The “Professionals4Ukraine” program is a dynamic initiative aimed at solving specific challenges, increasing resilience, and preparing for future recovery within the Ukrainian Cluster Alliance (UCA) framework. By becoming part of our network, you will receive the honorary title of “Professionals4Ukraine Ambassador”.

Which possibilities does this status provide you?

As Ambassadors, you will have a platform to propose innovative initiatives and responses to challenges UCA clusters face. These joint efforts can cover various areas, including:

✨ Organization and holding of significant events dedicated to Ukraine.

✨ Involvement of Ukrainian clusters in international projects.

✨ Providing technical and financial support to our clusters.

✨ Facilitating the integration of Ukrainian participants into current EU projects, regional development programs, and much more.

Our Ambassadors are ready to provide support, motivated by a shared commitment to help Ukrainian colleagues during this period of transformation.

How to join: To become part of the Ambassador network, please fill out this form.

What we offer for Ukrainian SMEs and clusters as part of the Professionals4Ukraine program:

1) Organization of business missions abroad.

2) Organization of events in Ukraine with the support of ambassadors.

3) Promotion of the successes of clusters and SMEs to a foreign audience through the network.

4) Joining the network of foreign contacts.

Join the network of Ambassadors by filling out this form or write us a letter at info@clusters.org.ua 

Internationalization of UCA clusters

Professionals4Ukraine ambassadors: Mike Richardson’s unprecedented mission to Ukraine.

This mission by Mike Richardson is a vivid example of the impact and collaboration opportunities of our Professionals4Ukraine program ambassadors. Many foreign partners are trying to help Ukrainian clusters and their participants, but the mechanisms of this help are far from obvious due to numerous restrictions. And we saw it well in 2022.

So, what Mike demonstrated in 2023—super-intensive, “field” inclusion in the interaction at the level of individual clusters and proactivity in creating new cluster initiatives—is a super valuable experience for us. And it is already working on the results.

Read more about the mission and its results on our website. 

Tereza Shamanova: Partnership with CzechInno

The Czech Republic and Ukraine will organize several business missions to the Czech Republic, MSV Brno, and CyberSecurity Forum in Prague in this business season. These missions will help shape new bilateral agendas between Ukraine and the Czech Republic and continue work on last year’s achievements.

The first mission organized by CzechInno and the UCA will be held from October 10 to 13, 2023, in the city of Brno in the Czech Republic. Topic: International Machine-Building Fair MSV 2023.

We will publish a more detailed program and terms of participation later.

You can read the report and reviews of the participants of the April business mission in Prague here.

The Mission of Ukrainian Industry 4.0 Policymakers to Poland

From September 11 to 14, a Ukrainian delegation of policymakers from the industrial and hi-tech sectors will visit Poland at the invitation of the Polish state agency Industry 4.0. The Ukrainian delegation comprises four representatives of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences and two of the Ministries.

The trip’s primary purpose is to develop business cooperation and exchange experience in developing state regulation in the high-tech sectors of the economy.

Goals and tasks of meetings

• Development of relations between key Ukrainian and Polish Industry, 4.0-5.0 stakeholders.
• Broad sharing of best practices of public policy in Industry 4.0 (focus on FPPP experience).
• Determination of priority areas and projects of cooperation between Poland and Ukraine in Smart Industries.
• Discussion of possible cooperation regarding future competitions within the Digital Europe Program (EDIHs for Ukraine) and Horizon Europe.

You can find the detailed program of the mission on the website.

Position paper – The network of DIHs in Ukraine needs partner assistance in development

DIHs (Digital Innovation Hubs) are crucial elements of the EU innovation infrastructure for accelerating digital transformation among Small and Medium Enterprises (from now on referred to as SMEs). Since 2014, hundreds of thousands of European SMEs and startups have received support from the DIHs network, significantly improving their readiness for digital transformation.

According to our experience, the main challenges are strengthening and expanding the network.

Ukrainian DIHs are:

1. Creation and financing of independent, dedicated structures that full-time perform the relevant roles and functions of DIHs. In most cases, it is the main obstacle since the DIHs mentioned above, especially those based on technical universities, were created as volunteer structures, had no regular management, and practically no external funding.

2. Infrastructure, in particular, modern laboratories. Most centers cannot fulfill the role of ‘Test before invest’ DIHs because university laboratories are outdated, have limited access, and are not intended for collective use. As for other Centers for the collective support of SMEs in digital transformation outside universities, these currently need to be discovered by the document’s authors.

