enpact

"Before the war, I was a design engineer, but in Lutsk, I started my own business producing handmade caramel. I lack the knowledge to develop my work, and I want to learn as much as possible from coaches and mentors." - Natalya Belimova, Ukrainian entrepreneur and sweets manufacturer. On the 26th of April, participants, partners, donors, and our team gathered in the beautiful city of Lviv to mark the beginning of a six-month journey. 75 entrepreneurs from coal regions in Lviv and Volyn Oblasts have already started learning and networking, and took part in their first workshop last week which focused on leadership in times of crisis.

 In this video, participants of the project share their experience of how they started their businesses and how the closures of the coal mines and war induced disruptions have affected their work. They also share why they joined the program and what they're looking forward to! Interested in connecting with the participants or supporting the project as an expert or mentor? Send us a message and our team will get back to you! 👇 The ‘Just Transition through Entrepreneurship’ Project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. #JustTransitionUA #Ukraine #EmpoweringEntrepreneurship #SMEs #ClimateAction

Excited to announce our partner for the Ecosystem Builders Track of the Just Transition through Entrepreneurship project in Ukraine! 💙💛 For the next part of our project for Ukrainian SMEs, we are excited to work with Civitta, a leading independent management consultancy in Central and Eastern Europe! Their flexible approach, innovative thinking, and deep knowledge of the target regions of Volyn and Lviv Oblasts will contribute to strengthening the support infrastructure for SMEs. The Ecosystem Builders Track of the Just Transition through Entrepreneurship project focuses on business support organizations (BSOs) to develop services and programs for entrepreneurs in the region geared toward recovery and growth through creating avenues for sustainable, long-term support that extends beyond the duration of the program. 'Just Transition through Entrepreneurship' is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) with the support of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The Ecosystem Builders Track is implemented in cooperation with Civitta. Stay tuned for an update on the track's launch next week! #JustTransitionUA #EcosystemBuildersUkraine #SustainableDevelopment #JustTransition

Meet Larysa Polishchuk, a participant in the Just Transition through Entrepreneurship project. 💙💛 Originally from the mining town of Dobropillia in the Donetsk region, Larysa has moved to Lviv due to the Russian full-scale invasion in 2022. Over 23 years ago, she founded “Uyut” (Coziness) in Dobropillia, offering custom-made curtains for private clients and public organizations. Larysa’s business flourished, even earning the Best Enterprise in Ukraine award. Due to Russian aggression, she had to leave her hometown and pause her business. “The most difficult thing was to decide to leave for the first time, to leave my home. It was the scariest,” shares Larysa. While living in Lviv, she resumed her work and reopened her shop in Dobropillia after two seamstresses returned. Locals were thrilled to revisit her shop and talk with her colleagues. “They told us about their adventures, where they were, what they saw, and how they felt; it was like psychotherapy,“ she explains. As the frontline gets closer to her hometown, it becomes harder to operate there. A Russian attack destroyed her garage storage and damaged her shop. “I had to accept it and live through it,” describes Larysa in the attack’s aftermath. Despite these setbacks and difficulties finding staff, Larysa worked tirelessly, often through the night, to fulfil orders. Larysa remains resilient and proud of her team and customers. Looking ahead, Larysa plans to relaunch her business’s social media. Her biggest aim is to export her products to other countries. She would also like to move back to Dobropillia. “I want to rebuild my town; I want it to prosper." Larysa underlines that the support of enpact was vital for her to recover after the attacks and to learn more about business and experiences of other coal-mining towns’ transformations abroad, which she would like to implement in Dobropillia. The ‘Just Transition through Entrepreneurship’ Project is funded by Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. #JustTransitionUA #Ukraine #Entrepreneur #SustainableDevelopment

Happy Independence Day to Albania! ❤️🖤 Today, we want to take a quick moment to thank everyone who has been working with us over the past year across Albania to provide direct support for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Everyday, we’re inspired by the proactivity, talent and spirit we see in the Albanian startup ecosystem and are grateful to be a small part of it. It is just the right day to share with you an update on the work of the Ecosystem Builders. 6 business organizations have been working actively to develop new services for MSMEs across the country. 👏 Through a series of workshops and dedicated mentoring, the participants have been defining their target audience and assessing the needs of their communities, creating the roadmap for their work, and setting measurable impact goals. Tune in to get know what they’re working on and what the Ecosystem Builders Albania project aims to achieve. 🎥 The program is implemented in collaboration with GIZ Albania, within the framework of the “Sustainable Economic and Regional Development, Employment Promotion and Vocational Education and Training – ProSEED 2.0” project, on behalf of Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). #MakeitinAlbania #Albania #EcosystemBuildersAlbania #Supportlocalbusinesses

