivano-Frankivsk for the better.

Our project would not have been so holistic and elaborate if we had not encountered the progressive audience of Promprylad and the team of the innovation center, which inspires us with their activities and provides expert advice, sets high standards for the quality of services, which allows us to grow and improve. 

We care about Ivano-Frankivsk, where we live, love it very much, and strive to pass on a clean and cozy city to future generations. We want to live in a city with a well-established infrastructure that has emerged thanks to the cooperation of the community, business, and government. This is how we see the future, the future together with Promprylad».

 

 

Serhii Kaminskyi is a Ukrainian entrepreneur and inventor from Kirovohrad region, founder of Clean Energy Technologies. In 2019, Serhii gathered a team of scientists from Lviv, Chernivtsi, and Kyiv and opened the R&D Center on the premises of Promprylad.Renovation innovation center. Kaminskyi’s research group is the only one in Ukraine supported by the Nobel Foundation. At Promprylad, scientists are developing unique carbon-based solar energy batteries from agricultural waste. As Serhii Kaminskyi himself notes, it is not just about creating stationary energy storage units, but it’s about “the transition to a new civilization” in a global sense. Serhii Kaminskyi talks about the advantages of Ukrainian technology over Tesla batteries, funding from Google, and plans for global expansion.

 

 

The cutting-edge Ukrainian invention as an opportunity to solve a global environmental problem

 

Since 2019, researchers at Promprylad have been creating a unique product—solar energy batteries without lithium. Lithium-ion cells, which are used in many electronic devices, are harmful to the environment, pose a risk of combustion, and are difficult to dispose of. According to research, by 2030, the amount of lithium-ion battery waste in the world can reach two million tons per year.

 

In the process of developing the batteries, Serhii Kaminskyi’s team of scientists doesn’t use any substances that are difficult to dispose of. Such stationary energy storage devices can be used by industrial facilities, small businesses, and ordinary households. And they will be manufactured using a carbon material from agricultural waste.

 

In the workflow, they utilize carbonization technology, which means charring organic matter without access to oxygen. They are also working on the possibility to use recycled plastic and other waste.

 

«Initially, these will be batteries designed for stationary use. In other words, these are energy storage devices for large companies: power plants, condominiums (for example, each apartment building can have an energy storage device connected to the grid in the basement). In principle, our batteries can also be used for electric vehicles, but they are slightly larger than lithium-ion batteries, so we cannot compete with them in terms of size, although all other parameters are generally better. That’s why we’re focused on stationary energy storage units.

 

In other words, these will be large power banks that will be able to supply electricity to consumers ranging from small houses to entire city blocks,” explains Serhii Kaminskyi.

 

 

When comparing his invention to Tesla’s batteries, the inventor emphasizes improved performance in terms of the number of recharges, charging speed, and prime cost. At the same time, carbon batteries are larger than lithium-ion batteries, so it is difficult to use them in electric vehicles. As Serhii Kaminskyi himself explains, if a lithium-ion battery in a Tesla car is replaced with a carbon battery of the same size, the electric car will travel 140 km instead of 400 km, but it will cost four times less.

 

“We are talking about a type of our batteries that already exist and are undergoing testing. In addition, we are developing a solid-state battery (solid-state electronics). The aforementioned Tesla with such a battery will be able to travel 650 km. This will be a battery meant for applications that require high energy density. Moreover, we are developing a battery with a density of 1,200 Wh/kg. To make it clear, the same Tesla would be able to drive 1,100 km with it,” says Serhii.

The developed carbon batteries can already be used in electric vehicles, such as taxis for short distances or city buses that can accommodate very large carbon batteries.

 

Challenges in implementing the project and support from Google

 

According to Serhii Kaminskyi, the main problem for many startups is the transition from lab samples to scaling. The so-called “valley of death” is a crisis stage in the lifecycle of business innovations. The Ukrainian inventor managed not only to move from laboratory research to production, but also to improve the efficiency parameters.

 

“All thіs time, we have been working with certified carbon material of our own design. We have now started the process of certifying the batteries made from this material and applying for the relevant patents. We are undergoing certification in the United States and the European Union. In February 2023, we filed our first US Provisional Patent. This means that we are on the way to global protection of our company’s intellectual property.”

 

 

In December 2022, as part of the Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund campaign, 50 (out of 1,500) Ukrainian startups were selected and provided with financial, mentoring, and product support from Google. Among the winners, Serhii Kaminskyi’s team was probably the only hardware startup, while the others were mostly from the IT sector.

 

At present, the main task of Kaminskyi’s team is to launch production and establish the supply of batteries to real customers who would test them in real conditions.

 

Lab at Promprylad and the creation of an innovation campus in Ivano-Frankivsk region

 

Serhii Kaminskyi’s research laboratory is located in Ivano-Frankivsk, on the premises of  Promprylad.Renovation innovation center. The team of scientists has been working here since 2019. Even before the outbreak of the full-scale war, they had actually completed the R&D process, confirmed the high-end parameters of the carbon battery, and started preparing for scaling. At that time, Serhii Kaminskyi assembled a team of not only scientists, but also engineers and technologists who would work not only on the development but also on the implementation of the batteries in real life. They started to manufacture the equipment for the pilot production when the full-scale war began.

 

 

“After the full-scale invasion began, we decided to stay in Ivano-Frankivsk. It was very difficult, because all the equipment we produced was designed and manufactured in Ukraine. We worked at night when we had the electricity. We can say that we tripled our efforts to be useful to the country, including in the energy sector. Because a battery is, as we have all experienced, a very important element of energy. It is also an element of freedom and independence.  It’s also very important to achieve decentralization in the energy sector, which is, in fact, my global goal,” says Serhii.

 

 

Currently, the laboratory at Promprylad continues to operate, and the developers plan to present the project to the US market. The entire process related to the creation and protection of intellectual property, as well as the attraction of financial resources, will be concentrated here. The United States will provide investments to create research and production facilities that will be located in Ukraine. This includes the development of the laboratory at Promprylad.

 

 

“We aim to be a global company, which means we need to start with the US. We are currently in a dialog with the Federal Government. We have received support from the State Department. In fact, part of our team is in the United States for acceleration with the support of the State Department,” shares the inventor.

 

Serhii’s ambitious plans include the creation of an autonomous energy-independent settlement in Ukraine. The science town will be built around a plant that will manufacture carbon batteries and other alternative energy products. The developers have already acquired land for this project, which will be implemented in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.

 

“Actually, that’s the reason why I moved from Kyiv to Ivano-Frankivsk some time ago, since I saw prospects for my project of the city of the future here. It happened after a meeting with Yuriy Fylyuk, CEO of the Promprylad.Renovation project, who invited me to Promprylad. Now we will start real sales of batteries and increase our production capabilities. And then we plan to move on to the implementation of the science town,” notes Serhii.

 

Currently, the startup’s developers have already received orders for carbon batteries from companies in the United States and the EU. But as the inventor himself notes: “This product is a transition to a new civilization. And the battery is just one of the tools for this transition.”

Daryna Tsapenko is a social designer, performer, and researcher in the field of biodesign. She obtained a Master’s degree in Social Design at the Eindhoven Academy of Design (NL). She worked as an artist in residence at the Jan Van Eyck Academie in Maastricht. In 2020, she received the Bio Art and Design Award.

 

Daryna researches mycelium and other biomaterials, as well as their application in the textile and fashion industries. For example, the raincoat that the designer grew from chia seeds or the gunya from mycelium which looks like a traditional Carpathian coat.

 

The artist organized exhibitions in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands which showcased unique and innovative pieces. Each of them carries a certain message to the world: be it a longing for one’s family home, a rejection of excessive consumerism, or a new idea of the spatial relationships between a person and the environment.

 

We talked to Daryna about the combination of biology, modern design, and art as well as about the problems of career opportunities for researchers in Ukraine.

  

From architecture to microbiology: why biodesign?

 

My field of activity is quite broad. Biodesign is more of a framework through which I view the universe. Everything developed quite organically: I did a lot of things in the field of architecture, worked with jewelry and interior design, but at some point I realized that not only appearance and function are important to me, but also the energy of life present in the materiality of something. Biodesign is what allows you to feel this energy: while working with living material, you co-create with nature. This process of co-creation usually activates your senses—from smell to intuition. I like this process.

 

 

You call yourself a performer. Tell us about your most outstanding projects.

 

When I studied in the Netherlands, I realized that architecture is interesting to me as a phenomenon, but I don’t see myself in this profession. Therefore, the performance was a tool to stay in architecture, although not directly, as well as explore something new.

 

For example, my graduation project at the Eindhoven Academy of Design was a performance installation. I depicted architectural geometric structures that mimic the movements of people in the process of dressing and undressing. Based on these designs, I created a collection of clothes, but not as something decorative, or even functional, but as clothes that represent the routine behind closed doors. Even now, I use elements of performance to explore processes in biodesign.

A hemp gunya and a raincoat sprouted from chia seeds that needs to be worn outside: how is that possible?

 

I started working on creating a raincoat from seeds during my studies. At the time, I did not take it seriously, but continued to experiment. This green coat is interesting because it is worn in the process of creation: it needs to be put on and worn in the rain, or watered like a plant. It is based on gauze made of vegetable fiber, on which I sift a layer of seeds. I pour water and a root booster on the seeds, and when they sprout, they cling to the gauze. It takes from 10 days to 3 weeks to make fur. The material is soft to the body and moist. At first, it feels a little unusual, because you feel that it is alive. Then the raincoat heats up and you feel the life energy of the plants. After wearing it, there are two options: either eat the “harvest” in a salad, and wear the dried roots, or bury it in the ground.

 

 

 

I made gunya from hemp fiber and mycelium. This is a technology that we developed together with Professor Han Wosten from Utrecht University. It is technical hemp that consumes various types of mushrooms. The mycelium connects the short fibers left after processing the hemp, thus creating strong textile fabrics. On the outside, it is a unique elastic material.

 

Last October, at the Dutch Design Week (the largest design event in Northern Europe), Daryna presented the Borscht Gunya. Its fibers were dyed with ingredients used to prepare borscht: beets, carrots, onions.

 

What are you currently working on?

 

Now I am studying the symbiotic relationship between beans and mushrooms, mycelium. Beans used to be one of the most important foods, but now beans are consumed much less in the Netherlands. At the same time, this plant is useful for the soil, because it saturates soil instead of depleting it. Basically, I grow a certain type of bean and create new recipes and objects from it, combining it with mycelium. Mycelium not only makes beans more digestible for the body through the fermentation process and increases the protein content of the product, but also makes beans a product of the future in every sense. Another aspect of this project is the promotion of a particular type of bean, typical for the Northern region of the Netherlands, Groningen, which is currently on the verge of extinction due to lack of demand.

 

Have you considered educational institutions in Ukraine?

 

In Ukraine, I obtained my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture (NAOMA). Then I wanted to somehow expand my horizons. I considered the architecture schools in Denmark, Belgium, and finally chose the Design Academy in the Netherlands. I was interested in the Faculty of Social Design, about which I knew the least at the time and sought to deepen my knowledge.
 

There are many very high-class specialists working in Ukraine. Those are researchers with a good mindset who are eager to share and invent new things. However, the main currently existing problems are low funding for research and development and insufficient demand. Unfortunately, universities do not have the equipment that scientists need for their inventions and hypotheses. That is why many scientists go abroad, because they can apply their knowledge there. Currently, the possible ways of financing Ukrainian science are mostly grants.

 

In Europe, instead, a lot of money is invested in the design of something unknown. This is the guarantee for countries to be innovation leaders.

 

If the scientific research community in Ukraine was provided with sufficient finances and infrastructure, would it be possible to bring back specialists who went abroad?

 

I think it’s going to take some time. A certain platform should be created so that people have the motivation to stay and work in Ukraine. For example, it would take me much more time, effort, connections, and experience to achieve in Ukraine what I have now by studying and working abroad.

 

Already now, having certain knowledge and practical skills, I can bring it to Ukraine. My work policy lies in combining Ukrainian and Dutch achievements. Not only to bring expertise and innovations to Ukraine, but also to do the opposite. Undoubtedly, Ukraine has a lot of special things that we can teach and share with our colleagues in other countries. Then, in my opinion, a healthy exchange process takes place.

 

In Ukraine, first of all, it is necessary to improve the financial security of our scientists. One thing is knowledge, ideas. But the next step is to implement all of it. Furthermore, it is also about an awareness of the importance of collaboration between artists, designers, and scientists, as well as the ability to see potential for the future in this.

