Key Achievements of Lviv IT Cluster in 2025

The year 2025 marked a period of active growth and scaling for the Lviv IT Cluster team. We introduced even more valuable products and services for tech companies, gained public and international recognition for our initiatives, united the tech community around supporting Ukrainian service members, and exceeded our own records from previous years.

We are sincerely grateful to everyone who contributed to our projects. Thanks to your support, we once again proved that even in times of the greatest challenges, together we are capable of strengthening the industry and reaching new heights.

See the results of our work in numbers below.

IT Arena 2025: Attracted a Record Number of Participants

On September 26–28, Ukraine’s largest technology conference, IT Arena, brought together entrepreneurs, investors, engineers, and startup founders at Arena Lviv Stadium. The event attracted over 6,450 participants from more than 40 countries worldwide — the highest attendance in the event’s history.

More than 230 top experts and thought leaders took the stage across five thematic tracks: Business, Technology, Product, Startup, and the newly introduced Defense Stage dedicated to defense technologies.

Participants also had the opportunity to visit four expo zones — Startup Expo, Defense Expo, Partner Expo, and this year’s new addition, the Made in Ukraine Showcase. Ukrainian companies developing products and services for the domestic market presented innovative solutions for agriculture, hospitality, healthcare, and education. A total of 120 exhibition booths were showcased at the conference.

IT Arena participants also enjoyed three evening networking events, including vibrant parties and a live performance by singer Jamala. Executive and Top Tier ticket holders had access to the Executive Lounge — a dedicated space for industry leaders to discuss key business topics in an informal setting.

The third day of the conference featured live discussions on business strategy and product development, hosted in popular cafés, restaurants, pubs, and hotels throughout Lviv’s city center. In total, participants could attend 51 meetups.

Traditionally, IT Arena also hosted Ukraine’s largest and most reputable battle of ambitious innovations — Startup Competition. This year, our team received a record 202 applications from startups around the world, including Warsaw, Berlin, Tallinn, Kaunas, Minnesota, Boston, Dundee, and even Hong Kong. Sixty of the most promising teams advanced to the semifinals and pitched their solutions in two categories: the general track and a special category for defense tech startups and cybersecurity projects. In 2025, the Startup Competition investment fund reached a record amount. Even before the finals, participating startups secured preliminary agreements with investors totaling $15,000,000.

Next year, Ukraine’s largest tech conference will take place abroad for the first time. We will meet in Warsaw on May 15–16 at IT Arena Warsaw, and traditionally reunite in Lviv on September 25–27.

Interested in becoming a partner? Contact Deputy Director of Lviv IT Cluster, Yurii Ohonovskyi: yurii.ohonovskyi@itcluster.lviv.ua.

IT Research Ukraine 2025: Conducted the Largest Study of the Tech Industry

In December, our analytics team presented the results of IT Research Ukraine 2025. This is the only comprehensive study of Ukraine’s tech industry during wartime, providing answers to critical questions through data. The report contains exclusive insights into industry dynamics, the talent market, changes in company and specialist revenues and expenses, migration trends, and economic expectations of IT market participants. The findings help companies make strategically sound and predictable business decisions.

The IT Research Ukraine 2025 report is available in both basic and extended versions, in Ukrainian and English. A shortened version is publicly available for download via the link.

The full version is available free of charge to employees of Lviv IT Cluster member companies — access it by completing the form via the link. Companies that are not members of the association may purchase the full report by submitting a request.

IT Research: Salary Report — Expanded Analytics and Professional Dialogue on Compensation

In 2025, the IT Research: Salary Report significantly expanded beyond its original salary analytics format. We added 24 new roles, including high-demand positions such as AI Engineering, engaged more than 30 companies in a partner initiative supported by KredoBank and Mastercard, and broadened the sample to include hardware companies and large product businesses. Prepared twice a year, the Salary Report has become an even more valuable tool for budgeting and informed compensation decisions in tech companies.

A key milestone this year was the first invite-only event — Compensation Trends & Pay Decisions Talks. Autumn Edition 2025. Participating companies discussed management decisions, salary trends, key challenges, and approaches shaping compensation strategies for 2026.

In 2026, we plan to further scale the number of project participants, including the expansion of the hardware segment, involvement of game development companies, and the advancement of professional discussion formats. A special focus will be on international presence — Salary Report. Poland | Autumn Edition 2026.

The Autumn Edition of IT Research: Salary Report 2025 is already available for purchase. To proceed, please complete the contact form via the link.

M&A Office: Delivered Comprehensive Solutions for Business Growth

In 2025, together with Wiseboard experts, we launched Ukraine’s first practical M&A Accelerator for IT companies. The program helps companies prepare for investment, strategic partnerships, or business sales. Designed for companies with teams of 20 to 150 employees or more, the initiative supports businesses considering partial or full exit within the next 12–24 months. Under the guidance of experienced professionals, participants go through all key stages of M&A preparation — from financial valuation to operational analysis. The M&A Ready Acceleration Program is also suitable for companies not yet planning a sale but aiming to increase market value, improve operational efficiency, or prepare for scaling.