3. Low level of innovative management. Most centers created based on universities lack modern, innovative management that would think and act in the paradigms of service, client-centric organizations oriented to the broad promotion of new technologies and the involvement of hundreds of SMEs. As an example, attempts to create regional innovation landscapes in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia thanks to local university communities ended unsuccessfully for this very reason.

4. Low level of integration with SMEs in real sectors of the economy. Typically, university-based DIHs need to gain experience in broadly involving SMEs, building broad ecosystems, and promoting innovation among them.

5. Low demand and low level of innovative culture among SMEs. This is another big challenge, which is especially acute after the start of a big war. According to surveys and the experience of several leading business associations and analytical agencies, innovation recedes far into the background in the priorities of industrialists. Therefore, the lagging of traditional industrial sectors from Western markets is only growing.

We invite the network of ambassadors to contribute their expertise and work on the specific challenges described in the position paper. Please write to dzen.fedir@clusters.org.ua with the subject line “Ambassadors”.

Download the position paper at the link.

Development of the healthcare ecosystem of Ukraine together with the ECHAlliance Group

On July 25, an online webinar on “The role of medical clusters in developing the health care (rehabilitation) ecosystem” was held. The Ukrainian Cluster Alliance, the Resource Center of Medical Clusters of the UCA, and the ECHAlliance Group organized the event.

More than 180 healthcare, education, and business participants were present online from all over Ukraine. The meeting was opened by the head of the European Connected Health Alliance, Brian O’Connor, with a presentation of the Ukraine Health Connector program, which helps to find initiatives and measures to help Ukraine. The meeting was moderated by Andy Bleaden, director of communities of the ECHAlliance Group, who spoke about the activities of the digital health center. The ECHAlliance Group helps build multi-stakeholder connections around ecosystems, promoting sustainable change and health and social care delivery breakthroughs.

Currently, these colleagues have become our honorary Ambassadors and continue to cooperate with the Resource Center Medical Clusters within the framework of the UCA.

You can read more about the meeting at the link.

Other news of international cooperation of SMEs:

NoviNano

NoviNano researches and develops key technologies for innovative applications of nanostructures in a wide range of industries. The company aims to explore, develop, and apply laser surface nanostructuring to deliver high value to customers’ products and processes. NoviNano works closely with international partners and research institutes to obtain research results and effective solutions for its customers at the highest international level.

“NoviNano Ltd creates surface treatment using femtosecond lasers. Their processes are patented; in addition, they have a huge number of trade secrets. Many thanks to Yaroslav Hnilytskyi for showing his world-class laboratory equipment, which is ready for production scaling.”– Mike Richardson comments on his visit.

SmartZavod

SmartZavod is a German-Ukrainian high-tech startup that is ambitiously expanding the boundaries of 3D printing for manufacturers. A team of 10 experts, split between Ukraine and Germany, aims to bring the world’s first hybrid, fully automated 3D printer to market. Their innovation lies in the automatic tool change system and the parallel kinematic movement system, which enables various possibilities, such as subtractive post-processing and fusion of different materials in one setup. They have a strong presence in the mechanical engineering and automation sector, offering hybrid manufacturing, consulting, and training services and working with strategic and industrial partners to achieve optimal results.

SmartZavod’s participation in various industry programs and events demonstrates its commitment to innovation. Their ambitious future includes plans to introduce an industrial printer version and secure significant funding for further growth and development. This startup’s innovative approach is a testament to how collaboration and advanced technology can transform traditional manufacturing processes.

Visit the companies of the Ukrainian cluster of the automotive industry and mobility at the international exhibition IAA Mobility.

On September 5, the world’s most significant and crucial mobility development event opened, offering manufacturers, suppliers, technology companies, service providers, and startups a wide range of opportunities to present themselves and their services to a wide international B2B and B2C audience. Ukrainian companies took advantage of this with the support of the head of the Committee on Internationalization of the UCA and the director of the Ukrainian cluster of the automotive industry and mobility, Olga Trofymova.

The following companies from Ukraine and their respective representatives participated in the exhibition:

Oleksandr Starodub, CEO of Spheros Electron

Olga Melykh, general director of KVOTA

Maksym Anisimov, director of development of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of MAYS

Oleg Boyarin, founder of the Evrokar company

Ihor Boyarin, CEO of Nexcore

Artem Vasylenko, Octa Business Development Director

Makuha Serhiy, general director of MOKAVTO LLC,

Mr. Vladyslav Levytskyi, general director of Vlad Plyus

You can watch the video recording of the speech at the link.