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.
The Central Asia-European Union Economic Forum and Investor Forum will be held in Uzbekistan in November. This was announced by the European Union Ambassador to Tashkent, Toivo Klaar, during the celebration of Europe Day on May 12.
“These forums will open up new business opportunities,” said the head of the diplomatic mission.
As a reminder, during the first Central Asia-European Union summit, which took place in April, the EU announced an investment package for Central Asia worth €12 billion for the development of four areas: transport corridors, critical raw materials, green energy, and satellite internet.
Toivo Klaar also noted that the EU is looking forward to the next Human Rights Dialogue.
In addition, the European Union is expecting a visit by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Brussels this year to sign an Agreement on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation.
“This historic visit will open a new chapter in relations between the EU and Uzbekistan, which will be deepened, diversified, and modernized in many areas,” the EU ambassador said in his speech.
The situation in Ukraine will be one of the central topics of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, which will be held this year from May 22 to 26, Swiss media reported on Wednesday.
They note that after a two-year break caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Davos Forum will be held in person.
The event will be attended by about 2 thousand people, including about 50 world leaders.
For the first time in many years, the WEF will be held this year without Russian participation, Swiss media indicate.
They also draw attention to the fact that the list of invitees to the forum does not look as impressive as in previous years. So, neither US President Joe Biden nor Vice President Kamala Harris will come to Davos this year. China will also not be widely represented.
On October 7-8, the Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF) was held at the Parkovy Exhibition and Convention Center. Over 1,500 participants attended the event, during which 25-panel discussions took place. Over 120 speakers from leading international organizations and private companies, in particular the European Investment Bank, BlackRock Investment Institute, WTO, EBRD, OECD, Club of Rome, World Economic Forum, McKinsey & Company, and others, shared their vision of the future of the global economy.
The initiator of the Forum was the UFuture holding company, headed by the entrepreneur Vasуl Khmelnytsky. KIEF is a platform for the formation of a strategy for the economic development of Ukraine. The Forum is focused on organizing a dialogue between experts, business, and government, borrowing the best world experience, creating a roadmap for development, and facilitating the conversion of ideas into real actions.
In his opinion, Ukraine has significant prospects in the world market. A powerful agricultural sector creates prospects for the development of modern production in FoodTech. The government and businesses must invest more in the processing of raw materials and the creation of finished products, which creates additional jobs and contributes to overall economic growth.
According to the founder of KIEF, there is a problem with the development of the infrastructure of startups, now in Ukraine. Despite the availability of high-quality technical education, university graduates do not have a proper business education. For this, the state must create an ecosystem for the development of startups.
Vasуl Khmelnytsky noted the positive changes in the state’s approach to the development of small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine. A positive example is the «5-7-9» lending program, which made it easier for entrepreneurs to access capital. However, according to the entrepreneur, the state has a lot to do. Thus, the share of SMEs in the structure of the Ukrainian economy is 1.5%, while in the world it is 3-4% on average. For the development of entrepreneurship, the state must conduct educational work, in particular, starting from school.
General Director of the Forum Yurii Pyvovarov noted that the country’s reputation is important for leaders of business, and the country itself. The world should understand that it is comfortable to live, work, invest, develop business here. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a long-term strategy for the development of the image of Ukraine, and KIEF has been making a great contribution to the development of this reputation for the eighth year.
“There are three major trends to be an economically successful country. First: money goes into innovations and ideas. Here we have a chance. It is necessary to develop the infrastructure of incubators, start-ups, and the state to support promising projects. The second trend is climate. There is a lot of money going there, new, more environmentally friendly production facilities are being built. The third trend is the development of production. The pandemic has shown that there are logistical difficulties in transporting from China to Europe. There is a window of opportunity in Ukraine, but it is small. Work is underway to develop production, in particular, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a draft law on the development of industrial parks. But this requires more effort,” said Pivovarov.
During the forum, the issue of investment in developing countries, their risk, and profitability were raised. If earlier it was more profitable than investing in developed countries, in the last decade the trend has reversed. And we need to understand whether Ukraine in such conditions can be attractive for foreign and domestic investors. Among the advantages of Ukraine, the speakers named low competition, which creates the preconditions for a quick return on investment and getting large profits. Another plus is that Ukraine is striving to join the European Union. This choice means harmonization of legislation and regulation with the European one, predictability, and building a level playing field. Experts named IT, infrastructure, agriculture, banking, fintech, e-commerce, and big data as the most attractive in terms of investment.
