EISMEA guidance to Ukraine in the initial 12 months of the war

Because the start of the war in Ukraine one year ago on 24 February 2022, the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Company (EISMEA) has strongly cooperated with its mum or dad Directorate Generals to set in location concrete actions in assistance to Ukrainian companies, entrepreneurs and citizens, contributing to the overarching endeavours made by the European Fee for the ‘EU solidarity with Ukraine’. Cornerstones of the EISMEA endeavours are the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the Single Marketplace Programme (SMP).

European Innovation Council

A large get in touch with targeting Ukrainian companies and an increase in Ukrainian applicants are the most notable actions less than the European Innovation Council (EIC) funding plan below Horizon Europe, with each other with certain steps to increase awareness of EIC funding alternatives for Ukrainian innovators. 

EIC €20 million simply call for Ukrainian tech begin-ups and SMEs 

A €20 million initiative specially focused to Ukrainian tech begin-ups and SMEs with the aim of making a pan-European network, managed by a consortium of associations from distinctive Customers States alongside one another with Ukrainian companions, was launched in 2022 with the distinct targets of:  

– supporting begin-ups in Ukraine, relocated from Ukraine or relocated again to Ukraine 

– providing direct money support (up to €60k innovation grants) to at least 200 Ukrainian tech startups/SMEs and 

– providing support expert services (expertise, obtain to markets, accessibility to networks, etcetera.) 

You can read the push launch and check with the factsheet for a lot more details on this call (HORIZON-EIC-2022-UKRAINIANTECH-01). 

By the deadline (7 September 2023), 12 eligible proposals were submitted and ended up evaluated in the past quarter of 2022. Results of the get in touch with will be introduced at the commencing of March 2023. 

Ukrainian participation in EIC calls 

In addition to this contact concentrating on Ukrainian organizations specially, a lot of Ukrainian organisations utilized and obtained funding from the EIC in 2021 and 2022. For the a few-ways application course of action beneath the EIC Accelerator, exactly where the last stage (interview) is continue to ongoing, EISMEA gained 31 apps in stage 1 (brief application) and 7 purposes from 5 candidates in step 2 (full software) from Ukrainian organisations. In the framework of the EIC Pathfinder scheme, out of the 45 purposes with Ukrainian participants received, 4 initiatives were being chosen for funding and out of the 7 purposes been given for the initial call of the Hop on facility, one particular Ukrainian exploration institute was invited to sign up for an ongoing EIC Pathfinder task. 

Raising consciousness of EIC funding possibilities to Ukraine Innovators 

Very last 21 April 2022, the EIC together with the Ukrainian Commence-up Fund and the Ministry of Education and learning and Science of Ukraine organised a joint workshop entitled “The European Unicorn Factory: Funding Possibilities for Ukrainian Innovators”. 

Total recording of the workshop is readily available. 

Yet another concrete motion to protected Ukrainian consciousness about and participation in the EIC has been the appointment of Ukraine-based mostly entrepreneur Sergey Sereda, who is the co-founder and running spouse of an EIC Accelerator-supported firm from Ukraine, as EIC Ambassador in September 2022.  

One Sector Programme – SME Pillar 

In parallel to the EIC, various initiatives have also been promoted by SME Pillar steps less than the Solitary Industry Programme managed by EISMEA. In certain, by the Organization Europe Network (EEN), the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) and the Erasmus for Youthful Business owners (EYE). 

Business Europe Network (EEN) 

The Business Europe Network, the world’s premier aid community for tiny and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions funded by the European Fee, has also spearheaded a number of actions in help to Ukraine. 

In October 2022, the renewed EEN Ukraine consortium was set up. The Ukrainian Enterprise Europe Community Partners are at the assistance of neighborhood corporations and prepared to offer European consumers with all the aid and tips they have to have to do business in Ukraine. 

The European Commission and the Enterprise Europe Network have also introduced a dedicated Process Force on Ukraine at the begin of the armed forces conflict with a dual intent: on the a single hand, to coordinate efforts to assistance businesses facing supply chain disruptions and, on the other, to support colleagues from the Ukrainian Partners. The Undertaking Pressure has been conference routinely to get insights about the predicament and to go over new ideas on how to assistance our Ukrainian citizens and corporations. 

Other suitable actions that were designed by the Community are: 

• the Supply Chain Resilience System, in collaboration with the European Clusters Collaboration Platform, which supports corporations keep, restructure or exchange existing supply chains, as very well as supply uncooked resources, elements, components and (semi-)concluded merchandise or solutions they need to have to maintain production going 

• the Solidarity Lanes System, a matchmaking system bringing EU and Ukrainian companies alongside one another quickly so that they may well obtain pragmatic methods to the export of agricultural produce from Ukraine. 

Lastly, at the starting of February 2023, the Network organised a webinar on Investing and performing small business in Ukraine targeting Network advisers and cluster managers supporting organization clients from all sectors of the financial state. The webinar resolved the most important worries and options for doing enterprise in Ukraine and closed with the plea to carry on solidarity and start off investing a lot more in Ukraine. You can view the full recording of the webinar. 

For additional facts on all steps place in spot by the Enterprise Europe Network, you can consult with the dedicated web site on the Network’s internet site. 

European Cluster Collaboration System (ECCP) 

The European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) is a vivid on line group aiding cluster organisations across Europe and over and above to hook up, talk and collaborate. 

In the elevate of the conflict, the ECCP founded the EU Clusters Support Ukraine Discussion board to enrich the skill of European marketplace to add to the supply of humanitarian support for Ukraine and to guidance Ukrainian refugees in Member Condition nations. 

In addition, within the framework of the Clusters fulfill Regions service, the ECCP is organising on 29-30 March 2023 the event “European Clusters integrating Ukrainian Clusters and Corporations into the EU benefit chains” in Kosice (Slovakia) and on line. The event will bring collectively around 200 representatives of EU and Ukrainian clusters and firms, as very well as nationwide and regional public authorities and company guidance organisations from Slovakia and other EU areas, researchers, civil culture users, monetary intermediaries, innovation organizations, industrial associations, buyers, and other linked actors. Contributors will have the chance to create EU-Ukraine company relations, and to uncover associates to trade and commit with. Registrations for the function are now open up, right until 28 March. 

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) 

Lastly, the Erasmus for Youthful Business owners (EYE) programme has achieved out promptly to Ukrainian Middleman Organisations (EYE venture beneficiaries) and entrepreneurs to aid them. Quick unexpected emergency steps had been taken and implemented by the complete network to guidance the performing of the organisations and match Ukrainian entrepreneurs with their hosts outdoors of Ukraine and let them to carry on realising their ambitions to start and expand their organizations. In addition, Ukrainian entrepreneurs who are by now on enterprise exchanges overseas have been made available an extension of their stays.   

Flexing the programme regulations, and in order to facilitate integration of Ukrainian refugees in their (temporary) host nation, and to faucet into their entrepreneurial opportunity, the EYE programme also makes it possible for them to be matched to host business people in their host state and to acquire a regular allowance. This is a stable deviation from the normal EYE programme rule, which is to match entrepreneurs cross-border.  

The EYE programme Intermediary Organisations have shown total commitment to welcoming Ukrainians and offering them many help, also connecting with humanitarian and other organisations, as a result very well past their usual radar. As a result, the programme has made available 1 successful younger entrepreneur to pitch as effective new entrepreneur at the EYE Innovator Award 2023 on 7 March.  

Intelligent Cities Obstacle (ICC)  

Beyond the previously mentioned, the Intelligent Towns Challenge mobilised metropolitan areas to support in numerous respects. For instance, towns served pinpointing and sharing very good methods to aid aid displaced individuals, determining prospective gaps for coverage steps and peer mastering among the towns. A precise contact for donations “Trying to keep Ukraine’s Power Infrastructure Working by way of the Winter” was organised. The activities’ report is available at: ICC_Ukranine report_ultimate (intelligentcitieschallenge.eu)  

Upcoming actions 

Following adoption of the SMP Do the job Programme 2023 on 22.02.2023, two particular actions in help of Ukrainian SMEs and entrepreneurs will be introduced soon. They will feature less than the funding part SMP of the EISMEA net. They goal at selecting worldwide consortia with the involvement of Ukrainian applicants to assistance strengthen Ukrainians gain from the Single Industry, e.g. innovation products and services, specific trainings, exchanges with knowledgeable business people and many others.