SET University and USAID CEU Program Launch Free Educational Program for Women-led Startup

SET University launches WE.Brave online bootcamp, a two-week free training program for women-led startups. The training includes intensive workshops and mentorship sessions, supported by the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine. The announcement of the bootcamp was published on Facebook by Serhiy Tokarev, an IT entrepreneur and investor, co-founder of the investment group Roosh and SET University. In his post, the businessman highlighted the challenges faced by female leaders in Ukraine.

“The percentage of women on FTSE 350 boards last year was 41 percent, compared to 9.5 percent in 2011. I personally see an increase in the number of female founders and leaders worldwide. However, unfortunately, in Ukraine, there is still a ‘glass ceiling’ for those climbing the career ladder and for those starting their own businesses,” noted Tokarev.

The main goal of the WE.Brave bootcamp is to focus on startups led by women or those with a 70% female core team and assist them in developing successful IT products to make them competitive globally. Thanks to the program, Ukrainian women will be able to optimize their businesses, create new jobs, and contribute to tax payments, which is especially crucial during times of war.

During the training, participants will gain the necessary expertise and access to an international network. The top-performing startups will receive an additional budget of $6,500 for business development consulting.

“Imagine two weeks of totally free, jam-packed training filled with cool lectures and mentoring sessions to supercharge their product development. Plus, the top three projects get an extra budget for some top-notch consulting and mentoring to take their business even further,” wrote SET University President Iryna Volnytska on LinkedIn.

“More and more Ukrainian women aspire to start their own businesses, and the SET University initiative is an opportunity for them to gain practical knowledge and skills for a successful launch in the technology business. Thanks to the WE.Brave program, dozens of women will be able to start businesses, create jobs, and contribute to tax payments, which is crucial during times of war. The USAID Competitive Economy of Ukraine Program systematically supports the development of women’s entrepreneurship, and such educational programs help unleash the powerful potential of Ukrainian women who are increasingly taking leadership positions in business and strengthening the economy of their country,” commented Olesia Zaluska, Head of the USAIDCompetitive Economy Program in Ukraine.

Here are some of the requirements for participating in the bootcamp:

• The project should be, at a minimum, at the development stage. Having a working MVP or experience in obtaining funding will be an advantage.
• Participants must have proficiency in English at the Upper-Intermediate level or higher.
• The team should be committed to developing the startup after the bootcamp: working on fundraising, creating new jobs, and monetization.

The bootcamp will take place from March 11th to March 22nd. The schedule includes training for about six hours daily, excluding weekends. All activities will be conducted online, allowing participants to join the bootcamp from anywhere.

Program participants will deepen their knowledge in topics such as MVP development, market analysis, financial planning, branding fundamentals, business, marketing, and sales strategies, team management, fundraising, pitching, and communication with investors.

Mentors for WE.Brave will include top Ukrainian and international experts. More information about the program and speakers can be found on the SET University website.

SET University is a Ukrainian educational institution founded by IT entrepreneur Serhiy Tokarev and the Kyiv School of Economics, providing higher education to future leaders in the technology industry. SET University combines a modern approach to education with a focus on technology and entrepreneurship. Since the beginning of the war, the SET team has been focused on providing accessible IT education for all Ukrainians, supporting startups, and providing humanitarian aid.

The USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine supports Ukrainian businesses to enhance competitiveness in the domestic market and international markets, helps build a simplified and transparent business climate, and provides Ukrainian companies with opportunities to benefit from the advantages of international trade.