During the panel “Can Developing Markets Fuel Global Recovery?” panelists noted that the digital trend is growing all over the world, and the covid only contributes to this. Beata Harasim, the senior investment strategist at BlackRock Investment Institute, said many countries are underfunded to move to green energy. Emerging markets need additional support from wealthy countries. “Covid has helped reinforce several trends, one of which is the transition to zero carbon emissions. Countries whose economies are based on exhaustible resources should pay more and more attention to renewable energy sources,” said Beata Harasim.
One of the discussions was: “Financing the Future: Money for Sustainable Development”. Speaking during the meeting, EBRD Director for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus Matteo Patrone said that in order to achieve the sustainable development goals set by 2030, it is necessary to invest about $30 trillion, at least $1 trillion annually. The private sector should also make a contribution because the state does not have the necessary resources. The $27 trillion invested in low and negative yield bonds could be reinvested to achieve sustainable development goals, he said. He believes that the time for such investments is not lost yet. “In Ukraine and many others, there is a deviation from the goals of sustainable development. Approximately $1 billion of investments in Ukraine are under threat, ”said Patrone.
Ann Cairns, the Executive Vice-Chair of Mastercard, spoke at the panel “Economy of the 21st Century: An Era of Changes and Opportunities”. She said that Mastercard has seen a change in online shopping in the past 10 months, more than in the last 5 years. People started spending more locally, which is understandable due to widespread lockdowns. Almost a billion people received payments from their governments around the world during the period of covid. The corona crisis has intensified digitalization: we see the development of artificial intelligence and the introduction of digital currencies, as well as a huge development in the financial sector.
And Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov noted that during the pandemic, technology companies developed most of all, those that are convenient: Uber, Booking and the like. They have transformed established business models. According to the speaker, states should turn into technology companies, be fast, convenient, and develop those areas where there is no business component. And the best way for Ukraine is to become the most comfortable country in the world, and this is possible thanks to technology. Digitalization has made a leap in our country, not only thanks to the pandemic but also because of a change in consumer culture and a change of government. Fedorov believes that Ukraine has made digitalization a certain pop culture, which is why we are on the right path, where convenience is a competitive advantage in the struggle for development.
KIEF remains a permanent discussion platform for developing strategic decisions for the Ukrainian establishment, business, and society. The organizers predict that next year the Forum will be even larger and expand the geography of its participants.
On October 7 and 8, the capital of Ukraine will host the Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF), which for the seventh year has brought together well-known world economists, influential businessmen, representatives of the Ukrainian establishment, and authoritative economic experts.
The main issue of the forum in 2021 is peace in an era of radical changes. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how fragile our perception of reality is. Traditional sectors of the economy are under serious attack, while technology is gaining in importance. The world’s best experts, analysts, entrepreneurs, and top management will offer their expertise to find answers to the most important questions of the development of the world economy.
Why is it important to visit KIEF 2021?
KIEF is the main platform for business representatives, economists, scientists, and investors, within which global trends are discussed, a development vector for 2021 is formed, new business contacts are established and partnerships are strengthened.
For the first time in Ukraine, the partner of this Forum will be one of the best international educational platforms for professional discussions about the economy – Economist Impact. The platform will host two panel discussions – “The Role of Emerging Markets in Global Economic Recovery” and “Welcome to the Health-care Revolution”.
During traditional networking, the world’s best experts, investors, and entrepreneurs will share their insights and answer questions, so that you can not only present your ideas but also build a complete business development strategy.
Over 130 speakers from leading international organizations and private companies, in particular WTO, EBRD, OECD, Club of Rome, World Economic Forum, McKinsey & Company,Mastercard and others, will share their vision of the future of the global economy.
The most important trends in the development of markets, issues of leadership in the new economy, as well as authentic examples of the transformation of the global economic system will not go unnoticed by the speakers of the Forum. Panelists will also talk about the latest technological advances in the development of medicine, the importance of which has grown incredibly in the face of a global pandemic.
