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1. Kateryna, can you share your journey of arriving at Techosystem and becoming involved in the Ukrainian Tech Ecosystem?
My journey began when I worked at UkraineInvest, the government’s investment promotion office under the Cabinet of Ministers. One of our key sectors was tech, where we aimed to attract foreign direct investments. During that time, I got acquainted with key individuals at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, particularly Anton Melnyk, who introduced me to Oleksandr Yatsenko. Together, we started brainstorming the idea of creating a community or an entry point to support startups, scaleups, and the broader Ukrainian tech ecosystem.
Back then, one of the initiatives we launched in 2020 was the Ukrainian Tech Ecosystem Overview, a platform created for the ecosystem by its players with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation. This remains one of our flagship products, gathering information about key stakeholders — product and service companies, investors, and more — across the Ukrainian tech scene.
I was invited to become the Executive Director, and in 2022 we officially registered as a legal entity. In April 2023, we made our public launch under the Techosystem brand. Before my role at UkraineInvest, I was also involved in organising Ukraine House Davos in 2020 and 2022 after the full-scale invasion, serving as VIP Relations Manager and Operations Director. This experience provided invaluable insights into international relations and politico-economic processes.
2. The Ukrainian Tech Ecosystem is an online database of IT companies, people, investors, and the tech landscape. What are your goals for the next five years?
As I mentioned, the Ukrainian Tech Ecosystem is one of several projects we have at Techosystem. Now we are a part of the EIC consortium, Seeds of Bravery, which focuses on developing deep tech in Ukraine. Our role is to analyze the deep tech market and support the growth of deep tech startups.
Techosystem’s goal in the future is to integrate Ukrainian tech information with major global platforms like TechCrunch or Dealroom, to ensure Ukraine's tech potential is widely recognized. However, we understand this is a time- and resource-intensive task that will require patience and commitment.
In the next five years, we aim to continuously support the tech ecosystem by updating and expanding the Ukrainian Tech Ecosystem Overview and working closely with international partners to boost the global visibility of Ukraine’s tech industry.
3. Your Ukrainian Tech Ecosystem platform focuses primarily on universities, accelerators, and techno hubs. How do you see this focus shaping the future of tech advancement in Ukraine and globally?
Our primary focus as an organisation is actually on startups, scaleups, and investors, not only universities and accelerators. Currently, we have over 95 members in the Techosystem community, including startups and scaleups from sectors like defence tech, HR tech, edtech, and health tech. We are also expanding into other critical areas such as agri-food tech, energy, and environment tech, which are essential for Ukraine's future economic development.
We serve as a connector, bridging the gap between businesses, the government, and international markets. Ukraine has a unique advantage, particularly in defence tech, where many products are being tested and improved in real-time on the battlefield. We aspire for Ukraine to become a global hub for defence technology and dual-use solutions.
Over 20 partnerships have already been formed, and we are collaborating with major players such as the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the Ukrainian Startup Fund, IT Ukraine, and the Kharkiv IT Cluster. These collaborations, along with our growing member base, will drive the future of tech in Ukraine, both domestically and globally.
4. You have several partners, such as the Ukraine International Association[1] , supporting your future plans. What significant milestones are you aiming to accomplish in 2024 and beyond?
Techosystem operates like a blend of an NGO and a startup, with a strong focus on product development across various verticals. So far, we have 2 clusters and six active working groups, each with leaders overseeing edtech, HR tech, martech, health tech, defence tech and other domains.
The union was twice awarded the Union of the Year, by Ukrainian Startup Fund in 2023 and Innovation Development Fund in 2024, with over 70 projects successfully implemented during 2 years. More than 10 international delegations were organised, among which one of our achievements was co-organising Ukraine’s presence at global events like London Tech Week and Latitude59, strengthening our international ties.
Our institutionalisation process is ongoing, with committees and clusters adhering to democratic internal procedures. Each cluster has its own regulations and must implement at least three projects annually. There were also two committees and two product clusters established. By the first quarter of 2025, we plan to launch four new clusters to further enhance our capacity. Additionally, we are focusing on venture investments, education, data analytics, and international relations.
We are deeply grateful to our partners, including the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Startup Fund, the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund, and the Good Governance Fund, Abt and UK International Development. Their support enables us to drive transformative projects and elevate Ukraine’s presence on the global innovation stage.
5. What do you hope to achieve by collaborating with tech organisations in the UK?
The UK is a critical strategic partner for Ukraine, both politically and in the tech sector. For example, we organized the Ukrainian delegation at London Tech Week in 2023 and 2024, and will do our best to unite efforts for Ukraine to be represented in 2025. Many Ukrainian founders and startups are eager to expand into the UK market or incorporate there to attract investment.
We see specific verticals, such as Defense tech and Health tech, as areas with the potential for significant collaboration between Ukrainian and UK tech ecosystems. We've also begun dialogues with key organizations in the UK and hope to form partnerships that lead to new opportunities, joint conferences, and shared ventures.
6. To what do you attribute your success in your career?
I have always aimed for impactful work, something that goes beyond personal success and contributes to the greater good of Ukraine. My career has balanced between public and private sectors, allowing me to gain a deep understanding of both. I think the combination of curiosity, persistence, and hard work has driven my success. I thrive on challenges and crisis management, which is especially relevant given Ukraine’s current circumstances.
Growing up in the small town of Smila (Cherkasy region), in central Ukraine, I was always curious and driven by a desire for knowledge. At 15, I received a scholarship from the FLEX exchange program and studied in the United States. This experience, along with my degrees in translation, simultaneous interpreting and knowledge of five foreign languages, helped pave the way for an international career.
My past experiences — such as organising Ukraine House Davos, working at UkraineInvest to attract foreign investment in tech, and later launching and leading Techosystem for more than 2,5 years — have all shaped the path that led me to where I am today. Even though now I am taking a break for a year to become a mother, I will continue striving to make Ukraine a better country and to create an impact through my work at Ukrainian tech.