Ukrainians have launched more than 5,000 new small businesses since the start of the year
In the first five months of 2026, 5,007 new businesses in the personal services sector were registered in Ukraine, a 15% increase compared to the same period last year.
The vast majority of new businesses—4,966—were registered as sole proprietorships. Another 41 businesses were established as legal entities. For comparison, in the first five months of 2025, 4,353 new businesses in this sector were established in Ukraine.
Beauty and personal care services have become the most popular sector. Since the beginning of the year, 4,859 new beauty salons, hair salons, spas, and massage parlors have opened, of which 4,829 operate as sole proprietorships.
Analysts note that 99% of all new registrations are by individual entrepreneurs. This indicates that the simplified taxation system remains popular and that the barrier to entry into the industry is low.
After a relatively quiet start to the year, entrepreneurial activity increased significantly in the spring. While 836 new businesses were registered in January, the number rose to 1,157 in March, 1,173 in April, and 1,092 in May. The highest number of new registrations was recorded in April.
In addition to the beauty sector, Ukrainians also opened businesses in the funeral services and dry cleaning sectors. Since the beginning of the year, 83 new businesses related to funeral services have been registered, as well as 65 companies and sole proprietorships in the laundry and dry cleaning sector.
Source: VKURSI.
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