 

For instance, we can see on the example of Metalab how the Makerspace functions, and how CO-HATY was born from this. I believe that these are seeds from which something can grow. Therefore, you need to believe in them, plant, nurture and support their growth.

Such stories of young scientists in Ukraine are not uncommon. One of Promprylad.Renovation’s goals is to keep this unique potential in the home country. To this end, within the Promprylad.Renovation project, we strive to foster favorable conditions for Ukrainian researchers, develop Makerspace and expand spaces for research and experiments in Ivano-Frankivsk.

Under the terms of the signed agency agreement, the team of the commercial real estate department of Colliers Ukraine will focus on selecting the tenants and filling the retail space of the Promprylad.Renovation innovation center.

 

’Utilizing many years of experience in the real estate market, our team will work on creating a unique tenant mix that will organically fit the overall concept of the project.

 

Promprylad.Renovation is the largest modern object of commercial real estate in Ivano-Frankivsk, which unites companies focused on the application of innovative approaches in workflows and adaptation of business to the dynamics of change’, says Igor Zabolotskyi, the leading expert of Colliers Ukraine in the segment of commercial real estate.

 

Colliers Ukraine is a multibusiness company providing professional services in the field of commercial real estate and investment management. The company’s offices are located in 65 countries of the world and unite over 18,000 qualified employees.

 

Colliers provides expert advice on the most efficient use of real estate to tenants, owners, and investors. The company’s main services include real estate and asset management, valuation and consulting, Green Certification, individual research for clients and specialized market research.

 

Such a valuable partnership contributes to the creation of a high-quality pool of tenants for the innovation center, which is one of the keys to the successful development of Promprylad.Renovation.

The team of Promprylad.Renovation impact investment project participated in the Rebuild Ukraine business conference, which took place in Toronto, Ontario (Canada). This was the first business forum in Canada dedicated to the topic of rebuilding Ukraine.

 

The event organized by the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce (CUCC) covered investment and development projects aimed at rebuilding and modernizing Ukraine in agriculture, construction/infrastructure, and energy sector. Among them was Promprylad.Renovation, a unique for Ukraine project of revitalization of an old industrial zone and creation of an innovation center on its premises. Currently, the project team is focusing its efforts on building the new infrastructure needed to improve business conditions and integrate internally displaced people into economic life.

During the forum, as a result of negotiations, Promprylad.Renovation became a member of the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce, which declares the beginning of great cooperation. Membership of Promprylad.Renovation in CUCC means expansion of investment opportunities, establishment of business partnerships, and scaling of Ukrainian project ideas on the international arena.

 

‘Projects like Promprylad.Renovation, and in particular their active development against the background of a large-scale war, are evidence of the indomitability of Ukrainians, a high level of civil society, and readiness to face the most drastic economic upheavals. Our partnership will open up ways of cooperation in many directions to support authoritative relations between the businesses of both countries: Ukraine and Canada. The plan is to organize joint initiatives, business events, and other business activities. I am firmly convinced that such cooperation will strengthen the position of Ukraine as a serious player on the international field,’ says Zenon Potichnyi, president of the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce.

‘Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Promprylad Foundation has launched an initiative to support relocated and local entrepreneurs and organizations – Save Business Now. During this time, we managed to support more than 500 entrepreneurs, and I believe that through the cooperation of Promprylad with the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce, we will be able to create even more opportunities for Ukrainian entrepreneurs,’ says Liudmyla Kryzhanovska, Head of Partnerships and Fundraising at Promprylad.Renovation.

 

 

 

 

The renovation project of Promprylad has been supported by the Canadian government since 2018. In particular, throughout the years, the innovation center was visited by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine Larisa Galadza and former Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine Roman Waschuk. As part of a diplomatic meeting in 2019, the Canadian government presented a maple tree to the project as a symbol of friendship between the countries and faith in the future of Promprylad.Renovation. ‘You are creating values that are already worth the attention of the whole world’ – this is how a Canadian diplomat commented on the project during a visit 3 years ago.

 

Yuriy Fylyuk, the CEO of Promprylad.Renovation, spoke about the current progress of the project during the Rebuild Ukraine Business Conference.

 

‘Actually from the very beginning of the project implementation, Promprylad.Renovation has had a long positive history of cooperation with Canada. In particular, we are very grateful for the direct support of the Canadian government at the launch stage of the pilot project.

