The Ukrainian delegation featured three primary startups at the Ukraine House stand: SPOGAD, a circular fashion tech startup transforming plastic waste into luxury products; Peony, which develops biodegradable feminine hygiene alternatives; and Sirocco Energy, the creator of suburban-adapted wind turbines. Additionally, startups including Beholder, WOOD MOOD, MarketplaceHub, and JobAtlas attended with the support of the Ukrainian Startup Fund (USF), La French Tech Kyiv, and the EU4Innovation East project. These teams utilized the platform to engage directly with international partners and pitch their solutions to a global audience. Anastasiia Kondratieva, the Founder and CEO of SPOGAD, highlighted the strategic value of such international exposure, stating: “For me, those types of events like ChangeNOW or VivaTech are an enormous, huge opportunity for a small and prominent startup, which means much more visibility, much more credibility, and of course, in-person contacts with people from real life — real clients, real sometimes raw but important feedback, and for sure, a lot of inspiring meetings with people doing the same thing as us, which means changing the world for better.“
A significant milestone of the summit was the success of the Ukrainian startup S.Lab, which specializes in plastic-free packaging. Participating with an independent booth, the S.Lab team won first place in the “Circular Economy” category at the ChangeNOW 2026 Pitch Awards. This achievement was highlighted by Tetiana Miskova, Country Coordinator in Ukraine for EU4Innovation East, who noted that “Ukrainian presence at ChangeNOW for the second year in a row with a national stand confirms that Ukrainian innovations are an integral part of the global sustainable development ecosystem. The success of Ukrainian startups, including S.Lab’s victory, demonstrates that even in the most difficult times, startups are capable of creating world-class products that attract the attention of the largest international investors and partners.”
The participation of the delegation was made possible through a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the USF, La French Tech Kyiv, and the EU4Innovation East project—funded by the European Union and co-financed by the French government. Uliana Bidnyk, Project Manager at the Ukrainian Startup Fund, emphasized the broader impact of this initiative, stating that “despite developing in a country at war, Ukrainian startups continue to prove that they are strong players on the international stage, bringing solutions that are relevant for Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction and also for global challenges.”
Ultimately, the summit served as a vital bridge for Ukrainian entrepreneurs to gain international exposure and establish partnerships essential for the country’s green renewal. As Tetiana Miskova concluded, “this year’s ChangeNOW agenda is of utmost importance for Ukraine, as sustainability, innovation, and impact-driven technological solutions are key to the country’s renewal.” The event successfully demonstrated that Ukraine remains a competitive and dedicated contributor to the global mission of sustainable innovation.
