SECO launches third call for Ukraine recovery projects

Switzerland has opened the third round of direct support for private investment in Ukraine’s recovery. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is making up to CHF 50 million available for projects in construction, energy, mechanical engineering, agribusiness, IT, and other sectors. Applications are accepted until 20 September 2026.

One key detail: this call is addressed to Swiss companies that already hold a legal entity or subsidiary in Ukraine. Purely Ukrainian businesses without a Swiss partner or investor cannot apply on their own. For those who have – or plan to attract – a Swiss investor, this is one of the largest co-financing instruments currently available for Ukraine reconstruction projects.

This is the third call in the series. The first selected 12 projects covering energy, housing, health, humanitarian demining, and public transport. The second launched in January 2026 and is currently under evaluation.

What SECO is and why Switzerland supports investment in Ukraine

SECO – the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft) – is the Swiss federal body responsible for international economic and development cooperation. In Ukraine, SECO has been active well before 2022, financing modernisation of tram networks, water supply systems, and municipal infrastructure in several cities.

After the full-scale invasion, SECO launched a series of calls to support Swiss companies investing in Ukraine’s recovery. The logic is straightforward: the Swiss government co-finances part of the costs that companies incur when implementing projects that create lasting economic value for Ukrainian citizens and the economy. This way, Switzerland channels both technology and capital into recovery.

The first call selected 12 projects – among them production of construction materials, medical equipment, humanitarian demining, renewable energy, and tram rolling stock. The second call launched in January 2026 and is currently under evaluation. The third opened on 27 May 2026.

Key financial parameters

The total competition budget is up to CHF 50 million. SECO co-finances between CHF 3 million and CHF 10 million per project, but no more than 50% of the total project cost. The remaining amount – at least half – must come from the applicant company itself.

For example: if a project costs CHF 20 million, SECO may cover up to CHF 10 million, while the company finances at least CHF 10 million from its own resources or raised capital.

Duration: up to five years (until end of 2031). Projects must remain long-term assets in Ukraine – whether equipment, production capacity, or services that continue delivering value after SECO support ends.

Who can participate

The applicant must be a Swiss company that holds a registered legal entity or subsidiary in Ukraine. The project is implemented through that Ukrainian legal entity.

This means purely Ukrainian companies without a Swiss owner or partner cannot apply independently. For Ukrainian businesses, this opens a different path: attracting a Swiss strategic investor and forming a joint venture would make the combined entity eligible to apply for SECO co-financing.

Projects must meet the criteria for foreign direct investment (FDI): generating measurable economic value for Ukraine – new jobs, increased production, or access to goods and services for citizens.

Seven supported sectors

SECO defined seven priority sectors for the third call.

Construction. Production of building materials, residential construction, infrastructure restoration. The first call showed strong demand here – several selected projects involved manufacturing structural components.

Mechanical engineering. Manufacturing equipment, industrial machinery, and technological tooling for enterprises.

Renewable energy. Solar, wind, and hydropower installations; energy storage systems. After large-scale destruction of the energy infrastructure, this sector remains among the highest priorities.

Infrastructure. Water supply, sewage, transport, municipal utilities. SECO has prior experience here, including support for tram networks in Vinnytsia.

Industry. Processing and light manufacturing, chemical and pharmaceutical production.

Agribusiness. Agricultural machinery, food processing, storage, and logistics.

IT and digitalisation. Digital services, software, and platforms for businesses or public institutions.

How to apply

Applications are submitted exclusively through the online portal: call-for-proposals-3.webfolio.ch →

The process has two stages. In Stage 1, the company submits a brief application with a project description, expected results, and a budget overview. Projects that pass initial screening are invited to Stage 2, where a full documentation package is required.

All required materials are available on the official competition page: the main document, eligibility and selection criteria, application templates for both stages, budget template, risk identification framework, and the SECO exclusion list. Reading all documents before starting the application is strongly advised.

SECO does not respond to individual questions during the competition. Questions must be submitted through the portal by 28 June 2026. SECO will publish all answers anonymously on the competition website on 15 July 2026. Before submitting a question, check the Frequently Asked Questions section – the answer may already be there.

Summary table: SECO Third Call 2026