 

We have already made several business visits to Canada as part of the experience exchange meetings, and in 2019, we participated in the Ukraine Reform Conference in Toronto. Now, during a full-scale Russian invasion, we especially feel the heartfelt support of the people of Canada.

 

Therefore, for us, cooperation with CUCC is an organic step in developing the potential of mutual relations between our countries. It is the trust in the project of such powerful international organizations that is a clear indicator that we are on the right track’, shares Yuriy Fylyuk, the CEO of Promprylad.Renovation.

 

 

 

 

‘I believe that the cooperation of Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce and Promprylad.Renovation will build a powerful platform for the cooperation of Canadian and Ukrainian entrepreneurs. At the same time, Promprylad.Renovation can become a window of opportunity for Canadian business investments in Ukraine. It is an ecosystem that is growing at a rapid pace, and therefore, is able to initiate positive changes in the Canada-Ukraine partnership,’ notes Yuriy Kryvosheya, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Promprylad.Renovation and President of the Ukrainian-Canadian Joint Company Toronto-Kyiv, member of the Board of Directors of the Canada-Ukraine Trade Association.

 

Among the participants of the event were the following speakers: Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine; Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s Minister of Finance; Zenon Potichnyi, President of CUCC; Larisa Galadza, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine; as well as parliamentarians, experts, and representatives of the business communities of Ukraine and Canada

Strategic partners of the forum: Embassy of Ukraine to Canada, Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, Business Council of Canada, CEO Club Ukraine, Ministry of Digital Transformation, Embassy of Canada to Ukraine.

 

Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce is a business association created in 1992 aimed at promoting trade and investment between Canada and Ukraine. CUCC has an authoritative voice of its 230 members in matters of open free enterprise and deepening trade and economic cooperation between Ukraine and Canada.

On December 14, Promprylad.Renovation Innovation Center launched the Business Support Center and Coworking – the physical space of a project implemented by the Promprylad Charitable Foundation together with Ivano-Frankivsk City Administration. The new space allows supporting entrepreneurs who continue to create new products and services in the city.

 

The event included the speeches by Bohdan Futerko, Deputy Head of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Military Administration; Mykhailo Smushak, Deputy Mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk; Olga Logvin, Senior Business Development Specialist of the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme; Liudmyla Kryzhanovska, Head of Partnership and Fundraising at Promprylad.Renovation.

 

 

 

The newly created co-working space has an area of 100 sq.m. This space contains 22 workplaces, the rent of which is covered by the Support to Entrepreneurs and Livelihood project, which is financed and implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine in cooperation with the Promprylad Foundation. As part of the project, 17 business representatives will be able to receive vouchers for free co-working spaces.

 

In order to receive a voucher, you have to fill out a questionnaire: https://forms.gle/KY2wRZvHYiMqFNHC6 in which you tell a story about the operation of your own business during the war. The residents of the new co-working space will be selected based on these stories.

 

 

 

Under conditions of massive Russian missile attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, many people lost the opportunity to work normally both at home and in the office. In addition to the co-working space at Promprylad, visitors come and work in the art gallery, PromBar and PromFood zones, corridors of the innovation center. The opening of a new co-working space in the innovation center is an additional point of support for Ukrainian businessmen and businesswomen, the driving force of the economic life of the region.

 

 

 

Participants can expect short lectures from the lecturers of the Business School of Ukrainian Catholic University, one of the top five business education institutions according to Forbes. The course will be held in Telegram, anyone who needs to deepen their knowledge and business skills can join it.

 

After each lecture, participants will take a test in the Telegram chatbot and receive rating points. The 100 participants with the best performance will attend the grand final event and have the opportunity to receive grants for studying at the UCU Business School in the amount of $30,000.

 

The project is implemented by Fondy, Promprylad.Renovation, and UCU Business School in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine. Promotion partners: Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office, the Diia.Business national project.

  

The first season of Playing the Long Game took place during the pandemic, and its winner is already utilizing their prize, namely getting an MBA. The second season is launched under even more difficult conditions—during a full-scale war. Right now, Ukraine needs more entrepreneurs, because they are the foundation of the economy. The project is designed to provide professional tools for strengthening business and thus help entrepreneurs and those who are just intending to become one. You need to start playing the long game right now, so professional business education is more timely than ever, especially in a convenient mobile format and with free access.

