Mind Export Summit 2025 took place in Kyiv - two days of business expansion abroad

On February 13, the CEC “Parkovy” with the support of Oschadbank Mind Export Summit 2025 took place in Kyiv, an event for those who want to scale their business to foreign markets or have already achieved certain results on this way.

On the second day of the summit, February 14, in the Kooperativ space , participants took part in a business simulation “Global Expansion”, in which they modeled the process of entering foreign markets and worked out possible problems.

Issues of the Summit

Ukrainian exports have become one of the victims of a full-scale invasion: after record-breaking figures in 2021, the drop was extraordinary, but new geopolitical arrangements, logistics geography, and partner assistance have made exports a key area of development for Ukrainian business. Already in 2023, Ukrainian exports exceeded the previous year's figure by 82%, and in 2024, our country increased exports by 15% year-on-year.

Throughout the day of presentations and the next day of the Global Expansion strategic business game, Summit guests sought (and found) answers to their questions:

• Amid military challenges, how do you create a product that will be of interest to foreign customers?
• What do Europeans, Americans, Australians, and UAE residents find most appealing about Made in Ukraine products?
• What is the best way to enter different markets and who will win in the sparring between specialized trade shows and local retailers' radio?
• Why do the Chinese need honey from near Cherkasy and the Irish need raincoats from Lutsk?

Summit proceedings

Natalia Butkova-Vitvitska, Member of the Board of JSC Oschadbankresponsible for micro, small and medium-sized businesses, spoke about opportunities for Ukrainian business, access to financing programs and export potential at Mind Export Summit. In particular, she emphasized the business opportunities offered by the state program “%-7-9%”.

“For 2025, the program has been budgeted and funds have been received to support it in the amount of UAH 18 billion. It should be noted that the program is fully funded by international partners, and the rapid implementation of ESG standards in the program gives us confidence in increasing funding from the EU,” said Natalia Butkova-Vitvitska.

Oleksandra Sologub , Chief Operating Officer of the platform Nazovni.Online, spoke about the possibilities of finding clients in foreign markets, establishing cooperation and supporting export initiatives by the state. Citing an example of promoting Ukrainian business in Italy, she mentioned an important figure - 750,000 euros were saved by Ukrainian entrepreneurs by participating in exhibitions and events organized by Nazovni

“We help companies not only to contact economic diplomats, but also to participate in exhibitions on preferential terms. This is a great advantage for Ukrainian business,” she said.

In addition to the state's involvement, special attention was paid to the evolution of Ukrainian business's own efforts. In particular, the information technology industry, which, before the full-scale invasion, was one of the drivers of Ukraine's entry into global markets. However, everything changed in February 2022.

“Before the full-scale invasion, many Ukrainian IT companies did not even have sales departments. Customers came to them. IT exports were growing at a frantic pace: by 20-30% annually. But the war and the global recession changed everything. For the second year in a row, IT exports have been falling - by an average of 5%. However, we are the most motivated nation in the world: we are looking for and testing new ways, changing business models,” commented Maria Shevchuk, Executive Director of the IT Ukraine Association .

In addition, the consulting company Start Global, which has been helping entrepreneurs enter export markets for many years, took a significant part in the Mind Export Summit 2025. In particular, its founder Dmytro Shvets was not only the host of the first day, but also conducted the strategic business game “Global Expansion” on the second day of the Summit.

Gratitude to the Summit partners

The official partner of Mind Export Summit 2025 is LBS Cloud. This is a Ukrainian IT company that specializes in the implementation of CRM (Customer Relations Management) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solutions that help to solve business problems in a comprehensive manner.

The alcoholic partner was the network of gastronomic and wine markets WINETIME - the creators of 35 real gastronomic spaces in 14 regions of Ukraine: with food halls, friendly service, a unique alcohol portfolio and one of the largest wine lists in the country.

Gifts for the educated and cool speakers of the Summit were provided by the book partner, the publishing house “Our Format”, and strength and recovery were provided by the water partner, “Morshynska”.

Information partners

In addition, the organizers are grateful to the media partners, thanks to whom a truly large number of Ukrainian entrepreneurs were able to learn how to scale and develop their business: 

European Business Association and Unlimit Ukraine project, VARTO Communications Agency, Interfax-Ukraine, Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, CROWE, Ukrainian Exporters Club, Radio NV, robota.ua, Kharkiv IT Cluster, Root-Nation.com, Marketer ua, marketer.media, Kommersant.ua, Palay Media, LIGA:ZAKON, Shotam, Agronomy Today and Agribusiness Today, Founder. ua, Favorite Food & Drinks, Evening Kyiv, Ukrainian National News Agency, Injobe, A:1, a magazine of urbanism in Ukraine and the world, European Academy of Leadership Coaching, Media Inweb, specialized magazine Quality Management, and the Ukrainian office of the Union of Polish Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP).