From the Forum to practical action: STEP IN 2 EU and UCCI supported women entrepreneurs in preparing for international markets

The consultation component was implemented with the support of the STEP IN 2 EU Programme, which is carried out by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The goal of the consultations is to help Ukrainian women entrepreneurs move from general intentions to concrete steps toward internationalization.

The programme’s specific contribution was to enable structured follow-up after the Forum: a transparent selection of 15 women entrepreneurs, and up to five hours of individual expert support for each company — up to 75 consultation hours in total. Each participant received tailored recommendations and a concise internationalisation mini-roadmap.

The selected companies represented food, fashion and textiles, products for children and pets, furniture and spatial solutions, IT, manufacturing and technical sectors. This diversity demonstrated both the strong potential of Ukrainian women-led businesses and their need for practical navigation on EU market entry.

UCCI experts addressed company-specific requests: export-readiness assessment, priority-market selection, EU Single Market requirements, certification and labelling, partner and distributor search, B2B offer development, trade fair participation, marketplace strategies and international brand positioning.

The result was not a set of general recommendations, but sequenced action plans: what to prepare, which partners to approach, which requirements to verify and which channels to test over the next 3, 6 and 12 months. This practical follow-up turned the Forum from a one-off event into an instrument of longer-term business support.

HAPPYDOG Pet Couture, founded by Anna Konokhova, and Recast Plastic, led by Olha Lekova, are two illustrative cases. In both cases, the consultations helped structure the value proposition, identify target audiences and define realistic steps for entering European markets.
UCCI will continue connecting the participants to its international support ecosystem, including the Enterprise Europe Network, representatives abroad, bilateral business councils, partner chambers, trade fairs, business missions and international programmes

Thus, with the support of the STEP IN 2 EU international cooperation programme, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry held the International Women’s Economic Forum and, as a practical follow-up, organized individual consultations for selected women entrepreneurs. This integrated format helped participants move from discussing opportunities for international development during the Forum to taking concrete steps toward internationalizing their own businesses.

From a dog atelier to the European market: how HAPPYDOG Pet Couture is preparing to scale

Anna Konokhova is a Ukrainian entrepreneur, founder and designer of HAPPYDOG Pet Couture. In her Kyiv atelier, she creates premium clothing and accessories for dogs, including bespoke garments, carriers, car seats, beds and outfits for special occasions.

Anna was one of 15 women entrepreneurs selected for individual follow-up support after the International Women’s Economic Forum. With the support of STEP IN 2 EU the brand received up to five hours of tailored work with UCCI experts and a mini-roadmap setting out concrete steps for international development.

HAPPYDOG Pet Couture already sells internationally through Etsy, including to the United States, Canada, EU countries and the United Kingdom. Its next goal is to complement bespoke production with a separate ready-to-order line, increase volumes and develop more systematic cooperation with European B2B partners.

The key consultation question was how to select priority EU markets, adapt the offer to European customer expectations, verify labelling requirements and build sales channels through partners, showrooms and distributors.

The experts reviewed specialised pet boutiques, lifestyle and concept stores, online platforms, Etsy, B2B partnerships, cooperation with niche influencers and participation in pet-industry events. Particular attention was paid to positioning: design, material quality, animal comfort, functionality and the brand’s personalised approach.

The practical outcome was a clear next-step list: prepare an English-language catalogue, separate bespoke and ready-to-order products, select two or three countries for market testing, develop a concise B2B offer and build a target list of stores, showrooms and distributors.

For Anna, the consultation helped shift the perspective from HAPPYDOG Pet Couture as an atelier brand to a scalable niche product that can preserve its uniqueness in the European market.

“It is important for us to preserve the uniqueness of the brand while understanding how to scale production and enter the European market. The consultation helped us structure the next steps — from selecting countries and sales channels to preparing an offer for potential partners,” said Anna Konokhova, Founder and Designer of HAPPYDOG Pet Couture.

Furniture designed for today’s challenges: how Recast Plastic is seeking new markets for shelter and HoReCa solutions

Olha Lekova is Director of Recast Plastic LLC, a Ukrainian company producing furniture and spatial solutions from recycled plastic. The company works in settings where durability, functionality and design matter: shelters, public spaces, HoReCa, outdoor environments and interiors.

Olha was one of 15 women entrepreneurs selected for individual follow-up support after the International Women’s Economic Forum. With the support of STEP IN 2 EU, the company received up to five hours of targeted expert work and a mini-roadmap for preparing cooperation with partners in EU markets.

Recast Plastic’s products combine commercial, social and environmental value. The company already holds technical specifications for recycled-plastic panels, a certificate of conformity, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. For international markets, however, it must clearly explain the value of the material and build trust through local partners.

The main consultation request was to identify distributors, developers, architectural studios, HoReCa companies and organisations working with public spaces. The experts also addressed partnership models, B2B communication and adaptation of the offer for different market segments.

The recommendation was to divide the international offer into two streams. The first is social and infrastructure-oriented: solutions for shelters, communities, educational institutions, humanitarian projects and municipalities. The second is commercial: furniture for HoReCa, developers, architects, coworking spaces, hotels, restaurants and outdoor public areas.

The practical outcome was a plan to prepare an international catalogue, separate B2B presentations for the two segments, a list of potential distributors and developers in priority countries, and test outreach to architectural studios and organisations working with public infrastructure.

The Recast Plastic case shows how a Ukrainian company can transform wartime challenges and circular-economy principles into an internationally relevant product — from safer shelters to sustainable solutions for HoReCa and urban spaces.

“For us, entering new markets is not enough; we need to find partners who understand the value of sustainable solutions made from recycled plastic. The consultation helped us structure our offer, separate the target audiences and define concrete steps for working with distributors, developers and HoReCa,” said Olha Lekova, Director of Recast Plastic LLC.