UAH 150 000 and business trip to Paris: UKRSIBBANK invites women entrepreneurs to participate «Created by Women» competition.
UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group became partner of the «Created by Women — 2024» competition, organized for the sixth time by the Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The main prize of the competition is a grant of UAH 150 000, for a winner to develop her own business. Also, the winner will receive membership in the Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and an opportunity to visit Paris. Other finalists will receive monetary prizes and consultancy support from partner companies. UKRSIBBANK prepares for them special business offers for service and a special prize for business development in order to continue to support women who are engaged in entrepreneurial activities in wartime and develop the country’s economy.
Applications for participation in the competition are accepted until March 24, 2024. To participate is needed to complete the questionnaire on the website womanccifu.com, prepare and sent a self-introduction and business presentation, record a short video, and provide an official registration document. The jury will evaluate the originality of the project, strategic thinking, and the quality of the business plan.
Last year, UKRSIBBANK awarded a special prize to one of the participants of the competition, Lidia Chernyga, and provided a certificate for UAH 100,000 for the development of her business – the scaling of the bottling point and the purification of drinking water for the communities of Poltava region.
For several years in a row, UKRSIBBANK has been supporting the «Created by Women» contest. We understand the potential of women's entrepreneurship. Today, it is also the stimulation of Ukraine's economic recovery. After all, women in business drive the market, create jobs, increase tax revenues, stimulate innovation, and design new services. Research indicates that supporting women's entrepreneurship contributes to the sustainable development of local communities and global society. As a promoter of gender equality, UKRSIBBANK encourages women to realize their potential. For this, we support such initiatives as «Created by Women». This is our positive contribution to the sustainable future of Ukraine
Ukrainian women not only defend the country with weapons in their hands, but also confidently manage business. Since February 2023, every second new individual entrepreneur in Ukraine has been opened by women. The number of female entrepreneurs has increased most noticeably since the beginning of autumn: yes, women currently account for 60% of new individual entrepreneurs. For comparison, in 2021 cases opened by women accounted for 49% of the total number of new businesses. Women's leadership is becoming mainstream in Ukraine, and we are happy to lend a hand to this ongoing process. I wish Ukrainian women self-belief and perseverance, and I also call on female entrepreneurs not to delay and apply for our competition — you all deserve victory and support.
Throughout the five-year history of the competition, 700 Ukrainian businesswomen have participated, with nearly 30 becoming winners and receiving almost UAH 1 million for the development of their businesses. The participants represent diverse industries, including education, medicine, the production of essential oils and natural cosmetics, water purification, waste processing stations, film studios, furniture manufacturing, and much more.
However, war influenced women entrepreneurs’ businesses. According to research, with the onset of a full-scale invasion, 95% of businesses owned by women felt its negative effects. The main challenges for them included the consequences of natural disasters and pandemics, issues related to entering the international market, and unstable economic conditions in Ukraine caused by the war.
Female entrepreneurs are forced to juggle several social roles simultaneously and still face certain pressure from society, significantly complicating their work. It is through these gender challenges that we see prospects for the development of women's businesses, and we express full support for the «Created by Women — 2024» competition from the Embassy of France.
Information:
Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFU): Established in 1994, CCIFU currently brings together approximately 150 French companies and enterprises under French management. The main goal of the chamber is to develop trade relations between Ukraine and France. The strength of the partnership network lies in the complementarity of business directions and constant collaboration with the Embassy of France.