In spring 2025, the M&A Office team officially closed its first deal: Ukrainian IT company TechMagic acquired the Polish Salesforce consultancy Hitteps. The acquisition will enable TechMagic to enhance its consulting services and create new jobs in Ukraine and Poland.

Learn more about M&A Office services and book a consultation via the link.

Legal Consulting: Provided Professional Legal Support for Tech Companies

This year, the Cluster’s legal team expanded its client portfolio. More than 20 companies began using our services on a subscription basis, while over 10 companies opted for on-demand legal support.

New specialists joined the team, strengthening expertise in legal consulting. We expanded our service offering, with a particular focus on Diia.City support and business criticality assessment. Today, our experts provide a full range of legal and financial consulting services: more than 120 companies use our services, including 50 long-term partners.

In addition to continuous legislative monitoring and participation in specialized working groups, the team actively develops the professional community. Over 100 webinars and expert meetings were held throughout the year.

To receive a consultation from the Legal Consulting team, contact Nestor Shvets: nestor.shvets@itcluster.lviv.ua.

CodeUA: Promoted the Ukrainian Tech Marketplace on the Global Stage

In 2025, the Ukrainian tech marketplace CodeUA received international recognition. The platform won a Silver Award in the Website and Web Design category at the A’ Design Award & Competition, one of the world’s most prestigious design awards. The website was recognized for its modern, intuitive interface and strong visual identity.

Additionally, CodeUA was shortlisted for the 29th Webby Awards, often referred to as “the Oscars of the digital world,” and ranked among the top five nominees in the Websites and Mobile Sites, Employment category.

Throughout the year, CodeUA was also presented across Europe and beyond at major international events, including Invest in Bravery Summit (Prague), We Make Future (Bologna), London Tech Week, Ukrainian Tech Night at VivaTech (Paris), New Zealand–Ukrainian Business Forum, as well as conferences in the United States and Bulgaria, webinars, and online exhibitions.

The CodeUA platform was jointly created by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and Lviv IT Cluster to help global companies easily find verified Ukrainian IT partners.

Join CodeUA via the link — registration is free.

IT Meets: Hosted a Series of One-Day Professional Events

This year, our team organized 9 professional IT Meets conferences, covering more than 5,340 kilometers across Ukraine. Events took place in three cities: 5 in Kyiv, 3 in Lviv, and 1 in Vinnytsia. Over 1,500 participants attended throughout the year.

A total of 113 speakers from diverse fields — business, technology, law, and civil society — delivered over 49 hours of high-quality content. Speakers included Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2022); Kateryna Chernohorenko, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine; and Sevhil Musaieva, Editor-in-Chief of Ukrainska Pravda.

Employees of member companies also gained exclusive free access to IT Meets events with prior registration.

To become an IT Meets partner in 2026, contact Yurii Ohonovskyi: yurii.ohonovskyi@itcluster.lviv.ua.

Founders’ Dialogue: Hosted a Series of Private Meetings for Industry Leaders

Throughout 2025, Lviv IT Cluster organized six closed-door Founders’ Dialogue meetings for company owners, founders, and CEOs — three in Lviv and three in Kyiv. More than 200 participants joined, with nearly half representing non-tech industries, fostering new cross-sector business partnerships.

Discussions focused on building successful products and resilient teams, making strategic decisions amid uncertainty, leadership effectiveness, integrating veterans into corporate teams, as well as topics like biohacking and longevity.

Guest speakers included Glovo co-founder Sacha Michaud, Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Reconstruction and Investment Oksana Markarova, business leader and founder of pomitni music label Iryna Horova, medical experts, and veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Each meeting concluded with high-quality networking and thematic activities such as golf, coffee workshops, or shooting range sessions.

For ideas or questions regarding Founders’ Dialogue, contact Viktoriia Fedorenko, Director of Business Development: viktoriia.fedorenko@itcluster.lviv.ua.

Scroll.media: Supported the Launch of an Online Media About Ukrainian Tech Business

At the beginning of the year, Lviv IT Cluster initiated the launch of Scroll.media, a new media outlet focused on the Ukrainian tech business. The project followed a non-traditional launch model — nearly 30 IT companies signed partnership agreements to support the initiative.

The editorial team is led by Illia Kabachynskyi. Scroll.media regularly publishes analytical and exclusive materials on technology business, startups, investments, legislation, marketing, recruitment, partnerships, and M&A deals. In less than a year, the platform reached over 70,000 article views.

To enhance your brand visibility through media presence, contact Illia Kabachynskyi: ik@scroll.media

Educational Initiatives: New Bachelor’s Programs and IT Future Fest

For the second consecutive year, half of all applicants to tech specialties in Lviv region chose educational programs developed by Lviv IT Cluster. Within the IT Expert project, we launched five new bachelor’s programs, two of them in Kyiv.

