UAH 100,000 in Exhibition Cost Compensation: How the BusinessLink Project Helped U-Force Receive ...

October 09, 2026

Participating in exhibitions gives businesses an opportunity to showcase their products, find new partners, and enter new markets. At the same time, preparing for and participating in an exhibition requires significant investment — from renting an exhibition booth to its production and design.

With this challenge, the company U-Force (NVK “U-FORCE”) turned to the Kharkiv IT Cluster team, seeking an opportunity to partially offset the costs of participating in an exhibition and trade fair.

The company received support through BusinessLink, a Kharkiv IT Cluster project that helps entrepreneurs in Kharkiv and the surrounding region find opportunities for business development and support. The team helps businesses navigate available support mechanisms and guides entrepreneurs through the application process.

From a Business Need to a Concrete Solution

For U-Force, the Kharkiv IT Cluster team identified a suitable support mechanism: a voucher program offered by the Kharkiv City Council to help local manufacturers participate in exhibitions and trade fairs.

The program covers 50% of actual expenses, up to a maximum of UAH 100,000 per year. Eligible costs include exhibition booth rental and production.

However, identifying the program was only the first step. To receive compensation, the company needed to compile a set of documents and provide evidence of its actual expenses.

The Kharkiv IT Cluster team helped U-Force understand the program requirements, clarify the documentation and expense verification criteria, and prepare the application package for submission to the Kharkiv City Council.

The required documents included financial statements, contracts, completion certificates, proof of payment, documents confirming participation in the exhibition, and other supporting materials.

In May 2026, U-Force participated in an exhibition. Following the event, the company worked with the Kharkiv IT Cluster team to prepare the documents required to receive compensation and submitted them to the Kharkiv City Council in June. A few months later, U-Force received UAH 100,000 in compensation to cover part of its expenses.

“For us, this was genuinely valuable support. We knew we could try to receive compensation for participating in the exhibition, but we were not sure how to navigate the entire process correctly and prepare the necessary documents. The Kharkiv IT Cluster team helped us understand the requirements, prepare our application, and see the process through to the end. As a result, we received UAH 100,000 in compensation, which made a tangible difference in covering our exhibition participation costs,” says Serhii Sereda, CEO of U-Force.

For the company, this means a lower financial burden when participating in exhibitions and the opportunity to continue using these events to grow its business, find partners, and explore new opportunities.

Support That Delivers Results

This case demonstrates that business support is about more than simply informing entrepreneurs about available programs. It is essential to help businesses identify opportunities that meet their needs, understand the requirements, and navigate the entire process to achieve a tangible result.

That is exactly how BusinessLink works — turning a specific business need into a concrete outcome.

This project is implemented with the support of the Partnership for a Strong Ukraine Programme, funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden.