On October 16, the European Business Association, in partnership with Global Business for Ukraine and Diia.City.Union, held the Ukraine Tech Conference, dedicated to the development of the IT industry in Ukraine. The event brought together business and government representatives to discuss topics such as the state’s digitalization strategy, fostering dialogue between the government and businesses, the role of innovative solutions, the future of the IT industry, and the importance of technology in education.
Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science, and Technology Development and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, addressed the conference participants via video call with a welcome speech. He emphasized the importance of digital transformation not only at the state level but also for every individual. Fedorov assured that his team is committed to their mission of creating a convenient and innovative state for Ukrainians and businesses.
Oleksandr Yarema, State Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, highlighted the IT industry as a valuable asset for the country. He stressed the importance of cooperation between businesses and the state in the field of technology, noting that this collaboration has helped, continues to help, and will help Ukraine endure in this war.
Panel: “Ukrainian Tech Industry: Current State and Future Challenges. Government’s Digital Strategy”
During this panel, participants discussed the performance of digital platforms, specific pain points, and global challenges faced by both the state and businesses when implementing digital solutions.
Oleksandr Tsybort, Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation at the Ministry of Economy, announced the strategy for integrating AI into the Ministry’s work. He also urged business representatives to use the government platform pulse.gov.ua to vote on priority issues, leave feedback on government services, and seek help in resolving issues in their interactions with the state, should they arise.
According to Kateryna Chernohorenko, Deputy Minister of Defence for Digital Development, Digital Transformation, and Digitalization, every person in a digital state should have access to public services online. Today, “Reserv+” is the most widely used digital product of the Ministry of Defence, accessible to the public with 3.5 million users, equivalent to the population of three major cities.
Nataliya Denikeieva, Director of the IT Industry Development Directorate at the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Head of the Diia.City Project Office emphasized that the development of technology is a matter of Ukraine’s resilience and defence capability. Therefore, one of her team’s key goals is to attract investment into the IT industry and expand areas critical to the country.
Panel: “Next Generation IT: Prospects, Best Practices, Tools”
Experts shared their vision of Ukraine’s future after the full-scale war and discussed revolutionary IT solutions such as artificial intelligence, cloud services, and digital assistants, and the threats they may pose.
Sergiy Zagorulko, Deputy Chairman of the Board and CIO at UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group highlighted the importance of investing in the IT sector to support and develop the state. He noted that everyone must now ask themselves, “What will happen to me and my business if the war ends tomorrow?”
Victor Shalnev, CEO of NIX, believes that military tech should be a priority and that everyone should invest in it. He also identified quantum computing and neurotechnology as promising fields.
In turn, Yuriy Antoniuk, Vice President and Head of EPAM in Central and Eastern Europe, emphasized that turning Ukraine into a semiconductor hub is a realistic goal because the country has the talent and material base to develop this field. This is an industry that merges the digital and physical worlds.
Leonid Polupan, Managing Director of Microsoft in Ukraine and the Baltic States shared statistics on cyberattacks against Ukrainian organizations during the war. He noted that only 9% of attacks targeted defence enterprises, with the remainder directed at other sectors. Today, cyberattacks are no longer sporadic but ongoing. Companies must operate under the assumption that they are under attack and be prepared to assess the impact and recovery time.
Panel: “Education as an Integral Part of the Technological Future”
Participants discussed the role of education and science in Ukraine’s national security. Speakers offered their visions for the development of Ukrainian education and science and shared best practices for fostering collaboration between academia and business.
Taras Kytsmei, Co-Founder and Board Member of SoftServe, highlighted the role of private universities and the need to develop education tailored to modern challenges. He argued that education must meet both the emotional and intellectual needs of students and that Ukrainian educators should be integrated into global science.
Denys Kurbatov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, stressed that one of the Ministry’s key priorities is to make science more applied so that its results can be implemented in the real economy. Without close collaboration with businesses, this is impossible.
Tymofiy Mylovanov noted that education is a business where competition is inevitable. Today, the education sector needs money, leaders, and supervisory boards that have the authority to determine who will manage, just as in business.
Anton Basystyi IT Committee Manager at the European Business Association
Today, the IT sector′s share of Ukraine′s GDP is approaching 5%, demonstrating that the IT industry is not just important but strategically critical to our economy and future. This would not have been possible without our defenders on the battlefield and every one of you—the business community—who, despite all the challenges, are doing everything possible to strengthen the country′s economy. Thanks to this, Ukraine′s IT sector remains competitive on the global tech scene and retains its potential.
We thank the speakers for their insights and fruitful discussions on the future of IT and Ukraine. Special thanks to the conference partners: Mastercard, UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group, NIX, Payoneer, Coca-Cola HBC Ukraine, Jack Daniels, and our media partners: DOU, Speka, Global Compact Network Ukraine, and Technosystem.
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