On 27 September, as part of IT Arena 2026 in Lviv, the Lviv IT Cluster education team held its annual Education Community Event. The event brought together around 100 participants: heads and lecturers of higher education and vocational institutions, curators and mentors of the Cluster’s bachelor’s programmes, and representatives of member companies. Participants reviewed the year’s results, outlined directions for developing the programmes, and honoured the professionals who work with students from their first lecture to the defence of their team projects.
This year, 45 new mentors joined the education community, including specialists from SoftServe, N-IX, Reface, PrivatBank, Infineon and Sigma Software.
For the third time, special awards went to the laureates of the Education Lights award, presented to professionals who have developed the Cluster’s education initiatives for many years.
“Each award tells the story of people who invest their knowledge, time and belief in young people every day. Through their example, mentors, curators and lecturers inspire students to pursue their ideas with confidence, work in teams and build the future of Ukrainian tech education,” said Yuliia Tsymbala, Head of the Education Team at Lviv IT Cluster.
This year’s awards went to:
Nataliia Melnykova — University Curator 2026
Nataliia Melnykova headed the department and curated the Artificial Intelligence programme at Lviv Polytechnic National University, where she now serves as Vice-Rector for International Relations. The programme attracts strong applicants: this year, 70% of them scored at least 200 points in at least one subject. Around the department, Nataliia Melnykova built a community of students, lecturers and partners united by shared events, camps and trips to the mountains. She also established systematic cooperation between the department and IT companies and brought industry representatives in to work with students.
Mykhailo Kropyva — Industry Curator 2026
Mykhailo Kropyva curates cybersecurity programmes at three universities at once: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv Polytechnic National University and Lviv State University of Life Safety. Each programme has its own specifics, and Mykhailo ensures their content reflects the current state of the field. He involves students in practical work and helps them build careers in cybersecurity, maintaining a steady connection between the programmes and the industry.
Olena Shestakovych — Teamwork Lecturer 2026
Olena Shestakovych teaches teamwork in the UI/UX Design programme at the Lviv National Academy of Arts. Students complete projects for real clients, including municipal institutions, in teams made up entirely of designers. Olena also organised the mentors’ work: her guideline sets out an action plan, timeline and possible tasks, so newcomers can join the process quickly.
Viacheslav Leskiv — Mentor 2026
For more than five years, Viacheslav Leskiv has worked with student teams across various programmes. This year he mentored the largest number of teams, and when the season ran short of mentors towards the end, he took on several more.
Roman Babiuk — Vocational Mentor 2026
Roman Babiuk is a master of industrial training and an IT lecturer at Higher Vocational School No. 29 in Lviv. In 2025–2026, he guided a student team with the SenSyth project to the final of the Junior Achievement competition, where the students won a prize. Roman is also introducing project-based learning at the school and this year began developing a robotics track.
The education community also discussed the role of teamwork in student training during the panel discussion “Team project: teach collaboration or build a startup?” Panellists considered where the main focus should lie, on collaboration skills or on results; how an educational project differs from an MVP and a startup; whether teamwork should be mandatory for all students; and how to assess each member’s contribution fairly. Participants also examined how to keep strong teams together after the course ends and what kind of support from an industry mentor strengthens learning without doing the students’ work for them.
The discussion was moderated by Zenovii Veres, Head of the Internet of Things programme and Chief Digital Transformation Officer at Lviv Polytechnic National University, and Senior Solution Architect at SoftServe. Panellists included Oleksandr Reminnyi, startup entrepreneur, PhD in Engineering, teamwork lecturer at Lviv Polytechnic and author of the YouTube podcast and book Startup Kitchen; Viacheslav Leskiv, Python Tech Lead at Levi9 and a long-standing mentor of student teams; Ilona Kenio, a student of the System Analysis (Data Science) programme at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and CEO of Aima; and Maksym Zabrodin, COO of Ideas Center UCU.
Sviatoslav Kavetskyi, Chair of the Cluster’s Supervisory Board, recalled how this model began: “When the Cluster started working with universities on bachelor’s programmes, it was a long-term bet. Strong engineers emerge when a practitioner works alongside students from their first year and the programme is written jointly by the university and the industry. Today, the country’s technological competitiveness depends on the quality of engineering education.”
The model covers 24 bachelor’s programmes at five universities in Lviv and Kyiv. This year, 2,050 students enrolled, almost 500 more than last year. Competition averaged six applicants per state-funded place, reaching 15 for Cybersecurity at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.
