WEEI: Supporting Ukrainian Women Entrepreneurs

The Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative (WEEI) is a full-spectrum programme that opens a path for Ukrainian women entrepreneurs, providing them with valuable resources and support to launch, manage, and grow their businesses.

A Tailored Programme for Women Entrepreneurs

WEEI is a programme designed to meet the specific needs of Ukrainian women entrepreneurs. Its primary focus is on social impact and sustainable entrepreneurship. The programme offers training, mentorship, and support for women at any stage of business development, from new ventures and startups to established small businesses.

Working closely with local and international organisations, WEEI provides a wide network of resources and expertise. This collaborative approach gives participants full-cycle support and a rigorous network for growth and success.

We’ve divided the programme into four key areas, each designed to equip women entrepreneurs with the tools, skills, and resources they need to succeed: Individual Entrepreneurship Training for Women (U:LEARN), Women’s MVP Incubator (U:START), Women’s Startup Accelerator (U:GROW), and Women’s Leadership Program (U:LEAD).

Using Technology for Growth

The programme combines the flexibility of self-paced learning with instructor-led classes and mentorship. WEEI’s platform offers a full learning experience and prioritises practical applications, fresh methodologies, and industry-focused curricula.

A Community of Support

WEEI goes beyond simple training and resources to build a solid and supportive community. The programme builds strong mentor-mentee relationships through a mentorship platform that uses algorithms to find the best-matched mentor-mentee pairs.

Building Growth through Specialised Programmes

Each of WEEI’s specialised programmes: U:LEARN, U:START, U:GROW, and U:LEAD serves a specific purpose, targeting different stages of women’s business and professional development.

U:LEARN is an introductory course on entrepreneurship. This free 3-month program introduces participants to various entrepreneurial mindsets, creative problem-solving, and multiple pathways to entrepreneurship.

U:START is a complementary incubator program designed to kickstart new women-led Ukrainian startups. It helps launch, validate, and grow the participants’ startup ideas, enabling them to develop and commercialise their unique minimum viable products (MVPs).

U:GROW is an accelerator program that supports women-led Ukrainian startups in becoming investment-ready. This program helps to refine vision, go-to-market strategies, sales processes, and metrics while perfecting pitches and preparing strong fundraising plans.

U:LEAD is a program designed to enhance the leadership capacities of Ukrainian women. It helps participants refine their leadership style, lead their teams more effectively, and acquire the skills to manage other managers, align verticals, and guide organisations.

Envisioning a Brighter Future

Where gender equality remains out of reach, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative is taking significant strides towards closing the gap, giving Ukrainian women the tools, skills, and support to become successful entrepreneurs.

By building a platform where women can learn, grow, and succeed, the initiative is shaping a more equitable future for women entrepreneurs in Ukraine.

WEEI participants frequently use TEEI’s other support infrastructure alongside entrepreneurship training. The TEEI Mentorship programme provides allocated mentors for entrepreneurship (from business plan review to investor pitch preparation) drawn from the 400+ professionals volunteering on the platform. Language confidence matters for founders building international businesses: TEEI Language provides free 1-to-1 conversation practice with volunteer partners in English, German, and other European languages. The DataCamp partnership gives women entrepreneurs free access to data science and analytics training useful for evidence-based business decision-making.