On April 30, 2026, Kyiv hosted the International Women’s Economic Forum 2026—a large-scale event that brought together women entrepreneurs, business leaders, representatives of international organizations, business associations, financial institutions, the public sector, and the expert community.
The forum served as a platform for substantive discussions on the role of women in Ukraine’s economy, the development of women’s entrepreneurship, business internationalization, Ukrainian companies’ entry into European Union markets, export readiness, access to financing, and new opportunities for scaling women-led SMEs.
The event was organized by the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the NGO “International Women’s Economic Forum” and UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group, with the support of the STEP IN 2 EU international cooperation program, which is co-financed by the governments of Germany and Norway, as well as the European Union under the EU4Business initiative and implemented by the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
The forum was opened by Hennadiy Chyzhykov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who emphasized that women’s entrepreneurship today is not only a socially important issue but also a significant economic resource for Ukraine’s recovery, export development, and enhanced competitiveness.
“Among Ukrainian exporters, there are still half as many women as men. Not because they can’t do it. But because conditions have long been unfavorable. I am happy to see the community of women entrepreneurs growing. I am happy to see more and more businesses and institutions getting involved in creating opportunities for the development of women’s leadership,” noted Hennadiy Chyzhykov.
Olena Kondratiuk, Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; Tetiana Anishchuk, Deputy Head of the STEP IN 2 EU Program at GIZ Ukraine; and Nataliia Kolomatska, Deputy Chair of the Management Board and Chief Operating Officer of UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group, also addressed the forum participants and guests with welcoming remarks.
In her speech, Olena Kondratiuk emphasized that Ukrainian women are already a powerful force for the country’s economic resilience. She stressed that women not only start new businesses but also take responsibility for jobs, communities, families, export opportunities, and the future of the Ukrainian economy.
“The strength of Ukrainian women is not an abstraction. It is the ability to quickly adapt to new conditions and keep the economy afloat,” emphasized Olena Kondratyuk.
Separately, during the forum, it was highlighted that women’s entrepreneurship in Ukraine is growing even amid the war. Women are increasingly establishing new companies, entering international markets, engaging in export activities, and developing manufacturing, social enterprises, service businesses, creative industries, technological solutions, and high-value-added products.
The forum’s program was structured around several key thematic blocks. The first panel discussion focused on the role of women’s business associations, chambers, clubs, and international networks in supporting female entrepreneurs. Participants noted that the development of women’s businesses requires not only individual grant or training programs, but a sustainable support infrastructure: access to knowledge, mentorship, partnerships, markets, financial instruments, and international contacts.
Particular attention was paid to how Ukrainian women’s business organizations can strengthen one another, develop a shared agenda, engage with international partners, and become the voice of women entrepreneurs in dialogue with the government, donors, financial institutions, and European business networks.
The second panel focused on programs supporting women’s entrepreneurship implemented by international organizations, donor programs, and development partners. The discussion covered opportunities for Ukrainian companies in the areas of training, consulting, grant support, export preparation, entering EU markets, digitalization, sustainable development, and enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized businesses.
Representatives of international partners emphasized that support for women entrepreneurs must be practical, long-term, and tied to real business needs. The discussion focused not only on general issues of women’s leadership but also on specific tools: how to prepare a company for export, how to assess readiness for the international market, how to adapt a product to EU requirements, and how to navigate regulatory barriers, certification, logistics, financing, and partnership channels.
The third panel discussion was dedicated to the practical experiences of women entrepreneurs: exporting, scaling up, and entering European Union markets. Participants shared their own stories of growth, mistakes, challenges, and solutions that helped them expand beyond the Ukrainian market. Key topics included adapting business models, building trust with foreign partners, participating in international exhibitions, brand development, working with distributors, securing financing, and building the reputation of Ukrainian products abroad.
The panelists emphasized that Ukrainian businesses today export not only goods or services but also a new quality of entrepreneurial thinking: flexibility, speed of decision-making, the ability to operate under conditions of uncertainty, responsibility, and high internal motivation. It is precisely these traits that make Ukrainian companies competitive in international markets.
A separate focus of the forum was the topic of the event’s practical follow-up. The International Women’s Economic Forum 2026 is not viewed as a one-time event. Its goal is to become a platform for systematic support of women entrepreneurs who seek to scale their businesses, enter foreign markets, and strengthen their export capacity.
As part of the follow-up work after the forum, 15 women entrepreneurs will be selected to receive individual consultations on business internationalization, export readiness, entering EU markets, regulatory compliance, developing an international strategy, and practical steps for scaling up. This format will allow the forum’s discussions to be transformed into concrete roadmaps for the development of Ukrainian women-led SMEs.
Overall, the forum brought together the entrepreneurial, expert, international, and institutional communities around a common goal—to make women in the Ukrainian economy more visible, stronger, better represented in international trade, and more integrated into European and global value chains.
The 2026 International Women’s Economic Forum demonstrated that Ukrainian women are already one of the key drivers of the country’s economic resilience. They are starting businesses, opening new markets, representing Ukraine abroad, supporting teams, investing in community development, and shaping a new culture of entrepreneurship—one that is bold, responsible, and open to the world.
And that is precisely why the forum’s main message rang out particularly clearly: make way for the bold.
Interfax-Ukraine – information partner.
