Today, in Lviv, the Invest office was officially opened. This is a place where entrepreneurs can learn about investment opportunities in the region, business support programs, get advice on export opportunities and much more. It should become a kind of marketplace of programs and grants for business.
The investment office was created on the initiative of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, the Lviv City Council and the UCU Business School. It is headed by Taras Yeleyko, an expert with 15 years of experience in investment, financial management and asset management of the public and private sectors.
“Our goal is to help and simplify business life at all stages of its operation -from finding investments for the start, to preferential loans to accelerate development. This is especially important now when the country is at war. I am sure that the appearance of the Office will simplify the interaction between the private and public sectors,” said Taras Yeleyko, Director of the Invest Office.
According to Sofia Opatska, vice-rector for strategic development of the Ukrainian Catholic University and founding dean of the UCU Business School, the economic front is very important for the victory and restoration of Ukraine.
“Communicating with businesses on a daily basis, teaching business, we know how difficult it is to continue economic activities, to support employees and pay taxes. At the same time, all need to understand: if we want to not just rebuild what was in Ukraine, but to build a better country, we need partnerships with foreign companies, we need an influx of foreign capital and the latest technologies. The Invest Office should be a service center for both Ukrainian and foreign companies to quickly enter the region.”
The Invest Office is designed to help entrepreneurs and relocated enterprises in particular, quickly, openly and conveniently learn about all opportunities for business development in the Lviv region.
Yaryna Boychuk, CEO of the UCU Business School, told more about why the School joined this project and considers it timely: “Both in peacetime, during the pandemic, and from the first day of the war, we, as the UCU Business School, try to be in the closest relations with Ukrainian business and do everything in our power so that Ukrainian business not only survives in difficult circumstances, but also finds opportunities for development and growth.”
According to her, the Invest Office will become a platform where business ideas will receive practical support from regional authorities as well as access to opportunities and resources for their development.
“We want to build a center where there will be networking, where new connections will develop. It is very good that the UCU Business School is with us, which will help build such a climate,” Taras Yeleyko, director of the Invest Office, added during the opening.
The opening and activities of the Office are implemented within the framework of the Project “Entrepreneurs’ Support and Life Support”, which is financed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine in cooperation with the Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk city councils.
Maksym Boroda, head of the UNDP project, emphasized that the Lviv Invest office is an important element of the business support infrastructure, both local and relocated enterprises affected by the war. “Supporting the launch of the Office for UNDP is an opportunity not only to contribute to the economic recovery of the region and the state, but also to pilot this toolkit for its further scaling and distribution,” Maksym Boroda noted.
“Ukraine now, more than ever, needs interaction, support and successfully implemented business ideas,” Yaryna Boychuk adds.
The co-founders were present at the opening: the head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, Maksym Kozytskyi, the head of the Lviv City Council, Andriy Sadovy, and the vice-rector for strategic development of the Ukrainian Catholic University, the founding dean of the UCU Business School, Sofia Opatska.
The office is located at 2 Rynok Square, Lviv. Working hours: Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can view the presentation of the office here.