The Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs (SUP) took part in the “Building Bridges. 2nd Czech-Ukrainian Conference on Ukraine’s Transformation”, which provided a platform for discussing partnerships, investment projects, and opportunities for cooperation between Ukrainian and Czech businesses.
Over the course of two days, business representatives exchanged experiences and explored opportunities for further cooperation. The dialogue brought together 11 Ukrainian industrial clusters, Czech companies, financial institutions, and government institutions. Participants included representatives of the Czech government and the European Commission, as well as companies already operating in Ukraine or considering entering the Ukrainian market.
Ukrainian Business Is Rebuilding the Economy Today
Kateryna Glazkova, Executive Director of SUP, spoke on a panel dedicated to the experience of Czech companies already operating in Ukraine and practical opportunities for developing Ukrainian-Czech business cooperation. She emphasized that Ukrainian businesses are not waiting for the war to end to start rebuilding and transforming the economy.
The war is destroying business infrastructure, but at the same time, it is forcing companies to rethink how the economy operates. Companies are already relocating production, restructuring supply chains, changing logistics, investing in new technologies, entering new export markets, and adapting their business models to fundamentally new conditions. All of this is creating demand.
The Benefits of Cooperation Between Ukrainian and Czech Businesses
According to Kateryna Glazkova, the Ukrainian market should not be viewed solely as one that needs resources and technologies from Europe. Ukrainian companies can be full-fledged partners for Czech businesses, bringing their knowledge of the local market, engineering expertise, production capacity, access to customers, talented professionals, and experience of operating in extremely challenging conditions.
At the same time, Czech companies can bring technologies, capital, industrial expertise, management experience, and access to European markets.
Czech companies are in a particularly strong position. There is already a certain level of mutual understanding between our business communities. We are brought together by geographical proximity, industrial traditions, and strong engineering capabilities on both sides.
Full-Fledged Partnerships with Foreign Companies
“Ukrainian businesses are, of course, looking for investment. But they are much more interested in partners with whom they can create new projects together,” Kateryna concluded. “It is important for Ukrainian companies to understand whether a foreign partner is genuinely willing to study the Ukrainian market, get to know the local team, visit the company, and build long-term relationships. It is not only about capital, technology, or access to markets, but about having a partner who is ready to share both the opportunities and the risks.”
During the conference, SUP presented the perspective of Ukrainian business and discussed opportunities for long-term partnerships with Czech companies. It is important to us that such contacts become the foundation for new joint projects, investments, and practical cooperation between Ukrainian and international businesses.