The State Employment Service announces new winners of the Government’s Vlasna Sprava (Own Business) programme, who applied for grants in the period from 6 January to 19 January 2025. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Economy and the State Employment Service.

According to the results of the 1st wave of the programme in 2025, 308 entrepreneurs will receive microgrants to start or develop their own business in the amount of UAH 72 million and create more than 500 new jobs.

The top 5 areas of activity in which the winners are operating or planning to start their businesses are:

• wholesale and retail trade, vehicle repair (31%);
• temporary accommodation and catering (16%);
• other types of services (12%);
• processing industry (12%);
• healthcare and social assistance (7%).

Among microgrant recipients, 60% are women, 32% are men and 8% are legal entities. The leaders among the regions are Kyiv (17%), Lviv (11%), Dnipropetrovsk and Ivano-Frankivsk (7% each), and Poltava (6%) regions.

The majority of the winners – 74% – have a university degree, 14% have a secondary specialised education (technical school or college).

24 entrepreneurs aged 18 to 25 will receive youth grants of up to UAH 150,000 to start a business. The programme gives young people a chance to implement their business ideas covering a variety of industries, from technology development to services. The grants will help young entrepreneurs cover the cost of renting premises, purchasing necessary equipment and other costs that are key to a successful business start-up. Since the programme was launched in September 2024, more than 100 Ukrainians have received youth grants.

Over 23,000 microgrants have been awarded since the programme was launched in 2022. This support is expected to create more than 43,000 new jobs, which will have a significant impact on the country’s economic development by stimulating economic activity at various levels.

There are 19 winners in the veterans’ section of the Vlasna Sprava programme. They will receive grants worth UAH 10 million and create 39 new jobs.

Among the winners of the 1st wave of the programme, 74% are combatants. The vast majority – 68% of the grantees have a university degree and 68% are active entrepreneurs. The average grant amount is UAH 511,000.

Since the launch of the programme’s veterans’ section in April 2023, more than 1,000 Ukrainians have been able to implement their business projects. More than 2,000 new jobs are in the process of being created. Thus, 28% of grantees have opened shops and workshops, 16% produce goods, 15% have opened cafes or coffee shops, and another 9% provide services.

As a reminder, the Ministry of Economy and the State Employment Service offer microgrants of up to UAH 250,000 to start or expand a business under the Vlasna Sprava programme. Combatants or people with war-related disabilities, as well as their spouses, can receive up to UAH 1 million as part of the veterans’ programme. Young people under the age of 25 can receive a grant of up to UAH 150,000.

Applications can be submitted through the Diia portal.