Date: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Mariia Chytova, a 48-year-old entrepreneur, was one of 100 businesswomen who gathered for the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO 2025 satellite event in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 17 November 2025. She is the founder of “SINO” (Hay), an online platform offering natural therapy services with horses. Chytova joined the event to explore new opportunities and find inspiration for developing her innovative startup.
When she fled her home in war-torn Kharkiv in 2022, she took with her only what mattered most: her children, her dreams, and her belief in the healing power of her work. Now living in Kyiv, Chytova is developing a unique area of hippotherapy, helping people affected by war trauma find inner peace and strength through interaction with horses.
“I have several areas of activity. The first initiative is called ‘Doctor Horse’. This is when we bring a horse to hospitals to visit patients. We were the first in Ukraine to introduce this approach at the National Research Center for Radiation Medicine in Kyiv, in the palliative care department. Similar projects exist in the UK and France.”
Still, until her passion grows into a fully established business, she is seeking new ways to expand and become a successful woman entrepreneur leading a large company. One of these opportunities is the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO 2025. 
By 2025, women in Ukraine registered 60 per cent of all new companies. “The number of women entrepreneurs continues to grow; this is a powerful sign of progress and a call to keep going,” said Sabine Freizer Gunes, UN Women Representative in Ukraine. “Across the country, women are creating jobs, generating income for families and communities, and driving innovation. Yet they still face barriers to finance, markets, and networks. When companies invest in women’s employment and leadership, everyone benefits–the organization grows stronger, and so does the economy,” she concluded.
This year’s EXPO satellite event in Kyiv combined a product exhibition with an opportunity fair. Private companies and state business accelerators presented training programs as well as grant and loan opportunities, while participants attended information sessions focused on business development and growth.
Around 200 people took part, including women entrepreneurs, private sector partners, representatives of business accelerators, international organizations, and civil society.
“The opportunity to learn is essential for me. Before EXPO, I have taken part in many entrepreneurship programs, but here, among a community of women entrepreneurs, we inspire each other to think bigger and see opportunities instead of obstacles,” noted Mariia Chytova.
UN Women also presented the first-ever Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Award, honoring companies advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. The winners were Lika Comfort, a company specializing in air conditioning and heating systems, and RIVOLTA, a family-owned coffee shop in Ternopil, one of the major cities of western Ukraine.
For many participants, the event resonated deeply. “This event is absolutely about my business. There is extraordinary power when women unite, because real women never compete; they lift each other up,” said Ira Korobko, founder of the Pink E52lephant tea brand in Kyiv.
“The opportunities at the EXPO satellite event are incredibly valuable,” added Olena Vlasynevych, a yoga and meditation instructor and founder of the Ashram of Peace online studio, a sanctuary for women seeking balance during difficult times. Vlasynevych, an internally displaced woman from Skadovsk now living in Kyiv, said the EXPO was yet another chance to pursue her mission of restoring women’s mental health after stress and loss. “I found potential collaborations with large companies, and that expands my possibilities.”
Mariia Chytova hopes for the same. “The vision of my project is simple and profound: that anyone, anywhere, can experience the healing power of hippotherapy and natural therapy, find balance, and feel happier. My project has already won two startup competitions, but it still lacks funding. Participating in the EXPO satellite event could help me find some allies for my business.”
Inspired by the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO journey, Chytova shared a message for women still searching for their calling: “Be brave and follow the voice of your soul. Six years ago, I discovered the healing power of horses, and since then, my journey has been one of faith, strength, and love. I strive to help veterans, children, and anyone who has lost balance in life, and to support the professionals and horses who walk this path with us.”
Launched in 2021, the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO is a unique partnership platform to promote women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem building in the Europe and Central Asia region. EXPO provides an interactive space for women entrepreneurs, investors, and private sector representatives for networking and collaboration, peer learning, ideas generation, capacity building, and business development. EXPO 2025 is organized by the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), European Business Angels Network (EBAN), and Women in Tech Global. EXPO 2025 in Ukraine is enabled by the financial support from France and Sweden.
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