Iryna Palko’s speech at NEW FOOD SUMMIT 2024

Growing Today Without Waiting for Better Times — this was the central theme of NEW FOOD SUMMIT 2024, held on October 15–16, 2024, in Kyiv. This annual event highlights the technologies, people, and businesses that are transforming the food market. Participants shared their experiences and lessons learned while operating during the war, as well as their visions for the future and growth opportunities.

Iryna Palko, founder and CEO of UNRISE, opened the financial session with the topic: “Grants – To Take or Not to Take? Key Components of Successful Fundraising.”
Key and practical takeaways from her speech included:
1. Treat donors as partners, not just sponsors.
2. Analyze the key performance indicators (KPIs) of your partners.
3. Think and act like a specialized agency – with clear, structured planning and execution.
4. Remember that your project will appear in your partners’ reports.
5. Assign an account manager to ensure consistent communication.
6. Start with small projects and grow gradually.
7. Build long-term partnerships.
8. Invest in organizational development.
9. Monitor government programs and strategies.
10. Work on the reputation of both your company and its leadership.

“Read all the criteria very carefully. If, for example, the guidelines require an environmental specialist on the team, and your business lists an engineer instead, that’s an automatic rejection. If you see that you don’t fully meet the criteria, it’s better not to waste your time,” Iryna emphasized.

We hope the knowledge shared at the summit will be useful in implementing your projects!
Special thanks to the New Food Summit organizers for this important event for the Ukrainian food industry and for the opportunity to participate!