According to Raiffeisen Bank, women make up 42% of the bank’s individual entrepreneurs (FOP) clients, but in the medium-sized business segment they own just 11.8% of client companies. The bank’s chair of the management board, Nataliya Hurina, spoke about ways to support women entrepreneurs during the “Courage to Grow” panel at the 10th Ukrainian Women’s Congress.
Client and age statistics
The average age of a woman individual entrepreneur (FOP) is 47, and of company owners is 50. Women show a lower level of problem debt: among FOP — 2.3% versus 3.1% for men; in small business — 1.9% versus 6%.
The share of women declines as business size increases: while they represent 42% of FOP, in the medium-sized business segment women own 11.8% of client companies.
Lending and support
In the nine months of 2026 the bank approved 5.6 thousand credit applications from women entrepreneurs totalling over 3 billion UAH — 51% more applications than last year. The bank also provides affordable financing, grant and educational programmes.
Thanks to the “Brave” programme, 247 businesses in 36 communities received support, and through partner U&WE HUB’s programmes over 10 thousand women took part. The bank joined WEPs and the WE Finance Code Ukraine.
“A woman has the right to decide for herself when to return to work, what venture to start, and how large a business to build. Our task as a bank is to help her move from ‘I want’ to ‘I can’ and to have the resources for the next step,” noted Nataliya Hurina.
