Winners of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 announced in Ukraine

The award ceremony event announcing the winners of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 program in Ukraine was held at the National Philharmonic of Ukraine. The program traditionally recognizes Ukrainian entrepreneurs who demonstrate innovation, resilience, responsible leadership, and a strong impact on the development of the economy and society.

This year, the title of EY “Entrepreneur of the Year 2026” in Ukraine was awarded to Oleksandr Yakovenko, founder of TAF Industries, a Ukrainian defence tech company specializing in the development and production of FPV drones, reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic warfare systems, and other high‑tech solutions.

Today, TAF Industries is a partner to the state, business, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine and operates as a scalable technology company that combines in‑house R&D, manufacturing, and rapid product adaptation to changing battlefield conditions. The company is a vivid example of how innovative business can play an important role in strengthening national defense capabilities and developing Ukraine’s technological ecosystem.

Winners in other categories (listed in alphabetical order by category name:

1. Academia and Scientific Innovation – Tymofii Mylovanov, President, Kyiv School of Economics
2. Business Courage – Petro Lyshak, CEO and Co‑owner, Poelle
3. Choice of Bank PUMB and Veteran Success Story Award – Serhii Zhukovskyi, Founder and Owner, Sushena Radist
4. Cultural Impact – Viktor Kruglov, CEO, Ranok Publishing House
5. Entrepreneurial Spirit – Dmytro Krymskyi, Co‑founder, goodwine (Bureau of Wines LLC)
6. Market Transformation – Serhii Krolevets, Owner and President, Eridon
7. New Horizons – Stanislav Ronis, Founder and Major Shareholder, Comfy
8. NV Readers’ Choice – Andrii Khudo, Co‑owner and Chairman of the Supervisory Board, !FEST Emotional Holding
9. Social Impact – Polina Kosharna, Co‑owner and Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board, Suziria Group
10. Women Leadership – Olha Melykh, CEO and Owner, KVOTA Research and Manufacturing Company

The national selection process for the EY “Entrepreneur of the Year 2026” competition in Ukraine began in February 2026. Following a thorough evaluation of applications, a shortlist of 10 finalists was formed, from which the jury selected the national winner.

The jury panel included: Andriy Hunder, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine; Vitaliy Sych, Editor‑in‑Chief of the NV Media House; Olena Vdovychenko, CEO, METRO Ukraine.

The Entrepreneur of the Year program in Ukraine was held with the support of the NV Media House and PUMB.

At the next stage, winners from 46 countries will compete in the international EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ competition, which will take place May 25-29, 2026, in Monaco.

About the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program was first held by EY in 1986 in the United States. Today, this unique international program spans 94 countries. The competition brings together owners of medium-sized and large businesses, and the winners in each participating country are selected by a national jury composed of independent experts. The winner of the national competition represents their country at the global finals, where the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year® is selected.

About EY

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Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

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All in to shape the future with confidence.

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About NV

NV is an independent media holding founded by a team of professional journalists in 2014. Today, it includes the NV magazine, the news website NV.UA with 12 million unique monthly visitors, the nationwide talk radio station Radio NV, discussion panels, and an English‑language version of the website – The New Voice of Ukraine, launched in 2022.

Our mission is to promote the development of personal and economic freedoms in Ukraine.

About PUMB

First Ukrainian International Bank (PUMB) is the largest Ukrainian universal bank with private capital, operating reliably in the Ukrainian banking market for 34 years. The bank is trusted by more than 165,000 corporate clients and over 1.9 million individual customers.

PUMB’s total corporate loan portfolio currently amounts to nearly UAH 75 billion. The bank is included in the list of systemically important banks in Ukraine.