On June 13, representatives of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the Embassy of the Netherlands, IFC, the EU Delegation to Ukraine, financial institutions, and experts from KSE Institute gathered for the conference “Investment Readiness of SMEs: Partnership for Sustainable Development.” Hosted at the Kyiv School of Economics, the event marked the launch of a large-scale educational and mentorship program for entrepreneurs. Its goal is to expand access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through opportunities provided by donors, the government, banks, insurance, and leasing companies.

The event opened with remarks from Nataliia Shapoval, Head of KSE Institute, who emphasized the importance of supporting SMEs: “Business is the engine of economic recovery — and SMEs are its foundation. That’s why strengthening their capacity, especially by improving access to financing, is critical for growth. To achieve this, the KSE Institute team is working closely with the Ministry of Economy and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine. We aim to create not just an educational platform, but a space for a productive dialogue between entrepreneurs, the government, and the financial sector. Through joint efforts, we can help businesses recover and scale,” she noted.

The program is designed to establish direct dialogue between SMEs, banks, and other players in the financial market, while also improving companies’ investment readiness and the financial literacy of their owners. Although significant international support has opened up new financing opportunities for Ukrainian businesses, many SMEs still face limited access to capital. That’s why experts from KSE Institute — in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and with support from the Government of the Netherlands — aim to help entrepreneurs better understand and use available financial instruments.

To that end, one-day in-person training sessions will be held in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Dnipro. These events will bring together representatives of government, international organizations, financial institutions, as well as entrepreneurs, experts, and analysts. Participants will also have the chance to learn from successful fundraising case studies and explore practical tools currently available to SMEs.

At the June 13 event, the relevance of the program was underscored by Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Andrii Teliupa and Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine, Esselien van Eerten:

“Supporting small and medium-sized businesses isn’t just a policy priority — it’s the backbone of our economy. Today, SMEs make up 80% of all registered companies. They power economic activity, support communities, and continue to adapt in the face of war. That’s why we’re focused on creating the conditions for microbusinesses to grow into small businesses, small into medium, and medium into large enterprises,” said Teliupa.

“Strengthening SMEs is one of the Netherlands’ main areas of support for Ukraine. We believe that strengthening this largest economic sector will play a key role in accelerating post-war recovery. We’ve already supported entrepreneurs — including women and veterans — and contributed to the launch of the ‘5-7-9’ affordable loan program. We plan to continue working actively in this area,” said Esselien van Eerten.

Alongside the in-person training, the program will offer entrepreneurs access to an online platform featuring analytical resources, a practical financing guide, self-assessment tools for investment readiness, and mentorship support. Additionally, KSE Institute is conducting a large-scale survey to better understand the current level of access to financial resources and identify the main barriers SMEs face. Based on these findings and feedback from training participants, KSE experts will develop recommendations for the government, donors, and financial institutions — helping to shape a more accessible and responsive financial infrastructure tailored to the needs of Ukrainian businesses.