2026 is becoming the year of scaling open innovation ecosystems, dual transition programs (digital and green), development of defense and industrial clusters, as well as practical implementation of Industry 5.0 approaches in APPAU. Such messages were voiced at the “APPAU Day”, which brought together members and partners at a meeting on May 27.

For APPAU member companies, this means not just access to new events or projects, but the opportunity to become co-creators of new markets, industry road maps and modernization programs for Ukrainian industry.

We offer an overview of key opportunities in 2026.

1. Partnership in the flagship events of APPAU

In 2026, APPAU will implement a number of major events that will unite customer companies, technology providers, clusters, members of EDIH Kyiv Hitech and international partners.

Among the key events:

• Agrifood brokerage event (July) – collects about 30 medium and large enterprises of the agro-food industry. Up to 8 leading integrators and developers with specific solutions and innovative UZ-cases are expected from APPAU.
• Hackathon of industrial automation (August) – planned in KPI – up to 20 university teams. On the part of APPAU members – mentors, business cases (tasks) and prizes.
• The mechanical engineering brokerage and the Dual-use sector (December) are the same scenario as for Agrifoud (first online (October), then offline.
• Collective stand on Rebuild Ukraine (Warsaw) – participation in a separate stand, or at UCA stand
• Sectoral round tables within the framework of digital transformation programs (suggestions are welcome)

Benefits for partners

• direct access to target customers;
• positioning the company as an expert and market leader;
• demonstration of own cases and decisions;
• generation of new partnerships and leads;
• Inclusion in APPAU and EDIH KYIV HITECH communication campaigns.

Terms of participation

• co-financing from UAH 50,000 (depending on the event);
• willingness to present real implementation cases (strong UZ-cases I4.0-5.0);
• Participation in joint preparation of the event.

2. Entering the catalog of service providers of EDIH Kyiv Hitech

EDIH Kyiv Hitech is becoming one of the key channels of Ukrainian enterprises’ access to digital transformation services today. The coordinator of the consortium is the team of the Ukrainian Cluster Alliance.

As part of the work, the hub of the enterprise are digitally diagnosed, after which they receive recommendations on technological partners and services. Thus, EDIH generates leads, and who can go to the members of APPAU. The condition is the official entry into the catalog of service providers.

Benefits

• regular flow of qualified leads;
• participation in the programs ‘Test before Invest’;
• access to new customers from the manufacturing sector;
• positioning in the EDH network of Ukraine and the EU;
• Opportunity to participate in joint international projects.

Terms of participation

For APPAU members – free of charge.

Required:

• maintain the relevance of information about services and competencies.
• pass the internal certification of EDIH Kyiv Hitech;
• agree on quality standards and SLAs;
• provide quality consulting of enterprises;

3. Fundraising and international projects

More and more Ukrainian companies are trying to attract funds from Horizon Europe, EuroClusters, Interreg, EIT, Digital Europe and other programs. APPAU has extensive experience in attracting grant funding and over the past 5 years, more than 50% of our integrators have begun to use these mechanisms.

APPAU continues to provide and expand these support services for companies in the field of international project financing.

Benefits

• search for relevant grant competitions;
• selection of international consortia;
• consultations on preparation of applications;
• project management support;
• Entering new markets through international projects.

Terms of participation

• The first two consultations are free, then see the conditions. by link.
• Further support is provided in accordance with the support program;
• The company’s willingness to invest its time in forming a project idea and consortium is needed

4. Community of Practice Working Groups 5.0

In 2026, APPAU, as the leader of the Ukrainian movement of Industry 4.0-5.0, continues large-scale work on the creation of industry road maps of development on the principles of Industry 5.0. In 2024-25, we started systematic work on the creation of road maps of double transition or digital transformation by industry sectors (see GDT Textile results), or sectoral (technological sectors).

Among the latter –

• industrial AI;
• cybersecurity here;
• end-2-end engineering (introduction of CAD-CAM-CAE / PLM-PDM);
• Federal platforms are based on data spaces;
• circular production and other promising areas.

Benefits

• opportunity to influence the formation of sectoral policies;
• access to the expert network;
• early understanding of market trends – including through joining international partnerships;
• formation of new projects and business initiatives;
• Strengthening its own expertise.

Terms of participation

• participation on a volunteer basis;
• the presence of a confirmed examination;
• Willingness to work on joint documents and analytics on a regular basis (up to 5 hours a month).

5. UA Automation Resilience Stack

After the launch of the UCA Resilience Strategy and the development of the UA Automation Resilience Stack Concept, APPAU forms catalogs of solutions and potential projects (grant and investment) to increase the resilience and resilience of Ukrainian industries.

Main directions:

• energy stability;
• cybersecurity OT and IT;
• production continuity;
• reservation of critical processes;
• digital transformation and automation;
• Risk management.

Benefits

• positioning in strategic modernization programs;
• access to new market segments;
• formation of joint proposals for donors and enterprises;
• Participation in future projects of reconstruction of Ukraine.

Terms of participation

• expert contribution to the development of catalogs;
• openness to cooperation with other participants in the ecosystem;
• Participation in profile working groups.

6. WIN-WIN Cooperation with the clusters of the Ukrainian Cluster Alliance

Today, the UCA network covers dozens of clusters from different sectors of the economy. APPAU is the co-founder of UCA with the greatest contribution of human and financial resources in the development of this organization. For APPAU members, this opens up the possibility of entering new industry markets through trusted partner networks.

Benefits

• access to manufacturing companies in different regions;
• participation in joint cluster projects;
• new sales channels;
• development of intersectoral partnerships;
• Access to international cluster networks.

Terms of participation

• active participation (inclus – own offer) of joint actions;
• willingness to share cases and examination;
• Openness to common projects and consortia.

7. Exchange of experience and promotion of best practices

One of the most underestimated tools for market development is the systematic exchange of experience between companies.

In 2026, APPAU will continue to develop practices:

• Industry 4.0 stage of the tour;
• demonstration days at enterprises;
• webinars and round tables;
• digital transformation case libraries;
• sectoral communities of practitioners.

Benefits

• Reputation of the industry expert 4.0-5.0;
• increasing brand awareness;
• new contacts and partnerships;
• Accelerating market development through the spread of successful cases.

Terms of participation

• willingness to discover their own experience;
• providing real cases and results;
• Participation in joint educational initiatives.

Engagement and accession mechanisms

The new APPAU model is based on our experience, which is reduced to one simple principle –  The most valuable are those companies that not only consume the services of the ecosystem, but also become its active co-creators.

Therefore, most of the opportunities in 2026 include not just participation, but co-leadership, expertise and willingness to invest their own time and resources in market development.

Such companies will receive the most new partnerships, leads, projects and international opportunities.

The Executive Directorate calls on APPAU members to take active action in cooperation. Choose the option that is closest to you, specify the order and action plan, join your partners.

For all questions – contact the manager of APPAU, Nazar Lypovy:
Tel. +380632327819
email: Lipovyy.nazar@gmail.com