Starting a business from the ground up presents significant challenges, particularly in securing initial investments. Fortunately, entrepreneurs have the opportunity to seek grants as a valuable source of funding. The Center Diia.Business in Lutsk has already been assisting businesses with this.
On the basis of Diia.Business in Lutsk, a microgrant program for entrepreneurs, grant programs for war veterans, and various other opportunities to start a business have been introduced. Moreover, the Center provides many more services to help entrepreneurs establish a firm footing.
Algorytm NGO will explain how to get business grants in Ukraine and what else the Center Diia.Business has to offer for starting an entrepreneurial career.
What Can Diia.Business Center in Lutsk Do for You?
Entrepreneurs are welcome to find out more about the national grant program and participate in securing a grant for their own business with Center Diia.Business in Lutsk. However, the Center’s offerings extend far beyond this. Here are just some of the services that Diia.Business Lutsk offers to its visitors.
Entrepreneur Support
The Center Diia.Business in Lutsk is primarily aimed at assisting entrepreneurs and developing the entrepreneurial community in the city. The Center can help both people with just an idea and business owners looking for opportunities for expansion.
The list of services of Diia.Business Center includes but is not limited to:
- Free consultations for entrepreneurs. The Center will help you figure out how to start and develop your business.
- Assistance in entering the entrepreneurial community. Entrepreneurs can find partners, exchange ideas, and engage in cooperation with different businesses.
- Organization of business events. Entrepreneurs can participate in lectures, forums, and teaching programs to expand their business knowledge.
- Dedicated spaces for work and conferences. For microbusinesses lacking a suitable venue for meetings, the Diia.Business Center provides the necessary facilities.
- Special pop-up location for product testing. Test a product and collect feedback before bringing it to market.
Export Assistance
Expanding into foreign markets is a strategic goal for ambitious entrepreneurs in Ukraine. Diia.Business Center actively fosters expertise among entrepreneurs and supports Ukrainian exporters in achieving their goals.
- The portal Diia.Business Export collects and constantly updates partnership offers from foreign companies. Thus, Ukrainian companies can gain more international contracts.
- The portal provides info about international exhibitions, fairs, and trade missions. This is a great opportunity for direct contact with potential business partners and clients. Global business events present the most relevant trends and attract a broad audience.
- With the help of the Export Readiness Assessment online service, entrepreneurs can assess their readiness for foreign economic activities, identify any lacking competencies, and discover how to address gaps in necessary knowledge and skills.
- Also, any Ukrainian company can join the Catalog of Ukrainian Exporters regardless of company size and field of activity.
Business Financing
Finally, the Center provides different funding programs through which business owners can get grants for business in Lutsk, Ukraine, in particular:
- A microgrant program for up to $6,000, "Vlasna Sprava" ("Your Own Business"), is designed for everyone who wants to start or develop a small or microbusiness.
- Grant program for war veterans: under favorable conditions, Ukrainian defenders can receive grants from $6,000 to $24,500.
- The Center also offers different programs aimed at various population groups. For example, there are programs for businesswomen in which the winners receive microgrants for business development.
Stories of Triumph
Center Diia.Business services are not just an interesting concept that is just yet to be implemented. There are already quite real success stories that prove that getting a grand to open a business with Center Diia.Business in Lutsk is a simple and, most importantly, effective way to build a foundation for your entrepreneurship.
AgroHobby and Iryna Antonchyk
One compelling example of obtaining grants for business with Center Diia.Business in Lutsk is the story of Iryna Antonchyk. She participated in the “Pochatok” (“Beggining”) program implemented by the Center Diia.Business. The program has been primarily aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs.
During the program, 6,000 women took 22 online and offline modules. Their final goal was to obtain all the necessary knowledge and skills to start their own businesses. 200 female entrepreneurs who excelled in pitching their projects were awarded financial assistance, and Iryna was among the recipients.
At the time of the project launch, Iryna had already started her own small garden center, “AgroHobby.” So, she joined “Pochatok” to learn how to improve and develop her business.
For 5 weeks, she and 32 other participants received training in marketing, financial management, and business operations while also studying the legal and regulatory frameworks essential for business operations.
At the end of the training course, the entrepreneurs had to pitch their ideas. Iryna became a finalist. She presented her project in Kyiv during the Grand Pitch Day event.
Iryna received a grant of more than $4,500. Although the path was long and required effort, it paid off and proved that it was achievable to get a grant for business in Lutsk.
GORA and Tetiana Klimuk
Another outstanding case study of getting a grant for your own business in Ukraine is the story of Tetiana Klimuk from Lutsk. The entrepreneur won more than $3,500 in the women’s business program “Vidvazhna” (“The Brave One”) from Diia.Business.
“Vidvazhna” is a joint project of Diia.Business, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development, with the assistance of the global initiative She’s Next Empowered by Visa. Tetiana has been sewing clothes for 15 years, has her own sewing production, and is actively developing this business with her husband.
In 2022, the entrepreneur learned about the “Vidvazhna” business accelerator and decided to take action. At first, she was hesitant to participate in the program, but her desire to learn new things and present her idea won out.
Tetiana Klimuk has utilized her business grant to procure materials, develop a collection, and recruit specialized team members. In spring 2023, the brand launched its inaugural collection of gender-neutral clothing suitable for both men and women. Notably, the collection offers customization options tailored to individuals with disabilities.
Epilogue
Diia.Business Center proves that starting your own business is possible, and there will be help along the way. Currently, there are 12 Centers in Ukraine and one abroad.
Accessing business grants with Center Diia.Business in Lutsk opens new opportunities for entrepreneurs. It facilitates funding acquisition, business scaling, and international expansion. So, don’t hesitate to learn more about the Diia.Business Center, how to get a grant to open a business in Lutsk, Ukraine, and how to export your products and services.