European B2B accelerator Startup Wise Guys plans to invest up to EUR 2 million in Ukraine startups at an early stage in the coming two years. Startup Wise Guys CEO Cristobal Alonso told Interfax-Ukraine that of the 100 startups, in which the accelerator has invested for seven years in the European market, 15 companies are from Ukraine. In total, these Ukrainian startups received support from Startup Wise Guys in the amount of about EUR 600,000.
“By 2020, we plan to make investments in 100 more startups, of which, with the current trend, 15-20% will be allocated to Ukrainian companies. We are planning to increase the total investment, respectively to EUR 50,000. Of this amount, EUR 30,000 will be cash, and EUR 20,000 is investments in the growth program. We would be able to pre-invest another EUR 50,000 in the half of the companies which the accelerator invested in, and in the event of particularly successful startups [Startup Wise Guys will invest] another EUR 100,000 more,” Alonso said.
According to him, earlier investments were up to EUR 40,000, including EUR 20,000 of financial assistance and EUR 20,000 in the development program.
During the acceleration program Ukraine Startup Hunt in Kyiv, a total 48 applications were submitted from Ukrainian startups, of which 20 were allowed to take part in the first qualifying round, and 10 entered the second round. As a result, Startup Wise Guys selected four startups to participate in the final round, which will be held in September this year. The startups-winners will receive up to EUR 30,000 of the seed money, a wide network of contacts, promotion and recommendations for expanding to all European countries.
Of the four winners, three teams were selected in the B2B SaaS and one in the Fintech segment.
Among the winners are Zirity (web and mobile AR application for real-time eyeglasses fitting), StudyDive (the online platform for selection of short-term and long-term educational programs (courses, trainings, seminars), NUWORK (HR tool for recruiting personnel for HoReCa) and Geologic Group (a geolocation solution to improve the security of providing banking services).
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
Ukraine in the 2018/2019 marketing year (MY, September through August) could reduce sugar output by 5.5% and boost its exports by 13%, according to the National Sugar Producers Association Ukrtsukor. “In the 2018/2019 season, Ukraine and Russia will see a decrease in sugar production – by 5.5% and 11%, respectively, but Belarus is expected to see growth by 13%. At the same time, sugar exports from Ukraine and Russia will increase by 13% and 7%, respectively, while Belarus will see a slight decrease – by 5%. In addition, tough competition for the sales markets will continue,” head of the analytical service of the Sucden Group of Companies (CIS) Marina Sidak was quoted as saying.
According to her, due to the negative demographic situation in Ukraine, there will be a decrease in domestic consumption. At the same time, there is a risk of a reduction in Ukrainian rail transportation of sugar due to a shortage of covered wagons.
As reported with reference to Ukrtsukor, Ukraine in the current MY will reduce sugar exports by at least 25% compared to the previous MY.
Production of sugar in the 2017/2018 MY increased by 6.5%, to 2.14 million tonnes.
The destination map of flights of Hungary’s low cost airline Wizz Air from Kyiv has been expanded by three new destinations – to Bremen (Germany), Riga (Latvia) and Billund (Denmark) where the Legoland center is located, as well as flights from Kyiv to Copenhagen (Denmark) and Frankfurt-Hahn (Germany). According to a posting on the airline’s website, flights to these cities will be launched from March 2019 (to Frankfurt-Hahn from December 14, 2018).
Two flights a week to Bremen and Billund will be serviced and three to Riga.
The cost of tickets to Billund and Riga starts from UAH 449 in March and UAH 909 later on less convenient working days, and from UAH 1,509 on weekends, to Bremen – from UAH 909 on working days and UAH 1,209 on weekends.
Thus, the total number of Wizz Air’s destinations from Kyiv would reach 26, including nine to Germany and two to Denmark.
In addition, flights from Lviv to Copenhagen will be serviced on Wednesdays and Sundays from March 3, 2019, flights to Frankfurt-Hahn – on Mondays and Fridays from December 14, 2018. The prices start from UAH 759.
Wizz Air also plans to increase the number of flights on the Kyiv-Lisbon route from two to three.
Kivshovavta Agro LLC (Kyiv region) belonged to Japan’s Kivshovavta is launching a silo with a storage capacity of 16,000 tonnes in the village of Kivshovata, Kyiv region, the company’s press service has reported. The press service said that with the launch of the silo the storage facilities of the company will be around 30,000 tonnes. Investment in the first and second stages of the silo totaled some UAH 60 million, and over UAH 100 million were sent to buy grain from other producers.
“The first stage of the silo was completed before 2017. In the past year it was reconstructed and expanded,” the company said.
Kivshovavta Agro seeks to boost land bank four times in coming five years, to 10,000 ha and build one more silo. Kivshovavta Agro LLC was founded in 2009. Its owner – SDGs Corporation – bought the company in Q4 2016. Kivshovavta Agro is the only enterprise of SDGs Corporation in Ukraine. The company plants wheat, sunflower, corn, soybeans. Its land bank is 2,500 ha.
