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Schedule

Kyiv Lviv Kharkiv Odesa
December 16
TimeLOCATIONSpeakertopic
10:00 AMKyiv– Tetiana Lomakina, Advisor-Presidential Commissioner for a Barrier-Free Environment (in person);
– Vitalii Pcholkin, Executive Director of the Group for Active Rehabilitation NGO (in person);
– Alina Frolova, Founder of Centre for Strategic Communications StratCom Ukraine, Founder of the Invictus Games in Ukraine (in person);
– Daria Kukurika, Executive Director of the League of the Strong (in person);
– Yulia Sherstneva, Project Manager at the Center for Expert Solutions and Advocacy (in person);
– Representative of the NGO Fight for Rights (in person);
– Anastasia Boichuk, Strategic Lead of the TRUE – Trauma Rehabilitation for Ukraine, Patients of Ukraine Charitable Foundation (online).		Barrier-Free Ukraine: Launch of a National Public Platform
Participants:

Key topics:
– The signing of a memorandum establishing the Public Platform for the Support of a Barrier-Free Society in Ukraine;
– A discussion of the 2025-2026 Action Plan for implementing the National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine through 2030;
– An examination of the public institutions’ role in veteran rehabilitation, equitable access to healthcare, inclusive physical infrastructure, and the legal protection of the rights of people with disabilities.

Why is this important?
Against the backdrop of russia’s full-scale war, Ukraine is confronting an unprecedented social challenge. The number of people with disabilities has risen to 3.4 million, up from 2.8 million at the beginning of 2022. Older adults, parents with young children, and war veterans increasingly require additional social support, placing urgent demands not only for decisive government action but also robust, coordinated efforts by civil society organizations.

The establishment of the Public Platform reflects a coordinated effort by civil society leaders focused on accessibility, veteran rehabilitation, healthcare support, and human rights protection. Its mission is to tackle these pressing needs through systemic change, built on ongoing collaboration between the state and civil society.
12:00 PMKyiv– Łukasz Wawak, Project Manager of the Polish-Ukrainian Startup Bridge;
– Yana Hulak, Project Manager of the Ukrainian Startup Fund.		Presentation of the research “Resilient Innovation: Ukrainian Startups Fighting Today”
Participants:

Key topics:
– Results of the research on the state of Ukraine’s innovation support ecosystem;
– How startups can contribute to Ukraine’s recovery and transformation across various sectors;
– Personal stories of entrepreneurs who continue working to support the economy despite today’s hardships and who will take part in rebuilding the country;
– Current needs of local authorities and institutions involved in regional development and recovery.

Why is this important?
91% of respondents state that they see clear growth potential for their own startup. One-third of the surveyed startups employ military veterans. Over 45% of respondents rate Ukraine’s current support ecosystem as medium-strong with positive prospects. These figures demonstrate the current state of Ukraine’s startup ecosystem and how Ukrainian startups are actively participating in sustaining and developing Ukraine’s economy. They also show how Ukrainian startups can contribute to Ukraine’s recovery and transformation across various sectors, such as infrastructure, healthcare, education, and trade. Each respondent also shared advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and recommendations for international partners on providing effective development support.