 

To participate in Playing the Long Game, you need to apply: https://fondy.ua/uk/special-projects/gra-v-dovgu-2/

The first meetings with the organizers and lecturers will take place during the introductory webinars from December 12 to 25. Lectures start on December 26.

 

The program of the second season consists of 15 lectures with the duration of 10-15 minutes each, held by the lecturers of UCU Business School. Participants will be told about the basic principles of entrepreneurship, given effective business modeling tools, and taught to present their own thoughts and points of view as well as evaluate the person’s leadership qualities. Everyone who is ready to create Ukrainian business, regardless of age, gender and place of residence, is invited to the course.

 

This event will be held within the framework of the Support to Entrepreneurs and Livelihoods Project, which is financed and implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine in cooperation with the Promprylad Charitable Fund.

 

State-owned Ukrgasbank will provide a loan in the amount of UAH 60 million to complete the second stage of the reconstruction of the plant’s territory as part of the Promprylad.Renovation project. The loan agreement will be concluded under the 5-7-9% Affordable Loans program.

 

The relocation of 12 new businesses and teams to Promprylad revealed that the project has sufficient potential to accommodate new companies and create a significant number of additional jobs. Now the main goal is to speed up the reconstruction process and put into operation 17 to 24k sq.m of the plant’s territory. Financial support from Ukrgasbank plays an important role in the implementation of this plan, which is especially important in the context of relocating businesses to the west of Ukraine and supporting the domestic economy.

 

‘It is obvious that the war is one of the biggest challenges both for the entire state and for our economy in particular. Under the circumstances, the economic front is one of the most important ones, as it provides the foundation for our further struggle. It is clear that at such moments, the usual peacetime financing tools mostly vanish, although they are now no less and, in some cases, more important, than in peacetime.’

 

‘Thanks to Ukrgasbank and the 5-7-9% state business development program with zero rate during the war, we managed to find the support, which allows us to develop further and create additional jobs to strengthen the economy at this time. During the war, this is especially important for entrepreneurs who have involuntarily found themselves in the west of the country.’

 

We are sure that this is just the beginning of a long and fruitful cooperation with Ukrgasbank on the way to the implementation of the full scale of the project,’ says Yuriy Fylyuk, the initiator and head of the Promprylad.Renovation project.

 

The plans for the second phase of construction involve opening a food market, a craft brewery, offices of innovative companies, an art center, a gym, and shops at Promprylad. In total, since the start of its  implementation, the project has attracted $13.1 million from 1,270 private investors and companies from Ukraine and 20 countries around the world. This is a successful case of impact investing, which is unique for Ukraine, since it is not only about profit, but also about beneficial social influence. According to the methodology proposed by PACT, it was calculated that every dollar invested would create $5 in social impact.

 

From the very beginning of the full-scale war, the Promprylad.Renovation project together with its partners launched the Save Business Now platform, a support center for Ukrainian business in Ivano-Frankivsk and the region. This initiative helped 47 companies relocate and resume operations, and some of them were placed directly at Promprylad. The need to develop additional infrastructure is urgent, so financing from Ukrgasbank is a significant step forward in the development of the project.

 

The 5-7-9% Affordable Loans program provides a loan to any Ukrainian business at 0% rate during the martial law period and for a month after its end. After that, until the end of the credit agreement, the loan rate will be 5%.

 

Currently, Ukrgasbank is the leader among the 42 banks participating in the program in terms of the number of loans issued. In total, as of August 29, 2022, the state bank concluded 3,180 5-7-9% deals worth UAH 11.7 billion, UAH 1.9 billion of which are investment projects.

 

‘Ukrgazbank was the first bank to sign an agreement on cooperation with the Entrepreneurship Development Fund within the 5-7-9% Affordable Loans State Program and is generally one of its most active participants. The war period was no exception.’

 

‘Understanding the key role of state banks in supporting the country’s economy during the war, Ukrgasbank did not stop lending to the real sector for a single day. We finance the agricultural sector and its related industries, critical infrastructure enterprises, food industry, food retail, creation of new production facilities, etc.’