The KIEF team strives to make Ukraine a new point of attraction for European and world investments through the development of modern production facilities. We help to establish contacts with the largest foreign investors who are ready to provide experience, knowledge, and capital for the development of the best projects.
The permanent strategic partner of the Forum is the UFuture holding company, which unites the companies and social projects of Vasyl Khmelnytsky.
The initiator of the forum Vasyl Khmelnytsky commented on the idea of creating and holding the Forum: “We live in an age of global and very rapid changes. They inspire and excite at the same time. Ukraine faces a choice: to hold on to fragile stability or to move boldly in an innovative direction. Today we can make a quantum leap in development – for this, we need knowledge, cooperation, and decisive action. I see the success of our common future in the synergy of a modernized public sector, the energy of entrepreneurs, and the talent of scientists. We must unite for the global goals facing humanity. It is time to move forward, transform business and economy in accordance with the requirements of the present. After all, KIEF is held so that we feel the trends of the future and become the ones who bring them to life”.
Kyiv International Economic Forum is a unique platform for the exchange of views and expertise for the economic development of Ukraine and the world. The forum brings together about 130 speakers to address key business development challenges, with an emphasis on adaptability and innovation.
Tickets and detailed information about the Forum are available at the link: https://forumkyiv.org/en/forum/2021/terms
On November 8 and 9, the capital of Ukraine will host the Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF) that for the sixth consecutive year brings together well-known world economists, recognized businessmen, representatives of the Ukrainian government and highly respected economic experts.
The main discussion issue of the Forum 2019 is the future in a changing world. From business cases to visionary ideas – KIEF’s speakers will talk about rapid changes in the technology-driven economy. Entrepreneurs, top managers, analysts and strategists of companies, as well as heads of international organizations will answer the main question: what the fourth industrial revolution is and how to get prepared for it.
Why visit the KIEF 2019?
The KIEF is the main platform for business people, economists, scientists and investors to discuss global trends, shape the 2020 development vector, establish new business contacts and strengthen partnerships.
This year at the Forum, speakers will unveil the concepts of doing business in the face of climate change as well as the mechanisms for effectively managing natural disasters under their direct influence on the economy. You will learn how to prepare your business for the effects of climate change.
Speakers from global financial institutions, who have the latest information about the world’s economy, will report about the risks and consequences of the global crisis. You will be able to get ready for the next stage of development of the financial system.
The below speakers will share their vision of the future for the financial world system:
Robert Koopman, the Chief Economist of the World Trade Organization;
Giovanni Salvetti, the Managing Director of the Rothschild International Banking Group, CEE Coordinator;
Vazil Hudák, the Vice President of the European Investment Bank;
Johan Eliasch, a Swedish billionaire businessman, the Chairman and CEO of Head.
Also at the Forum, the representatives of global companies with millions in revenue, investment funds and international banks will speak about their business cases on raising capital. You will learn about new approaches to attracting foreign direct investment for business development.
In addition to educational goals, one of the main KIEF’s goals is to enhance the investment attractiveness of Ukraine. In order to introduce the business opportunities of Ukraine, potential foreign investors were invited to the Forum.
A permanent strategic partner of the Forum is the holding company UFuture, which incorporates companies and social projects of Vasyl Khmelnytskyi.
Vasyl Khmelnitsky, the initiator of the Forum, commented on the idea of creating and holding the Forum: “We live in the days of global and very rapid changes. They inspire and cause concern at the same time. Ukraine faces a choice: to stick to a fragile stability or to move fearlessly towards innovations. It is today when we can make a quantum leap in development – and for this, we require knowledge, cooperation and decisive actions. I see the success of our common future in the synergy of the modernized public sector, the energy of entrepreneurs and the talent of scientists. We must unite for the sake of the global goals, which the humankind have. It is time to move forward, transform business and economy according to the requirements of today. After all, the KIEF is organized to make us feel the trends of the future and become the ones who bring them to life.”
The Kyiv International Economic Forum is an ongoing platform for forming the strategy of Ukraine’s economic development. Each year, the Forum brings together around 2,000 guests and speakers from more than 30 countries to shape integrated strategies of business modernization with a focus on adaptability and innovation.
More information about the Forum’s speakers and panel discussions is available at: https://forumkyiv.org/uk/
