26 Ukrainian Women Join Professional Integration HUB 4.0 – Entrepreneurship

This year marks a new chapter for Professional Integration HUB. After three editions focused on professional integration through internships, the program has introduced a new direction: entrepreneurship.

Professional Integration HUB 4.0 – Entrepreneurship is designed to support Ukrainian women in Austria who want to develop their own business or social enterprise ideas. From October 2026 to February 2027, participants will work on turning their ideas into structured and viable concepts, gain practical knowledge of the Austrian entrepreneurial environment, and receive guidance from experienced experts and coaches.

The new direction generated strong interest. We received more than 90 applications from Ukrainian women living in Austria, reflecting a remarkable range of professional backgrounds, experiences and ambitions.

The ideas were just as diverse, ranging from defense technology to floriculture and spanning an exceptionally broad spectrum of industries and business models. Some applicants came with early-stage concepts, while others brought previous entrepreneurial experience or ideas they had already begun developing.

What united them was the ambition to create, develop and build something of their own in Austria.

The high level of interest also made the selection particularly competitive. With more than 90 applications for 26 places, the selection process brought together many strong candidates and promising ideas.

The selection took place in three stages and involved representatives of the European Centre for Freedom and Independence, ERSTE Foundation and IFTE.

Following technical screening, an evaluation of the submitted ideas, CVs and motivation letters, and final online interviews, 26 Ukrainian women living in Austria were selected to join Professional Integration HUB 4.0 – Entrepreneurship.

Meet the participants of HUB 4.0:

• Halyna Pastukh

• Liudmyla Chesnova

• Diana Fedoriaka

• Daria Driuchenko

• Nataliia Weinwurm

• Halyna Nosulich

• Kateryna Baranchuk

• Daria Yehorova

• Mariia Golotsvan

• Kateryna Bekrenova

• Yeva Povalinska

• Olha Karasevych

• Mariia Nesterova

• Mariia Barannyk

• Iuliia Viatkina

• Mariia Yavonenko

• Yelyzaveta Vlasenko

• Iryna Hrebenets

• Alla Stashchenko

• Olena Komendant

• Yuliia Nezvinska

• Oksana Grytsenko

• Yuliia Kadibash

• Anastasiia Kozlova

• Yuliia Reshetnikova

• Iryna Malyniak

Professional Integration HUB 4.0 – Entrepreneurship starts in October 2026 and will run until February 2027.

Over the coming months, participants will develop their ideas, work on business models and implementation plans, deepen their understanding of entrepreneurship in Austria, and work closely with experts and coaches. They will also become part of a professional community where they can exchange experience, knowledge and perspectives with one another.

We warmly congratulate all 26 participants and look forward to seeing how their ideas develop throughout the program.

At the same time, we would like to thank every applicant who trusted us with her idea, shared her professional experience and invested time and thought in the selection process. The exceptionally strong pool of applications demonstrated the entrepreneurial potential, expertise and ambition within the Ukrainian professional community in Austria.

Every idea submitted to HUB 4.0 deserves recognition, including those that were not selected for this year's cohort. We are therefore inviting all applicants to join YOU!Community, where they can stay connected, exchange knowledge and opportunities, and meet other Ukrainian professionals in Austria.

Professional Integration HUB is initiated and funded by ERSTE Foundation and implemented by the European Centre for Freedom and Independence (EUCFI). The HUB 4.0 entrepreneurship curriculum is delivered by IFTE #Entrepreneurship4Youth.

The European Centre for Freedom and Independence

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