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Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative

Build your business. Shape your future. Free programmes.

From first idea to investment-ready startup. Four structured programmes take you through every stage of building a business — with expert training, mentorship, and a community of founders who understand your journey.

Four progressive programmes: U:LEARN → U:START → U:GROW → U:LEAD
Expert business training, 1:1 mentorship, investor access
100% free — no cost, no hidden fees
Explore the Programmes

Not ready to start a business? Explore career mentoring →

Four Progressive Programmes

Your Path from Idea to Thriving Business

Starting a business while rebuilding your life takes more than motivation. It takes knowledge, guidance, and people who believe in what you're building.

The Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative provides Ukrainian women with structured training across four stages — whether you're exploring your first business idea or scaling a company that's already generating revenue.

Each programme combines expert-led sessions, practical assignments, one-to-one mentorship, and access to a network of founders, investors, and industry professionals. All programmes are free and delivered online.

U:LEARNFoundation21 weeks
U:STARTLaunch3 months
U:GROWScale3 months
U:LEADLead10 weeks

Choose your starting point based on where you are now.

U:LEARN — Entrepreneurship Foundations

21 Weeks to Build Your Business Knowledge

U:LEARN is where your entrepreneurship journey begins. This comprehensive programme covers everything you need to understand before launching — from validating ideas to building financial models to pitching investors.

What You'll Learn

  • Identifying problems worth solving
  • Designing solutions that create real value
  • Understanding social and economic impact

Programme Structure

Duration
21 weeks
Format
Online, live sessions
Sessions
Weekly with industry experts
Assignments
Practical homework with mentor feedback
Mentorship
Group mentoring throughout
Community
Cohort of women entrepreneurs

Who Is This For?

U:LEARN is designed for women who:

  • Have a business idea but aren't sure where to start
  • Want to understand entrepreneurship fundamentals before launching
  • Are considering starting a business but need structured guidance
  • Have tried starting something before and want a stronger foundation
Apply for U:LEARN
U:START — MVP Incubator

3 Months to Launch and Validate Your Business

You have an idea. Now it's time to test it. U:START is a hands-on incubator that takes you from concept to working product — with weekly guidance, expert deep-dives, and the accountability you need to actually launch.

What You'll Build

  • Validating your concept with real users
  • Building your minimum viable product
  • Iterating based on feedback

What You'll Have at the End

  • A tested MVP (not just an idea)
  • Customer feedback and validation data
  • Clear business model and pricing
  • Defined metrics and growth roadmap
  • Pitch materials for next stage

Programme Structure

Duration
3 months
Format
Online, intensive
Sessions
Weekly working sessions
Office Hours
Regular 1-to-1 time with mentors
Deep Dives
Guest speakers on specialist topics
Community
Cohort events and peer support

Who Is This For?

U:START is designed for women who:

  • Have a specific business idea ready to test
  • Are prepared to build and launch during the programme
  • Want structured support to move from idea to product
  • Can commit intensive time over 3 months
Apply for U:START
U:GROW — Scale & Investment

3 Months to Investment-Ready — Ending with Demo Day

Your business is working. Now it's time to scale. U:GROW takes established founders through intensive preparation for investment — from growth strategy to financial modeling to pitch mastery.

The programme culminates in Demo Day: a live pitch event where selected founders present to a curated audience of investors, VCs, and corporate partners.

Demo Day: Your Moment to Shine

Present your business to investors, VCs, and corporate partners in a professionally produced pitch event. Get real feedback, make connections, and potentially secure your next round of funding.

What You'll Master

  • Identifying and optimizing growth channels
  • Building repeatable sales processes
  • Creating scalable operations

What You'll Achieve

  • Investment-ready pitch deck
  • Financial model with projections
  • Validated growth strategy
  • Investor relationship pipeline
  • Demo Day presentation to investors

Programme Structure

Duration
3 months
Format
Online, intensive
Sessions
Weekly masterclasses
Mentorship
1-to-1 with industry experts
Investor Access
Direct introductions
Culmination
Demo Day pitch event

Who Is This For?

U:GROW is designed for women who:

  • Have a running business generating revenue
  • Are ready to seek investment or scale significantly
  • Want direct access to investors and VCs
  • Can commit to intensive preparation for Demo Day
Apply for U:GROW
U:LEAD — Leadership Development

10 Weeks to Transform Your Leadership

Building a business requires building yourself as a leader. U:LEAD develops your leadership capabilities across five levels — from leading yourself to leading organisations — so you can grow alongside your business.

This isn't theory. It's practical leadership development with real-world application, peer coaching, and a community of women leaders who support each other's growth.

Five Levels of Leadership

1
Self Know yourself, lead yourself
2
Teams Build and lead high-performing teams
3
Managers Develop other leaders
4
Functions Lead across departments
5
Organisations Shape culture and vision

What You'll Develop

  • Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
  • Personal values and leadership style
  • Managing energy, not just time

What You'll Gain

  • Personal leadership development plan
  • Enhanced self-awareness and emotional intelligence
  • Practical tools for leading at every level
  • Peer network of women leaders
  • Ongoing leadership framework

Programme Structure

Duration
10 weeks
Format
Online, cohort-based
Sessions
Weekly leadership workshops
Coaching
Group coaching circles
Practice
Real-world application assignments
Community
Women leaders peer network

Who Is This For?

U:LEAD is designed for women who:

  • Are building a team and need leadership skills
  • Want to develop from founder to CEO mindset
  • Need to lead more effectively as your business grows
  • Value personal development alongside business growth
Apply for U:LEAD
Choose Your Path

Which Programme Is Right for You?

Your Stage Best Programme What You'll Get
"I have an idea but don't know where to start" U:LEARN Full business foundations in 21 weeks Apply
"I'm ready to build and launch my product" U:START From idea to validated MVP in 3 months Apply
"My business is running — I need to scale" U:GROW Investment-ready in 3 months, with Demo Day Apply
"I need to become a stronger leader" U:LEAD Leadership transformation in 10 weeks Apply

"I have an idea but don't know where to start"

U:LEARN

Full business foundations in 21 weeks

Apply for U:LEARN

"I'm ready to build and launch my product"

U:START

From idea to validated MVP in 3 months

Apply for U:START

"My business is running — I need to scale"

U:GROW

Investment-ready in 3 months, with Demo Day

Apply for U:GROW

"I need to become a stronger leader"

U:LEAD

Leadership transformation in 10 weeks

Apply for U:LEAD

You can take programmes sequentially or join at the stage that matches where you are. Each programme stands alone, but they're designed to build on each other.

Why Choose Us

What Makes Our Programmes Different

More than courses. A complete ecosystem for building your business.

Built for Ukrainian Women

Programmes designed specifically for Ukrainian women entrepreneurs, with content and context that understands your unique journey and challenges.

Expert-Led Sessions

Learn from experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and industry specialists who have built and scaled successful businesses.

One-to-One Mentorship

Every participant receives dedicated mentorship — not generic advice, but guidance tailored to your specific business and stage.

Real Investor Access

U:GROW culminates in Demo Day with direct access to VCs, angel investors, and corporate partners actively looking to invest.

Supportive Community

Join a network of women founders who understand your journey. Peer support, collaboration, and lasting professional relationships.

Programme Activities

What You'll Experience

Every programme combines three types of activities designed to accelerate your growth.

Knowledge Sessions

  • Weekly expert-led workshops
  • Guest speakers from industry
  • Practical assignments with feedback
  • On-demand resources and materials

Network & Community

  • Cohort-based learning with peers
  • Regular networking events
  • Alumni community access
  • Industry partner introductions

Mentorship & Coaching

  • One-to-one mentor matching
  • Regular office hours
  • Group coaching circles
  • Pitch practice and feedback
Complementary Programmes

Connected Programmes

The Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative is part of a broader ecosystem of support. These complementary programmes can help you build additional skills and connections.

Mentors for Ukraine

One-to-one career mentoring with professionals from leading companies. Perfect if you're focused on career growth rather than starting a business.

Language Connect

Free English conversation practice with volunteer tutors. Build the language skills you need for international business and networking.

DataCamp Scholarship

Free access to DataCamp's full course library. Build data skills that complement your business — from analytics to machine learning.
Application Process

How to Apply

Ready to start your entrepreneurship journey? Here's how to join.

1

Choose Your Programme

Select the programme that matches your current stage — from foundations to scaling.

2

Submit Your Application

Complete the online application form. Tell us about yourself and your business or idea.

3

Interview

If shortlisted, we'll invite you for a short interview to learn more about your goals.

4

Start Your Journey

Accepted participants join the next cohort and begin their entrepreneurship journey.

Apply for a Programme

U:LEARN Foundations · 21 weeks U:START Launch · 3 months U:GROW Scale · 3 months U:LEAD Lead · 10 weeks

Not sure which programme is right for you?

Apply and we'll help you find the best fit
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Build Your Business?

Join Ukrainian women who are turning their ideas into thriving businesses. Apply today and start your entrepreneurship journey.

Apply Now

Free programmes. Expert mentorship. Real investor access.

The Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative is a programme of The Educational Equality Institute , a Norwegian non-profit dedicated to making quality education accessible to all.

Apply Now