Greencubator has completed a series of training sessions for the Energy Resilience Academy, held in five cities across Ukraine with the support of UNDP in Ukraine and the Government of Japan. This program enhanced the energy literacy of Ukrainian entrepreneurs, provided small and medium-sized businesses with practical knowledge to overcome energy challenges, and encouraged them to make real changes.
A total of 125 entrepreneurs from different regions of Ukraine participated in the Academy. Among them were businesses from Vinnytsia, Kharkiv, Odesa, Lviv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, many relocated businesses, and two participants who came directly from Kherson. The participants represented various sectors, including agricultural producers, ceramic manufacturers, cosmetics, PVC pipe producers, and technological products for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as energy professionals and entrepreneurs from tourism, medicine, construction, and electric transport industries. The Academy’s program was aimed at small and medium-sized businesses, including owners, managers, CFOs, and energy managers.
The primary goal of the training series was to teach entrepreneurs how to effectively adapt their businesses to the energy crisis caused by the war. Trainers included: Roman Zinchenko, Chairman of Greencubator’s Board and guest lecturer at the Lviv Business School of UCU, Yulia Usenko, Chair of the All-Ukrainian Sustainable Development and Investments, Stanislav Melnyk, Director of PDM Engineering and energy project designer, and Vadym Lytvyn, Chairman of the Association of Energy Auditors of Ukraine. The program covered key aspects of energy resilience, including protecting businesses from energy risks, increasing the efficiency of energy resource usage, reducing energy costs, and finding new business models to create additional revenue sources.
Participants’ Feedback
Each of the five training sessions became a powerful platform for exchanging experiences and gaining new knowledge. Many of the feedbacks received from participants highlighted the importance and relevance of this educational program for their businesses. According to them, the Energy Resilience Academy not only provided knowledge but also gave a strong motivation to implement innovative solutions that would help improve their companies’ efficiency.
The training in each city had its unique aspects. For instance, in Odesa, new energy supply models and “energy decay” were actively discussed, participants from Vinnytsia highly appreciated the information on hybrid solar power plants (SPS), energy management, and energy audits, while in Lviv, entrepreneurs who relocated their businesses from Eastern Ukraine shared their experiences.
At the Kyiv training, there was also a presentation of Raiffeisen Bank’s loan program, presented by energy financing expert Yaroslava Konchenko. In Vinnytsia, speakers included Victoria Yavorovenko, Head of the Energy Management Department of the Vinnytsia City Council’s Recovery and Development Department, Mykhailo Hanchuk, Director of “Promavtomatika Vinnytsia” LLC, and Vitalii Humenyuk, entrepreneur and head of the Humenyuk Family Charitable Foundation.
- “This was a wonderful experience for exchanging ideas and gaining new knowledge, which we are ready to integrate into solutions for our business!” (ECOFACTOR)
- “The information we received from you became the basis for creating an educational project for my team and anyone interested in energy-saving life hacks and caring for our environment. You are truly awesome, energetic, and inspire new achievements!” (Oleksii Kovtun, “NEWTON-PROMSERVIS” LLC)
- “I especially want to highlight your teaching approach, which allowed us not only to understand the theoretical aspects of energy resilience but also to see practical ways to apply this knowledge in our daily operations. This is truly an important step for the development of each participant, and for me personally, and will bring benefits to our business and, hopefully, to the country as a whole.” (Marianna Grechaniuk, “UNIVERS GAS” LLC)
- “Thanks to your recommendations and life hacks, we are already working on adapting the training program to the needs of our ceramic production… Our task is not only to reduce energy costs but also to teach our production teams how to implement new innovative solutions to achieve sustainability and competitiveness in the market… Once again, thank you for your contribution to our shared mission and for showing us new horizons!” (Yurii Tupikalo, Regional Ceramic Cluster “Ceramics of Donetsk Region”)
- “Thank you to the organizers for discussing such a relevant topic. Thanks to UNDP and the Government of Japan for their support. This is very important both from the perspective of new ideas and from the perspective of moral support, as we are not left alone to tackle all of this. A heartfelt thank you.” (Alina Yehorova, Allect)
- “I also want to thank all the participants who sincerely shared the upgrades they made to their businesses, expressed concerns, and asked tough questions, while others shared solutions. We even learned from a colleague how to ‘heat a house for free’ by placing mining farms on the first floor of the house. But that’s a bit of Odesa humor…” (Maria Poblіnkova, Charitable Foundation “Prosperity”)
We are confident that the Energy Resilience Academy has become an important step in creating a sustainable and energy-efficient business environment in Ukraine and has helped entrepreneurs better understand energy challenges and find specific solutions for their businesses.
Greencubator plans to continue the project in an online format to provide tools for adaptation and development in current conditions to an even larger number of Ukrainian businesses and communities.
The Energy Resilience Academy course was created within the framework of the “Sustainable Business Platform. Academy” of the UNDP in Ukraine, in collaboration with Greencubator as part of the project “Transformational Recovery for People’s Safety in Ukraine,” implemented with the support of the Government of Japan.
