ERA develops Sea of Azov region export potential

Investment Acceleration
09 December 2021

USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) together with Ivan Fedorov, Mayor of Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast presented the first Investment Directory of business profiles of Melitopol companies for international partners. The directory includes information about 22 companies in Melitopol; over time it will be updated with contacts from other manufacturers.

Melitopol was also visited by Joe Deacon, Director of Distag QSC Ltd., Ireland, which manufactures agricultural machinery and buys spare parts from various countries around the world. Deacon visited more than ten local producers to learn about their production facilities. This visit was organized by ERA and the Melitopol Development Agency through the FAME (Farm Machinery, Automotive Parts, and Machine Building Enterprises) initiative implemented by ERA to develop relevant companies in the region.

ERA collaborated with the Melitopol Development Agency to create a profile portfolio of Melitopol manufacturing companies while attracting potential buyers in Europe for specific parts and solutions.

The city of Melitopol was chosen to pilot this initiative due to its strong manufacturing heritage and base of industrial enterprises, as well as light engineering companies.

In 2022, ERA will focus on training and building the capacity of eastern Ukrainian enterprises to help manufacturers systematically improve their ability to respond to the needs of international customers. According to ERA experts, this could shorten the supply chain in Europe heavily affected by COVID-19 related crises and disruptions of goods and supply chains from Asia.

Social enterprise makes paper utensils in Donetsk Oblast

Investment Acceleration
26 June 2021

Drukarskyi Dim (Printing House) Center for Labor Rehabilitation of the Disabled has started producing paper cups. Currently, this enterprise based in Kramatorsk is the only company in eastern Ukraine manufacturing paper utensils.

With the assistance of USAID Economic Resilience Activity, the Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF) and Oschadbank issued a loan of 1,300,000 hryvnias to the social enterprise to purchase equipment.

“All paper utensils are now imported to Donetsk Oblast, so we decided to occupy this niche,” said Yurii Melnyk, the company’s director. “A preferential loan allowed us to buy a machine to produce paper tableware. Now we have coffee cups in our product range. Printing equipment allows us to put various prints on paper.”

Drukarskyi Dim makes and sells cups of Finnish and Swedish paper to small shop owners and coffee suppliers in Bakhmut, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, Lyman, Pokrovsk and Sviatohirsk. The company is now looking for investments to purchase further equipment to produce a wider range of cups for tea and cocktails, paper plates, cornstarch bags and corrugated cups. Drukarskyi Dim is a socially responsible business, employing 10 people with disabilities out of its 19 staff. The launch of new equipment will help expand the assortment of products and employ additional people.

“Available Loans for Social Enterprises in Eastern Ukraine” project has a value of USD 100,000 and is implemented by WNISEF with the assistance of USAID Economic Resilience Activity.

Lyman community: promotional video

Investment Acceleration
Tourism
01 March 2021

Investment Acceleration

USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) helps small and medium enterprises in eastern Ukraine to raise external funds for development and scaling up.

  • Why are investments important for development?

Business development or scaling up requires financing from banking institutions, investors and other interested organizations.

  • What are the prerequisites for successful investment?

Competency, a clear action plan and the ability to implement this plan.

  • Why do companies need support?

The domestic Ukrainian market for raising funds for SME is poorly developed. Most companies are not experienced in communicating with investors or preparing and defending clear, realistic proposals and development plans.

Who can get investment promotion support from ERA?
  • SMEs with:
    • Staff – up to 250 people
    • Annual revenue – up to 40 million euros equivalent
    • Balance sheet assets – up to 20 million euros
  • Companies located in the government-controlled territories of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, as well as in the Sea of Azov region of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
What are the principles of  ERA investment promotion support for SMEs?

The principles of  ERA investment promotion support


ERA supports investment (external financing) through its partners, contractors and grantees, who include leading investment funds, commercial banks, investment banking companies, financial advisors, credit unions, etc.

Partner portfolio

WNISEF SOUL PARTNERS ERNST & YOUNG GAZELLE FINANCE UUCU
Western NIS Enterprise Fund Logo Soul Partners logo Ernst and Young logo Gazelle finance logo Ukrainian Credit union limited logo

Investments of up to $500 thsd. equivalent

  • Credit unions
  • 5-7-9% Program
  • WNISEF
Transaction Advisory Services

This program provides help with investment banking services to raise external funds by professional investment bankers. ERA covers a significant part or the full cost of services (depending on the amount of financing).

The program provides several stages of support in investment promotion

Stages of support in investment promotion

The program provides two amounts of funding implemented by two different partners (ERA contractors).

Investments of $500 thsd. – $1 mln. equivalent

  • Implemented by Soul Partners
  • Award for investment promotion – up to 2% of the amount (in case of successful promotion)

More than $1 mln. equivalent

  • Implemented by Ernst & Young

 

Other opportunities for SME

Opportunity 1: Involvement of top consultants to address issues that are important to your business. ERA pays for the consultants’ services.
Opportunity 2: We are open to your ideas. Use the box below to share your business needs with us; we will give you a qualified answer.