 

‘We also introduced a number of special products, combining them into the Ukrainian Business Support Program. They provide for the financing of business relocation for entrepreneurs to safer regions; new equipment for restoration or modernization of production; export contracts in cooperation with the Export Credit Agency for those businesses that export or are looking for opportunities to expand sales of their products on foreign markets.’

 

‘So, our participation in the Promprylad.Renovation investment project is another effective step of Ukrgasbank to support business and the country’s economy in this extremely difficult period,’ said Denys Chernyshov, the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Ukrgasbank.

 

Promprylad. Renovation is an innovation center on the premises of the old Promprylad plant in the center of Ivano-Frankivsk. The total area of the object is over 40k sq.m. The project involves the gradual reconstruction of the territory as investments are attracted. The resumption of construction of the next 17k sq.m, the appearance of new residents at Promprylad during the war and the trust of banking institutions in the project are markers that inspire confidence in the development of the innovation center, and also lay the foundation for a strong economy, which is extremely necessary for post-war reconstruction.

 Ukrainian company MacPaw has become the largest investor in the Promprylad.Renovation project. During the war, the company invested $1 million in the center’s development, increasing its total investment in the project to $1.5 million.

 

The funds will be directed to revitalize buildings A, B, and B1, which will house a business support center, offices of innovative companies, a large coworking space, a reading promotion center, a food market, and an art center. The renovation of these buildings is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022. The project will be implemented in stages, with due regard for the wartime priorities.

 

Promprylad.Renovation aims to create an environment and opportunities for Ukrainian companies, entrepreneurs, and specialists in various fields to stay and work in Ukraine and support the Ukrainian economy during the war and its recovery after the victory.

 

This ambitious project will create more than 3500 on-site jobs, offering teams and specialists a hotel and hostel-coliving. Since its launch, the project has raised $12.5 million from 1186 private investors and companies from Ukraine and around the world. As of May 26, another $ 2.5 million remain to be raised.

 

According to a survey by Gradus Research, the war slowed down, downsized, or suspended activities of 86% of Ukrainian companies. Developing projects that support business and help implement Ukraine’s economic potential is critical.

 

‘Promprylad is a unique project for the development of Ukraine, which MacPaw has been supporting since 2019. During the war, Promprylad became a safe place for teams of Ukrainian companies that were forced to relocate. I believe in the potential and the mission of the project. Make Impact is one of MacPaw’s key values and Promprylad.Renovation changes the region and influences the development of the whole country. Together, we want to create the conditions and opportunities for talented and creative people to stay in Ukraine and for companies to resume their operations and strengthen the economic front of our struggle. Promprylad development will help speed up the country’s economy and build the future for Ukraine,’ says Oleksandr Kosovan, Founder and CEO of MacPaw. 

 

‘MacPaw has been our strategic partner since the beginning of the project. The company supported us with a significant investment both at the stage of buying out the plant and now, during the war. It is also important that MacPaw is an example of a new Ukrainian company with a highly intellectual product that conquers global markets. Such companies are already being born within the Promprylad ecosystem and hopefully will succeed just like MacPaw’, shares Yuriy Fylyuk, the CEO of Promprylad.Renovation.

 

The cooperation between MacPaw and the Promprylad project began in 2019 when MacPaw invested in the center’s development for the first time. Right before the full-scale military invasion of Russia, part of the MacPaw team moved to Ivano-Frankivsk and continued working in Promprylad’s coworking.

 

As a company, MacPaw has been staying and operating in Ukraine, developing new timely applications such as SpyBuster and Together App and helping Ukrainians in the war zones through the MacPaw Development Fund.

 

MacPaw is a software company with headquarters in Kyiv, Ukraine, that develops and distributes software for macOS and iOS. MacPaw is the maker behind CleanMyMac X and Setapp. In 2017, MacPaw acquired The Unarchiver and has been actively supporting the product since. Today, MacPaw products have more than 30 million users worldwide. Every fifth Mac on Earth has at least one app by MacPaw.

The company was founded by Oleksandr Kosovan in 2008. MacPaw comes from Ukraine and is proud of it. Support and development of Ukraine is an integral part of the company’s culture. Since the first days of the war, the company donated more than $5 million to help Ukrainians in the war zones. Part of the funds was raised through the MacPaw Development Fund, a charitable foundation that has been supporting MacPaw’s social projects since 2015.