“Demand for the Cluster’s programmes is growing, and our task is to ensure the quality of education grows along with student numbers. Strong IT education emerges where the university, business and the Cluster share responsibility for the result,” said Mykhailo Lemak, CEO of Lviv IT Cluster.
To join the Lviv IT Cluster education community, contact Yuliia Tsymbala at julia.tsymbala@education.itcluster.lviv.ua.
Ukraine Innovation and Engineering Lab — a 10-week engineering program based on an actual Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) course and adapted to the Ukrainian context. More than 100 selected participants will work in teams on real-world technological challenges—from problem research to the creation and testing of a working prototype.
The program will run from October 2026 to February 2027 and is being implemented with the partnership support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Its focus is on solutions that can be applied in high-tech industries.
The Ukraine Innovation and Engineering Lab is built around the “learning by doing” principle: instead of working on hypothetical academic assignments, participants will receive real-world engineering cases from partner companies and work on them throughout the course.
Each team will consist of 10 participants and will work on a single technological challenge over the course of 10 weeks. Teams will progress from researching the problem and identifying potential solutions to designing, developing, testing, and creating a proven prototype.
From a real-world problem to a working prototype
The key idea behind the Ukraine Innovation and Engineering Lab is to bridge the gap between engineering education and the real-world technological challenges facing Ukrainian companies today.
The course is based on MIT methodology and combines an academic foundation with hands-on teamwork.
More than 40 experts are expected to be involved in working with the teams.
Among the areas in which partners can propose engineering case studies are:
The program involves regular in-person work in Kyiv. Teams will work in KAI’s new labs.
KAI is responsible for adapting the MIT course to the Ukrainian context, organizing and overseeing the learning process, selecting participants, forming balanced teams, engaging mentors, providing access to labs, and organizing the final Demo Day.
Partner companies, in turn, can provide the program with real-world technology case studies and the necessary context, involve their own experts, supply equipment, technologies, and materials, and continue to work with the teams’ results.
The author and developer of the Ukraine Innovation and Engineering Lab — Gene R. Keselman, a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, executive director of MIT Mission Innovation Experimental (MIx), and managing director of MIT Proto Ventures.
Gene R. Keselman has over 20 years of military experience in the U.S. Air Force.
His professional experience spans nuclear and space operations, procurement, and defense program management, as well as technology and research programs for the U.S. intelligence community
He also has hands-on entrepreneurial experience and works on developing technologies from concept to company formation. MIT Proto Ventures, which he leads, operates as a venture studio focused on transforming promising technologies into new businesses.
Keselman is already involved in the Ukrainian context: he is a member of MIT-Ukraine Allies and has participated in MIT programs related to finding technological solutions for Ukraine.
The director of the Ukraine Innovation and Engineering Lab program is Radmila Segol, vice rector for admissions and online education at KAI and a Global MIT At-Risk Fellow for 2026–2027.
The team also includes the deans of three specialized faculties at KAI: Sviatoslav Yutkevych, Dean of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering; Roman Odarchenko, Dean of the Faculty of Air Navigation, Electronics, and Telecommunications; and Andriy Fesenko, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science and Technology.
Registration and participant selection will take place in September.
The program will begin in October: selected participants will be grouped into balanced teams based on their expertise and the case studies they will work on.
Next comes 10 weeks of intensive teamwork on technological solutions, with weekly in-person sessions in KAI’s labs and support from mentors.
In February 2027, the teams will present their results during Demo Day in Kyiv.
But Demo Day won’t necessarily be the end of the journey. The next stage, built into the program’s model, is the implementation of the developed solution at a partner company.
It is precisely this approach that sets the Ukraine Innovation and Engineering Lab apart from a traditional educational course: the outcome should not be a grade or a course project, but a technological solution that has progressed to a proven prototype and can be further developed outside the university.
The program is aimed at people with a technical background who are ready to work on real-world engineering challenges in an intensive team setting.
The Ukraine Innovation and Engineering Lab is open not only to KAI students. Senior undergraduate and graduate students, as well as participants with relevant experience in software development, AI, robotics, electronics, engineering, and related technological fields, are eligible to apply.
Participation is free for candidates who pass the selection process
Detailed terms and registration: https://ielab.tech/
For reference
Ukraine Innovation and Engineering Lab is a 10-week project-based engineering program modeled after a real MIT course and adapted by KAI to the Ukrainian context. Its goal is to bring together talented technical participants, academic expertise, the university’s infrastructure, and real-world technological needs of companies to create working prototypes.
The program will run from October 2026 to February 2027.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and one of the world’s leading centers for education, science, engineering, and technological innovation. Founded in 1861, MIT conducts fundamental and applied research in engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence, robotics, aerospace technology, energy, biotechnology, and other fields. An important part of the MIT ecosystem is technology entrepreneurship and the transfer of research from laboratories to practical applications.
The National University “Kyiv Aviation Institute” is a university with nearly a century of history in aviation and engineering education. Today, it is a major educational and technological hub where aviation, unmanned systems, defense tech, IT, engineering, and dozens of other fields are being developed. State-of-the-art laboratories, hands-on projects, and collaboration with industry give students the opportunity to work with real-world technologies while still in school.
Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies operate in an environment of growing demands for product quality, process traceability, and regulatory compliance. At the same time, organizations are expected to make faster decisions, improve operational visibility, and gain greater value from their data.
Many companies continue to face challenges related to manual processes, paper-based documentation, change management, and fragmented technology landscapes. These issues increase operational risk, place additional pressure on teams, and make audit preparation more difficult.
SAP and UST have prepared a collection of materials focused on practical approaches to addressing these challenges. The content covers topics such as quality management, regulated data, manufacturing transparency, and business process improvement.
Learn more: Comprehensive Life Sciences Transformation | SAP
The materials reflect practical experience gained by UST teams working with Life Sciences organizations across the United States and Europe. Through these engagements, we have seen first-hand the challenges manufacturers face and the approaches that help improve efficiency, reduce risk, and simplify compliance efforts.
The collection will be valuable for business leaders, operations and manufacturing teams, quality professionals, digital transformation specialists, and anyone involved in improving processes and modernizing operations within Life Sciences organizations.
On September 28, Lviv IT Cluster welcomed an official delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), led by EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso. The meeting also brought together representatives of tech businesses, startups, and organizations working to develop Ukraine’s startup ecosystem. The participants discussed the state of Ukraine’s technology industry, key challenges facing businesses, and opportunities to support the tech sector.
The Lviv IT Cluster team presented the association’s key areas of work, including strengthening the technology sector and human capital, analyzing the market, supporting startups, and implementing projects aimed to reinforce the resilience of Ukrainian businesses.
The discussion focused in particular on technology education and IT industry research, including IT Research Ukraine and Salary Report. The Cluster team also presented current support tools for tech businesses, including legal consulting, M&A support, and investment attraction. The participants also discussed the prospects of Ukraine’s startup ecosystem and the development of CodeUA, a platform that helps technology companies find partners and expand into international markets.
Access to financing was one of the key topics of the meeting. The participants discussed various opportunities for raising capital, from private investment and grant programs to European funding and banking instruments. The discussion focused on the needs of startups, including those developing civilian and dual-use technologies. Representatives of the startup ecosystem noted that a significant share of available resources is currently directed toward the defense sector, highlighting the need for additional opportunities for other technology areas to grow.
EBRD representatives also outlined the Bank’s activities in Ukraine and its main areas of support, which currently include critical infrastructure, energy, transport, and the private sector. The discussion also covered opportunities for technology companies and startups, as well as financial instruments that could support their further development.
The resilience of the technology sector amid the full-scale war was another important part of the discussion. Among the challenges affecting the industry’s development, participants highlighted human capital, employee mobilization, and attracting specialists from abroad. The participants also discussed the regulatory environment and tax conditions for technology businesses. Industry representatives emphasized the importance of stable and predictable rules that enable companies to plan for long-term growth, retain their teams, and continue investing in Ukraine.
The meeting provided an opportunity to continue the dialogue with international financial institutions and discuss support instruments that address the real needs of Ukraine’s technology industry.
Scaling deep tech innovations requires more than a working technology. Companies also need to be ready to bring their solutions to market, secure additional funding, and prepare their teams for further growth. On September 18, during the online session “EIC Accelerator for Disruptive SMEs: From Breakthrough Innovation to Scale-up,” participants explored the key opportunities available through the EIC Accelerator program.
Íñigo Larraza, PhD, Innovative SMEs Area Manager at iPlusF, was the speaker at the session. He shared practical insights from his work with the EIC Accelerator and outlined the key criteria that innovative companies should consider when preparing their applications.
The program is designed for companies developing breakthrough technologies that already have a foundation for further development and demonstrate the potential to scale in a significant market.
As Íñigo Larraza noted, the key question is not only whether the technology works, but also whether the company can overcome the barriers to industrialization and scale its solution in line with market needs. This is why the program assesses not only the technological component but also the company’s readiness for the next stage of development.
One of the distinctive features of the EIC Accelerator is the combination of grant and investment components. Grant funding is primarily intended to support the further development, demonstration, and validation of an innovation, while the equity component helps companies move towards the next stages of commercialization and scaling.
According to the speaker, combining these instruments can be a suitable approach for many companies. At the same time, EIC Accelerator support goes beyond funding: the program also provides access to business coaching and mentoring, investors, international markets, and a broad innovation ecosystem.
During the session, the speaker highlighted three key areas assessed in an application:
Technological excellence
A company needs to clearly explain what makes the technology a breakthrough, how ready the solution is for further development, and what technological ambition the project has.
Potential impact
It is important to demonstrate the market opportunity, the path to commercialization and scaling, as well as the project’s potential broader impact.
Implementation — the ability to deliver the project
The evaluation covers the team, implementation plan, resources, and risks. Companies should also pay particular attention to explaining why EIC support is necessary at this stage of their development.
In other words, a strong application should demonstrate not only what has been developed, but also what problem it solves, who it is for, how it can be scaled, and why the company is ready to take the next step now.
The EIC Accelerator should be viewed as more than a source of funding for technology development. The program is aimed at companies that can already demonstrate a technological foundation, market potential, and the team’s ability to move towards scaling.
In particular, it is important to have evidence of market interest — such as customers, partners, or other indications of potential demand. For companies at different stages of development, such evidence may take different forms, but it should demonstrate that the technology has the potential to become a scalable business.
The EIC Accelerator is an opportunity for companies ready to move from technology development to scaling. Therefore, preparation should start not with the application itself, but with assessing the company’s readiness.
The Lviv IT Cluster and LEAP EDIH organized the session in partnership with iPlusF.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.
The transition from military service to civilian life is one of the key challenges facing thousands of Ukrainians today. Following their service, many veterans rethink their professional paths and choose new directions. Interest in information technology remains high among demobilized military personnel as well.
According to a survey of graduates of the “IT for Veterans” program by EPAM Campus, Junior Developer is the most popular position among respondents, and every fourth graduate who actively sought employment has already secured a job.
Following their career change, 27% of veterans have successfully found their place in the IT industry and are working in their field*. Another quarter are actively looking for their first job, going through interviews and testing. At the main time, 31% of respondents have not yet found employment and are not currently looking for work. A significant portion of this group continues to serve in the ranks of the Defense Forces, undergoes rehabilitation, or is recovering from injuries, making professional re-skilling the next phase for them.
“The biggest challenge for training participants is the English language. The second major barrier is time. Approximately half of those mastering a new specialty are active-duty servicemen, and they are often on the frontline,” explains Denis Hrynyov, Head of EPAM Campus Educational Programs. “We have had cases where veterans joined classes right from the trenches. We also notice that active-duty servicemen complete the training less frequently than demobilized ones.”
The speed of finding a first job varies among veterans. The largest group of graduates—every fourth one—finds a project within a week to a month, while another 18% secure employment within 3 months. Graduates note that the main challenges along this path include a limited number of Junior vacancies on the market, the complexity of technical interviews and tests, high competition, and the language barrier.
An interesting trend is how veterans actually find jobs. Networking and personal connections became the primary channel for every fifth graduate. These are followed by specialized job boards (Work.ua, Djinni) at 15%, LinkedIn at 11%, and instructor recommendations at 7%.
“I had almost no break for recovery between the army and my studies,” says Andrii Zhupnyk, who developed a sound recording studio in Lviv before his service and decided to study IT after demobilization. “When unresolved military problems are constantly spinning in your head, you really have to push yourself to absorb new information.” At the same time, after completing the courses, Andrii became a Junior Software Engineer and now works on a volunteer project for Foodbank Ukraine (an initiative transferring unsold products from stores to vulnerable populations).
Vladyslav Hvizd from Kolomyia was serving in the army under a contract when the full-scale invasion began. The veteran compares military experience to IT: “No war is fought without people—everything relies entirely on the human factor, on the shoulder of the comrade next to you. In IT, everything is arranged the exact same way: people, trust, and communication are what matter,” says Vladyslav. “When you return from the front, you may face uncertainty, and it can be difficult to reintegrate into non-military processes. When the desire to quit work arises due to novelty and complexity, the positive experience of fellow brothers-in-arms who have mastered a new field comes in handy. It proves that life goes on and you can once again be useful to society and your family.”
A new recruitment for the free “IT for Veterans” program by EPAM Campus has begun. Registration for military personnel is open until September 20 via the link: https://epa.ms/pr-5596
* The survey involved 55 graduates of the “IT for Veterans” program by EPAM Campus. The survey period was from June 15 to June 30, 2026. The profile of participants and their adaptation metrics cover employment experience, job search duration, networking channels, and career dynamics after graduation.
On September 15, 2026, online ride-hailing service Uklon launched in Drohobych, Mukachevo, Oleksandriia, and Uman. For the first time since the full-scale invasion, the company is expanding into several new cities simultaneously. With these additions, Uklon is now available in 31 Ukrainian cities, as well as the “Bukovel” tourist complex.
“Following our launch in Bukovel in December 2024, we continue expanding Uklon’s presence across Ukrainian cities. Since the full-scale invasion began, economic and demographic activity has visibly shifted: along with people, part of the businesses, jobs, daily routes, and tourist flows shifted to smaller cities in the western and central parts of the country. Demand for reliable transportation in these areas has been growing steadily. We expand to a new city once we reach a critical mass of both potential riders and driver-partners needed to ensure consistent service quality. That is why we see both potential and a clear demand for our service in Drohobych, Mukachevo, Oleksandriia, and Uman,” comments Olena Orlova, Chief Ride-hailing Officer at Uklon.
Riders in Drohobych, Oleksandriia, and Uman can choose from seven ride options: “Fast Search”, “Basic”, “Standard”, “Comfort”, “Wagon”, “Minibus”, and “Driver”. Mukachevo features an eighth option with the addition of “Business” class.
To book a ride, users can simply download the Uklon app, enter their pickup and destination points, select a payment method, and confirm the order.
Driver-partners can sign up independently through the Uklon Driver app.
In all new locations, Uklon maintains its standard quality of service: upfront pricing visible before order confirmation and a unified background check process for all driver-partners.
Information
Uklon is a technology company that developed the eponymous mobile application.
Founded in Kyiv in 2010, Uklon started as a ride-hailing platform and has evolved into a multi-service digital ecosystem integrating ride-hailing, Uklon Delivery, Uklon Ads, Uklon Store, and the Uklon Travel bus ticket booking service. As of September 2026, Uklon operates internationally across two countries — Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The service currently covers 31 Ukrainian cities and the Bukovel resort, as well as Tashkent and 5 regional hubs across the Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan.
In April 2025, Uklon was acquired by JSC Kyivstar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyivstar Group Ltd. (Nasdaq: KYIV; KYIVW), whose shares traded on the U.S. stock exchange Nasdaq and which is a part of the VEON Group.
Official website: https://uklon.com.ua
On September 14, Lviv IT Cluster welcomed an official delegation from the World Bank, led by Antonella Bassani, Vice President for Europe and Central Asia. The meeting focused on the current state of Ukraine’s technology industry and the sector’s key needs.
During the visit, the Cluster team presented the latest data on Ukraine’s technology industry, workforce trends, and changes in the volume of Ukrainian IT exports. The participants also discussed the needs and challenges currently facing technology companies.
Ukraine’s technology industry continues to operate amid the full-scale war while adapting to the rapid market transformation driven by AI. In this environment, a predictable business landscape and opportunities for further growth are particularly important.
“For the tech industry, it is important not only to monitor key indicators, but also to understand how they change over time and what lies behind these changes. That is why Lviv IT Cluster, in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, systematically studies the market through IT Research Ukraine, the largest nationwide study of the IT industry. This approach allows us to assess the state of the sector comprehensively, understand the needs of businesses, and discuss the development of the tech sector with partners and international institutions based on data,” said Yaryna Voznyak, Head of the Research Department at Lviv IT Cluster.
The participants also discussed how international financial institutions can support technology businesses under these conditions. The focus was not only on direct financing, but primarily on tools that can help companies scale independently, enter global markets, and create greater economic value in Ukraine. At the same time, business representatives emphasized the need for stable, clear operating rules, including a predictable legislative and regulatory environment, as well as access to financial instruments to support growth.
Another important topic was strengthening the perception of Ukraine’s IT industry as a reliable partner in the global market. Despite the full-scale war, Ukrainian technology companies continue to work with global clients, meet their commitments, and develop new products. International support should therefore contribute not only to the growth of individual companies but also to strengthening Ukraine’s technology ecosystem as a whole.
Technology education and human capital development were also among the topics discussed. In particular, the participants considered the impact of specialists’ outflow abroad and ways to leverage their expertise to develop Ukraine’s economy, even though their return to Ukraine is not yet taking place on a large scale. At the same time, participants emphasized the importance of creating more opportunities for specialists who remain in Ukraine, including expanding career prospects for young people.
The discussion also covered the changes artificial intelligence is bringing to the education and training of the next generation of professionals. For the technology industry, technical knowledge alone is no longer enough: critical thinking, decision-making, and the ability to work effectively with AI tools are becoming increasingly important. This creates opportunities for Ukraine to develop not only as a hub for technology talent but also as an environment for creating its own products and innovations.
In this context, the Lviv IT Cluster’s Research Center plays an important role, aiming to systematically study changes in the technology industry and develop a better understanding of business needs. Its work provides reliable data to help shape next steps toward building a resilient technology ecosystem in Ukraine.
Lviv IT Cluster will continue working to strengthen ties between Ukrainian technology businesses and the global market. We value opportunities for open dialogue and knowledge exchange, which help gain deeper insight into the industry’s needs and its prospects for further development.
In June, Ukrainian product IT company Vchasno launched Vchasno.Business, a new service for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The platform brings customer management, bookings, payments, finances, and staff management together in a single workspace, helping entrepreneurs replace scattered spreadsheets and disconnected tools with one unified system for daily operations.
For small businesses, day-to-day operations are often spread across multiple tools: customer records are kept in spreadsheets, appointments are managed through calendars or notes, and communication takes place via messaging apps, while payments and finances are handled separately. As a result, entrepreneurs must manually transfer information and monitor several systems at once.
According to a 2025 study by Ringostat, 38% of surveyed businesses reported not using a CRM system. Data from Ukraine’s State Statistics Service further highlights a digitalization gap by business size: large companies are significantly more likely to adopt ERP, CRM, and cloud-based solutions.
“In a small business, the owner is often the one selling, managing clients, and counting the money — sometimes running the whole business alone. Their scarcest resource is time, especially given the realities of doing business in Ukraine today. They won’t spend weeks figuring out a new system, even if they know they need one. Automation has to be simple: start using it quickly, and spend your evenings living your life — not buried in spreadsheets. That’s exactly what we’re building Vchasno.Business to be,” says Yevhen Kushnirchuk, Head of Vchasno.Business and Vchasno.Kasa services.
Vchasno.Business enables entrepreneurs to:
During development, the team analyzed the specific needs of entrepreneurs across different industries: for beauty businesses, key priorities are online booking and customer retention; for e-commerce, financial and inventory management; and for auto repair shops, financial management and service scheduling. Vchasno.Business is being developed with these varied small-business workflows in mind.
The launch of the new solution expands the Vchasno ecosystem, which already provides entrepreneurs with electronic document exchange, payment fiscalization, and tax reporting services — with Vchasno.Business now adding customer management and day-to-day operational tools to that offering.
Going forward, the team plans to expand inventory and payroll functionality and enter new SME segments.
About Vchasno
Vchasno is a Ukrainian product IT company that creates digital solutions for automating everyday business processes. Vchasno’s services span electronic document management, HR administration, payment fiscalization, digital signatures, retail document exchange, electronic waybills, tax reporting for sole proprietors, and automation of operations for small and medium-sized businesses. Vchasno is part of Vchasno Group, a group of product IT companies.
In September, Lviv will once again become a meeting point for people shaping the future of technology, business, and innovation in Ukraine. This year’s theme, Leading the Way, reflects a world where technology is evolving faster than ever — and where those building, investing in, and scaling new solutions are helping define its direction. IT Arena will bring them together to exchange experience, share ideas, and explore what comes next.
For security reasons, IT Arena 2026 will take place in an updated format. The exact event location will be announced to participants shortly before the event. The dates remain unchanged: September 25–27 and the conference will take place in Lviv.
“IT Arena is a unique space where, year after year, we see how technology in Ukraine and around the world is changing and evolving. In 2026, we will once again bring the tech community together. Despite the war, Ukraine’s IT industry continues to maintain its position in the global market and demonstrate its ability not only to adapt to change but also to set new directions — building products for Fortune 500 companies, testing solutions in real-world conditions, and setting standards that other countries later study,” says Mykhailo Lemak, CEO of Lviv IT Cluster.
The speaker lineup includes experts whose work is shaping global technology and investment markets. Barry M. Katz, IDEO Fellow and design historian, will explore how product teams that redefine entire industries think and work. Dan Tyre, Founder and CEO of Tyre Angel and HubSpot’s first salesperson, will share insights on building a sales organization capable of scaling a startup from zero to unicorn status. Aleksandra Balkova, General Partner at Startup Wise Guys and Founder of Ethix, will offer an investor’s perspective on what makes startups stand out to funds today. Oleksandr Kolb, Co-founder and General Partner at Toloka.VC, and Katherine Hill Ritchie, Senior Director of Venture Funds at TEDCO, will discuss how to build venture portfolios.
The Ukrainian government will be represented on stage by Oksana Ferchuk, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, who will speak about the Agentic State, and Natalia Denikeieva, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. Dominique Piotet, Managing Partner at Ukraine Phoenix Tech Fund, will share his perspective on investing in Ukraine’s recovery economy.
The current speaker lineup is available on the website and is updated regularly.
The IT Arena 2026 program is built around several key tracks. On the Business Stage, entrepreneurs, company founders, and government representatives will discuss global markets and strategic outsourcing. The Dev Stage will focus on engineering, including complex systems architecture, cloud solutions, and practical insights from CTOs at leading companies. The Product Stage will cover market research, product strategy, and expansion into new markets. The Innovation Stage will explore breakthrough technologies, investment, and innovation ecosystems.
As always, a dedicated track will feature participants in the Startup Competition, where teams will pitch their products to a jury, investors, and the media.
IT Arena 2026 will once again host the Startup Competition — Ukraine’s largest startup contest, and an entry point for teams looking to connect with leading investors.
The grant prize pool has already reached $65,000 and continues to grow. The first-place winner will receive $30,000, the second-place winner $20,000, and the third-place winner $10,000. An additional $5,000 special prize will go to the Startup Competition participant who wins the Tequila Night Batch competition by INNOVA.
For investors and conference participants, the Startup Competition is an opportunity to discover promising solutions in the early stages of their market journey. This year, the organizers will select 40 semifinalists, with six teams competing for the prize pool and attracting the attention of global VCs and investors. The competition’s investment fund currently stands at $12.5 million and continues to grow.
In addition to financial support, the winners will have the opportunity to connect with 150+ investors from Ukraine, Europe, the US, and the Middle East, as well as showcase their products at the Innovation Expo.
More details about the event are available on the website, where four types of tickets are offered, from Standard to Top Tier, with different levels of access to networking areas and services.
Companies planning to attend the conference as a team can receive special group ticket rates. Contact partnership@education.itcluster.lviv.ua for details.
Organizer: Lviv IT Cluster
Exclusive Government Partner: Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine
Exclusive Bank Partner: UKRSIBBANK
Exclusive Partners: Lviv Polytechnic National University, Lviv City Council, Google, EU4Innovation East
Gold Partners: N-iX, TAITRA, SoftServe, EPAM, Ukrainian Startup Fund, JETRO, Aleph, IITD, Crowdstrike, MISTO, Everstar, blago, EveryMatrix
General Media Partner: LIGA.net
The activity is organised by Lviv IT Cluster, with support from the EU4Innovation East project, funded by the European Union, co-funded by the French Government and implemented by Expertise France.
Media accreditation for the event is now open — applications can be submitted via the link and will be reviewed by the organizers.
Press office contact: pr@education.itcluster.lviv.ua
August 31, 2026, Lviv — Indeema, a company specializing in Connected Product Engineering, is launching a new educational initiative, “Indeema Teaches Hardware”. The program is designed for students, graduates, and currently employed IT specialists (who are considering a transition from related fields such as Software or Firmware) who potentially see themselves in the hardware development sphere.
Top-performing graduates will get the opportunity to join the company’s engineering team as Trainees upon completing the training.
From schematics to a finished device
Under the motto “Design and launch your first board”, participants will complete an intensive one-month course at the company’s Lviv office. Instead of lengthy theoretical lectures, the program utilizes a “Listen and Do” approach. This means full immersion in the process: from Schematics and PCB Layout design to physical assembly, launch, and debugging.
The main feature of the course is the combination of a strong academic foundation with the technical expertise of a real production environment. Each stage is accompanied by close collaboration with professors from the Faculty of Electronics and Computer Technologies at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, senior Indeema engineers, and the company’s CTO directly.
The selection process is deliberately stripped of standard resume requirements. Candidates for the program will primarily be considered based on their genuine desire to turn theory into a working device.
Key facts about Indeema Teaches Hardware:
About Indeema: Indeema is a Connected Product Engineering partner focused on developing smart IoT products. The company combines expertise in hardware, embedded development, cloud solutions, and artificial intelligence, with over 16 years of experience and more than 200 successfully completed projects. In accordance with its values, the company systematically invests in the development of the next generation of engineers through partnership, mentorship, and educational initiatives.
On August 18, Lviv IT Cluster, together with N-iX, handed over 10 laptops to Air Command West as part of the SKY project, which supports Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
The equipment will help address current needs and provide the technical capacity necessary for combat operations.
“Supporting Ukraine’s Armed Forces is one of the key areas of Lviv IT Cluster’s social responsibility efforts. Through Victory Projects, we systematically respond to the needs of Ukraine’s defenders and allocate resources where they can strengthen their capabilities. Our goal is to ensure that the tech community remains a reliable partner to the military,” says Mykhailo Lemak, CEO of Lviv IT Cluster.
For tech companies, this is also an opportunity to use their resources to strengthen Ukraine’s defense in practical ways.
“Supporting those who ensure our security every day is important to us. We joined the delivery of laptops to Air Command West to provide additional resources where we could make a practical contribution. Staying involved and being useful is our way of expressing our gratitude,” adds Natalia Solina, CSR Lead at N-iX.
The delivery of laptops is another example of cooperation between Ukraine’s tech business community and its Armed Forces. Through Victory Projects, Lviv IT Cluster has already directed more than UAH 179 million toward supporting Ukraine.
Ukrainian tech teams still have a chance to apply for the Startup Competition 2026, held as part of IT Arena — the largest technology event in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Applications are open until September 4, 2026.
This year, the organizers will select 40 semifinalists, with only six teams advancing to the final. The winners will be announced on September 26 on the main stage of IT Arena in Lviv.
The Startup Competition offers a prize pool of up to $65,000. More than 150 investors from Ukraine, Europe, the United States, and the Middle East will also take part, representing a combined investment portfolio of $12.5 million.
In addition to competing for grant funding, participants will have the opportunity to present their solutions to the international tech community and receive practical feedback from industry experts. Finalists will also be able to showcase their products in the Startup Expo Zone.
In addition to the Startup Competition, IT Arena 2026 will feature three Expo zones: Partner Expo, Startup Expo, and Made in Ukraine Showcase. These spaces will provide a platform for Ukrainian tech products to be presented to an international audience.
Applications for the Startup Competition can be submitted on the official IT Arena website.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.
According to data from the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), Ukraine’s IT services exports reached $567 million in July 2026. This is a 1.1% increase, or $6 million, compared to the previous month.
Compared to July 2025, IT services exports also increased by 2.2%, or $12 million.
“July results continue the positive trend in Ukraine’s IT exports. Despite prolonged global uncertainty and challenges within the country, the sector continues to maintain its position and strengthen its presence in international markets.
At the same time, stable results do not mean that the tech market itself remains unchanged. Companies are reassessing their approaches to work, restructuring their teams, looking for new growth opportunities, and adapting to global technology trends. That is why it is important to look beyond export revenues and understand what is driving these figures.
The second stage of IT Research Ukraine will launch soon, with a survey of CEOs and HR leaders of IT companies. Combined with the findings from the survey of IT professionals, the results will provide a comprehensive picture of the current state of Ukraine’s IT industry, help identify key challenges and trends, and assess the sector’s prospects for further growth,” says Yaryna Voznyak, Research Lead at Lviv IT Cluster.
Total export revenue from all services amounted to $1.468 billion in July 2026, an increase of 5.4%, or $75 million, compared to June 2026.
Computer services accounted for 38.6% of Ukraine’s total services exports in July 2026. This is 2.3% lower than in July 2025 and 1.6% lower than in June 2026.