We’re excited to launch the 2nd edition of Ecosystem Connectors, this time focusing on Kyiv! 💙💛 On the 2nd of December, we will be hosting a networking and exchange event focused on connecting the startup ecosystems across Ukraine with Berlin. This is part of a bigger initiative that is dedicated to building bridges across European startup ecosystems. What can you expect at the event? 🤝Organized networking sessions 🗨 Panel discussions on business opportunities and the overall entrepreneurial climate across Ukraine 🎤 First-hand accounts of success stories and best practices from startups based in Kyiv 💡An overview of the Ecosystem Connectors project and how you can get involved in the community building bridges across Berlin and Kyiv If you’re an entrepreneur, investor or ecosystem enabler interested in getting to know new markets, this is the event for you. 🕑 Doors open at 17:30 📍 Location: SAP Data Space Berlin, Rosenthalerstr. 38 👉 Sign up for free here: https://lnkd.in/dPuFijyY Make sure to follow Ecosystem Connectors | Berlin Kyiv to stay up to date about all event details! The Ecosystem Connectors project is funded by the Senatsverwaltung für Wirtschaft, Energie und Betriebe and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH through the “Bund-Länder-Programm – German Government and Federal States Program (BLP)” in cooperation with us at enpact. The project is being implemented in Ukraine with the support of the ReACT4Ukraine project (“Utilization and Implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine in the field of trade”), that is financed by the German Government. GIZ Ukraine #EcosystemConnectorsBK #EcosystemConnectorsBerlinKyiv #BerlinKyiv #BerlinEvents #Networking

#JustTransitionUA community gathered for the networking event in Lutsk! Last week, participants from our Just Transition through Entrepreneurship project in the Volyn and Lviv regions of Ukraine came together in Lutsk to connect and build up their fundraising skills. Our speaker, Viktoria Homonets, an expert in international cooperation and project management, provided invaluable insights into the application process for both local and international donor programs and grants. Her presentation was packed with practical advice, sparking an engaging Q&A session where participants actively shared their thoughts and queries. The event's second half was also dynamic, featuring vibrant networking activities, team games, and group discussions. "Thank you so much for the opportunity to attend such a bright and much-needed event in my hometown of Lutsk. I gained incredibly valuable knowledge and enjoyed interesting and fun networking, so I am very grateful. It was a pleasure to reconnect with our program participants!" - shared one of the attendees. The ‘Just Transition through Entrepreneurship’ Project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. #Ukraine #Entrepreneur #enpactors #Community

At enpact, we believe entrepreneurship is key to solving today’s challenges and building a more sustainable, inclusive tomorrow. As we celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week, there's no better time to reflect on all we've achieved throughout the year with incredible entrepreneurs, pushing forward for innovation and positive change across various sectors in Egypt. This year, we had the opportunity to work with over 200 young, passionate entrepreneurs. We witnessed their incredible transformation journeys through our support programs. From the early stages of ideation to launching innovative products and services, they have shown remarkable determination and we couldn't be prouder of their achievements. 👉In manufacturing, 9 startups focused on the sustainability nexus of energy, water, and food successfully developed their MVPs through the MADE program. Their program journey led to a dynamic Demo Day last February, where industry leaders and stakeholders gathered to witness their innovative solutions for advancing Egypt’s manufacturing sector. 👉 In CivicTech, 12 startups in transportation, urban development, and healthcare have developed their MVPs through the CiviConnectors program. With an engaging demo day, they marked their graduation last September and now their innovative solutions are making their way into the market. 👉In doroob, 11 startups across creative arts, agriculture, and tourism developed their MVPs through their time in the program. Their efforts were showcased during dedicated pitch days, and they are now getting ready for a trip to Berlin, where they will have the opportunity to explore European markets and expand their business potential. 👉 And as inclusion is at the heart of everything we do at enpact, 5 startups are now on a mission to develop accessible digital solutions through the Empowering Inclusion in Employment (EIIE), to break down barriers for persons with disabilities and facilitate their access to employment and skill development opportunities. The program also introduces the Digital Accessibility Handbook, as a localized resource for creating inclusive digital solutions in Egypt and the Arab region. A huge shoutout to these incredible entrepreneurs and their fellows. They inspire us every day with their passion, resilience, and innovation. Their dedication to creating sustainable solutions is what has been driving us forward. #EmpoweringEntrepreneurs #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #EntrepreneurshipIsForEveryOne

Our favorite question: How do you define impact? 🧐 We met up with the participants of the #EcosystemBuildersAlbania last week in Tirana to talk about measuring the impact of their work. In an all-day workshop led by our own Monitoring & Evaluation Manager Sergio Rakotozafy, representatives and leaders of six business chambers in Albania worked together to define how they can track their progress and evaluate their work. The workshop focused on: 🎯How to clearly define objectives; 👨👨👧👧The difference between impact, outcome, and output; 📜How to draft KPIs for their services. Through group exercises and interactive sessions, the participants set goals for how their services should support SMEs and how they will measure the performance of services every step of the way. This was our last workshop of the year, before working to finalize their new services and pilot them for testing with SMEs and entrepreneurs with the start of 2025. Thank you to all mentors and experts who have supported the process so far, and thank you to the ecosystem builders themselves for always showing up and putting in the work to support small businesses across all sectors in Albania. The program is implemented in collaboration with GIZ Albania, within the framework of the “Sustainable Economic and Regional Development, Employment Promotion and Vocational Education and Training – ProSEED 2.0” project, on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). #MakeitinAlbania #ProseedAlbania #enpactors #GIZAlbania #BSOs Dhoma Ekonomike e Gruas AIDA - Albanian Investment Development Agency Durres Chamber Commerce and Industry Bashkimi i Prodhuesve Shqiptarë Dhoma e Biznesit të Diasporës Shqiptare (ADBC)

Meet Olha Kotovych, the owner of the jerky (dried meat) production and the participant in our #JustTransitionUA project! 💙💛 Olha, along with her husband and two children, had to leave their home in the Zaporizhzhia region due to constant shelling and the risk of occupation. After finding safety in Lviv in 2022, she fulfilled a long-held dream: becoming an entrepreneur. “There are six members of our family currently serving in the military, so we wanted to create food products that could be a long-lasting source of nutrition for them in extreme conditions,” Olha explains. Determined to separate her business from home life, Olha rented a production space instead of operating out of her kitchen. With initial funding from the International Organization for Migration, she was able to purchase a drying cabinet. Having an education in livestock processing technology, Olha began producing dried meat patties—commonly seen as a beer snack but reimagined by Olha as a valuable source of pure protein for proper nutrition. Her business plan is to expand, aiming to offer job opportunities for veterans and individuals with disabilities. The production facility has already been adapted to accommodate these future employees. “Sooner or later, the war will end, and people will return home. We want to welcome them with dignity—not only through quality products but also with well-organized workplaces. That’s our vision, our dream,” Olha says. The Just Transition through Entrepreneurship project has provided essential support, helping Olha cover rent, buy raw materials and specialized equipment for natural smoking. 🥓 Now, she produces dried and smoked sausages, smoked and dried meat, vegetable energy bars, and animal treats made from dried offal. Also, they invested in other equipment to simplify the technological process and minimize the presence of human labor. “Thanks to the project’s funding, I could take two months off from outside work over the summer and focus entirely on my production. This time was invaluable,” Olha reflects. The ‘Just Transition through Entrepreneurship’ Project is funded by Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. GIZ Ukraine #Ukraine #Entrepreneur #DevelopmentCooperation

Back to the roots of exchange but with a digital twist — Meet Qayedny (meaning ‘barter with me’ in Arabic), a knowledge hub where time becomes the currency and skills determine the value. As one of the five startups in the Empowering Inclusion In Employment (EIIE) program’s incubator, this innovative platform is on a mission to break down barriers and provide equal access to freelance jobs and learning opportunities. At its heart, Qayedny features a unique model, where users can swap services and skills in exchange for Time Points, surpassing monetary transactions. Whether for students seeking internship experience, freelancers looking to build their portfolios, or startups in need of fresh talents, the platform creates a dynamic space for mutual growth and collaboration. "Time is the only resource we share equally, but how we recognize its value is what matters," says Mohamad A. Soliman, Qayedny's Founder. "It’s been common to see young professionals face financial barriers when seeking skill development resources. At the same time, there are a lot of talents that can grow together and benefit each other. That’s where the idea of harnessing the power of time, rather than money, came in,” he explains. Mohamed’s career, from his early days as a summer employee to rising through corporate ranks, and eventually founding a startup, has given him a firsthand understanding of challenges faced by today’s youth. “However, for persons with disabilities, there’s much more we can do. Among all the challenges youth face in carving out their path in the job market, living with a disability adds an extra layer, making career growth opportunities even harder to access through the web.” Together with Sondos AboEl-naga and Sara Ashraf, Mohamed is now prioritizing accessibility to make Qayedny’s platform a fully inclusive digital space. Through the EIIE Incubator, the team is working with digital accessibility experts and software developers to implement features and design elements that align with the Web Accessibility Guidelines, catering to the needs of users with disabilities. Want to join the cause with Qayedny and support them in their development journey? Leave a comment or drop a message and we will connect you. The Empowering Inclusion in Employment program is implemented by the nonprofit organisation enpact within the cooperation framework between the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Egypt, which implements on behalf of the German Government. The program is implemented as part of the Equal Opportunities and Social Development (EOSD) Project. #EIIE #AccessibilityForAll #InclusionStartsWithAccessibility