Ukraine is launching a project to support micro, small, and medium-sized businesses, called "UA Global: Etsy Start," which will help entrepreneurs start or increase sales on the handmade goods marketplace, Etsy.
As part of the "UA Global: Etsy Start" initiative, 500 Ukrainian entrepreneurs will be selected through a competitive process and will undergo training on creating an online store on Etsy. They will also receive mentorship on sales development and product promotion on the marketplace. Additionally, project participants will receive $1,000 scholarships from the USAID "Competitive Economy of Ukraine" program, $100 Etsy credits for promoting products on the platform, and Ukrposhta promo codes for logistics services worth a total of $10,000, which will be distributed among the participants. Mentorship on logistics and customs issues will also be provided.
The "UA Global: Etsy Start" initiative is being implemented by the USAID "Competitive Economy of Ukraine" program, in cooperation with the NGO TECHBUREAU, and in partnership with Ukrposhta and the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development, with support from Etsy. The project aims to support microbusinesses, fostering their accelerated growth into small and medium-sized enterprises. It encompasses both entrepreneurs with no export experience and those who have already started their export journey and wish to grow by opening a store on Etsy.
"Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises ensure the resilience of Ukraine’s economy, generating two-thirds of added value and 80% of jobs. One of the government’s goals is to support businesses in entering new markets. This is also one of the goals of the SME development strategy for 2024-2027, which has been approved by the government. Its implementation plans to increase the number of exporters to over 35,000, and export volumes will reach 60 billion euros, of which 35 billion euros will come from the EU. In addition, the strategy involves working with platforms such as Etsy. Therefore, the opportunity for Ukrainian businesses to become part of this platform supports not only these specific businesses but also the economy of the country as a whole. I thank USAID for its leadership in this matter and its contribution to export development. This is a good example for other partners of building sustainable partnerships for the development of small and medium-sized businesses," said Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy of Ukraine.
"Since the launch of the first project, Etsy Payments, in October 2023, more than 14,000 Ukrainian sellers have joined the marketplace. Before this, Ukrainian entrepreneurs could not open stores on Etsy. We aim to increase the presence of Ukrainian products on the platform and open opportunities for Ukrainian producers to enter new markets. This is the second project we are implementing with our partners. In the past, we supported 100 Ukrainian producers through the Made in UA project, of which almost half are represented on Etsy. This allowed businesses to generate over $5 million in sales and create over 100 jobs," said Olesia Zalutska, head of the USAID "Competitive Economy of Ukraine" program.
