Raiffeisen Bank and the Association of Veteran Entrepreneurs of Ukraine Sign First-Ever Partnership Agreement to Support Veteran Entrepreneurship
Raiffeisen Bank and the NGO Association of Veteran Entrepreneurs of Ukraine (APVU) have signed a partnership agreement aimed at supporting veterans and their family members in developing and growing their own businesses. The agreement marks the first partnership of its kind between the Association and a banking institution.
The partnership will include joint educational programs, advisory support, business events, and initiatives designed to improve access to financing for veteran-owned businesses. The parties will also work together to enhance financial literacy, strengthen entrepreneurial skills, and create additional opportunities for veterans’ professional development and economic reintegration.
Under the partnership, APVU will be responsible for the organizational and methodological implementation of the programs, participant engagement, and the development of an expert and mentoring network. Raiffeisen Bank will act as the initiative’s strategic financial partner and provide advisory support on financial instruments available for business development.
“We believe that veteran entrepreneurship is one of the key drivers of Ukraine’s future economic recovery. Those who have taken responsibility for defending the country possess strong leadership potential, the ability to make decisions under pressure, and the resilience to operate in uncertain environments. Our role as a bank is to help transform this potential into successful businesses, new jobs, and new opportunities for economic growth. This is why it is important for us to develop cooperation with the Association of Veteran Entrepreneurs of Ukraine and support initiatives that create real opportunities for veterans to start and grow their own businesses,” said Nataliia Hurina, Chairwoman of the Management Board of Raiffeisen Bank.
The agreement comes at a time when Ukraine is building a comprehensive ecosystem to support veteran entrepreneurship. One example is FinStream, the first veteran-focused financial service in Ukraine, which works to expand veterans’ access to financing for business development. Together with new partnerships between the banking sector and the veteran community, such initiatives create additional opportunities for new veteran-owned businesses, job creation, and the country’s economic recovery.
“For us, this agreement is about creating long-term opportunities for Ukraine’s defenders. We want veterans to see and feel that there is an environment around them that is ready to invest in their ideas, experience, and ambition to build and grow their own businesses,” said Oksana Shevchenko, Deputy Chairwoman of the Management Board of Raiffeisen Bank.
According to Serhii Pozniak, Chairman of the Association of Veteran Entrepreneurs of Ukraine, the development of veteran entrepreneurship is one of the key factors in the successful transition of veterans to civilian life.
“Veterans possess unique experience in leadership, responsibility, and decision-making under challenging circumstances. Our mission is to help veterans return comfortably to civilian life and transform this potential into strong and competitive businesses that will become part of Ukraine’s future business elite. This requires partnerships with responsible companies and financial institutions that are willing to invest in the development of the veteran economy. I am convinced that Raiffeisen Bank is an excellent example of such a partnership, supporting business education programs for veterans and providing financing opportunities for veteran-owned businesses,” said Serhii Pozniak.
“Veteran entrepreneurship is creating a new economic class in Ukraine — people who have already demonstrated their ability to create value, take responsibility, and lead others. For the banking sector, supporting veterans is not only a matter of social responsibility but also an investment in the future resilience and competitiveness of the Ukrainian economy. Our goal is to provide access to capital, knowledge, and growth opportunities so that veterans’ leadership potential can be transformed into successful businesses and new engines of economic development,” commented Ruslan Spivak, Director of Financial Institutions, Investment Banking and Corporate Strategy at Raiffeisen Bank.
Supporting veterans is one of the key priorities of Raiffeisen Bank’s social responsibility agenda. The Bank systematically implements initiatives focused on veterans’ reintegration, the development of an inclusive environment, and support for entrepreneurship, viewing veteran-owned businesses as an important contributor to Ukraine’s economic resilience and recovery.
