Strategic session of the Business Development Fund: priorities for the Fund’s activities and steps to support business in wartime have been defined

The Business Development Fund (BDF) held a strategic session with representatives of the German development bank KfW, the international consulting company Deloitte and the BDF Supervisory Board.

During the event, key priorities for the BDF’s activities for the next period were discussed, in particular:

• creating opportunities to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of SME support programmes, which will allow for their improvement in the future;
• developing competitive programmes for entrepreneurs in a state of martial law and attracting new partners;
• the need for additional investment to improve programme conditions, organisational capabilities, digitalisation, and process efficiency;
• creating a pricing model that takes into account management fees to cover operating costs and risks;
• developing financial instruments to ensure the long-term sustainability of the BDF, including the possibility of issuing green and investment bonds, securitisation, and attracting funds from international donors.

Separately, the prospects of the BDF gaining access to EU funds through successful completion of the EU compliance assessment were discussed, which would expand financial opportunities to support small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine.

Following the session, participants developed a roadmap for preparing a medium-term development strategy for the BDF, which will define its mission and vision and provide for the modernisation of processes and the strengthening of financial and corporate models, digitalisation, and a model of sustainable development and growth.