The second official day of the international Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2025) is incredibly eventful. Dozens of important events, discussions, and panels are in full swing. But one of the topics was particularly close to our hearts.
Since a significant portion of the members of the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs (SUP) are representatives of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), we could not miss participating in the panel “Increasing the Investment Attractiveness of SMEs: Internationalization, access to capital, and supply chains for growth and social impact.”
SUP Executive Director Kateryna Glazkova delivered a key message: support for SMEs must be dynamic, accessible, and comprehensive.
What Business Truly Needs Now
According to the entrepreneurs themselves, the following are necessary:
- Micro-grants – simple, fast, without unnecessary barriers
- Accessible loans – not only with low interest rates but also with support in financial planning
- Practical advice from practitioners, not formal “trainings”
- Genuine deregulation – less unnecessary control, more trust
What are the challenges?
Businesses often cannot utilize even the assistance that is already available:
- Applications are too complex;
- Some industries (creative industries, retail, light industry) fall out of priority;
- Funds are delayed due to administrative procedures;
- Requests for energy independence (generators, batteries, solar panels) often lack quick solutions.
“There is no single recipe. But if you combine several tools – finance, advice, changes in regulation – it yields a real result,” emphasized Kateryna Glazkova.
SUP continues to work to ensure that the voice of entrepreneurs is heard and considered in all strategic decisions. Because SMEs are not just about business, but also about jobs, community development, and the country’s resilience as a whole.