In partnership with the Kyiv Aviation Institute, we launched Intelligent Systems and Electronics programs — an important step toward modernizing technical education in the capital and developing in-demand engineering specialties.

Three additional programs — Computer Engineering, Virtual Reality, and Applied Mathematics and Informatics — were launched at Lviv Polytechnic National University, which ranked first nationwide by number of enrolled students in its specialty.

Currently, Lviv IT Cluster supports 24 bachelor’s programs across five universities in Lviv and Kyiv, with over 5,000 students enrolled.

To inspire young people to pursue careers in IT, in May 2025, our education team organized IT Future Fest  — the largest career-oriented IT event for students and high schoolers. More than 7,000 participants joined, including 3,000 offline. Representatives from 40 member companies, students, and educators participated.

During IT Arena 2025, we also hosted the Education Community Event, bringing together over 120 participants — university leaders, lecturers, program mentors, and company partners. Active contributors received special recognition as part of the Educational Lights awards.

Additionally, 26 new mentors of our educational community earned recognition for shaping the next generation of tech talent. Last year, they took on the role of mentors in our educational programs for the first time.

To join our educational initiatives, please contact Julia Tsymbala at julia.tsymbala@itcluster.lviv.ua.

IT Club Loyalty — Among the Top Mobile Solutions of the Year

The IT Club Loyalty mobile app became a finalist in the Best HR Mobile Application category at Mobile-First Award 2025, recognizing solutions that improve employee experience and automate HR processes.

The app provides access to Ukraine’s largest loyalty program for IT professionals, partnering with over 1,000 brands nationwide. In 2025 alone, we attracted 208 new partner brands and 5,230 new users. Today, the app is used by more than 35,000 specialists from over 300 tech companies.

This year, we also launched the Member2Members (M2M) section, available exclusively to Cluster member companies. It enables companies to exchange services within the association — from legal and financial consulting to technology products in software development, cybersecurity, AI, and more.

Would you like your company to fully experience the benefits and opportunities of the IT Club Loyalty program? Write to Iryna Skits: iryna.skits@itcluster.lviv.ua.

Victory Projects: Ensured Support for the Defense Forces of Ukraine

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Lviv IT Cluster has been systematically supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine within the Victory Projects initiative. During this time, together with member companies of our association, we have directed UAH 177,840,000 to strengthen the technological capacity of the Ukrainian army, create better conditions for our soldiers, and protect critical and civilian infrastructure from enemy attacks.

Thus, this year we provided tablets, photo recording devices, and network equipment to representatives of the 7th Carpathian Border Guard Detachment. The equipment will help units promptly detect enemy targets and respond quickly to threats. The total cost of the equipment is UAH 1,400,000. The transfer of equipment took place within the Guardian project of the Victory Projects initiative.

Also in 2025, we transferred 10 Starlink terminals to the 59th Separate Assault Brigade of Unmanned Systems named after Yakiv Handziuk, Battalion “Predators of the Heights,” with a total value of UAH 275,000. The equipment will help the military maintain stable communication in the combat zone and effectively manage unmanned systems operations. The equipment was transferred at the request of our member company Lionwood.software, whose employees are currently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

To protect Ukrainian skies from enemy missiles and drones, in September 2025, our team purchased a modern unmanned aerial system “ELF.” It was transferred to the Air Command “West” within the SKY project. Unlike a single drone, such a system enables full control of the flight and coordination of combat missions in real time. This will help to detect aerial threats in a timely manner, track the movement of enemy drones and missiles, and respond quickly to changes in the situation.

The cost of such a system exceeds UAH 4,000,000. It was purchased thanks to financial contributions from the companies Romexsoft, Linkup ST, Intellias, Devlight, CodeLions, CharStudio, Relevant Software, Indeema, DevCom, and EveryMatrix.

Additionally, with the assistance of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, in the summer we opened a training center for drone operators based on the Air Command “West.” Military personnel from different regions of Ukraine undergo basic training in operating reconnaissance drones, FPV drones, and modified unmanned systems for engaging aerial targets. Six workstations were equipped, and modern equipment was purchased for training. The total cost of all works exceeded UAH 7,355,000. The project was made possible thanks to the financial support of EveryMatrix.

Also this year, we completed the restoration of the building at 46 Konovalets Street. The building suffered significant damage from a Russian missile strike on Lviv in September 2024. As a socially responsible business, Lviv IT Cluster could not stay aside. Therefore, our team immediately responded to the Lviv City Council’s initiative “Take a Building Under Care” and undertook to bring life back to the building destroyed by the enemy.

The Cluster team took full responsibility for all stages of the work — from preparatory to emergency and restoration works. And by the end of August this year, nine families who had lost their homes were able to return to their apartments.

The project was implemented thanks to financial support from the Lviv IT Cluster’s charitable foundation and member companies, including Intellias, Avenga, Sombra, Linkup ST, Forbytes, Impressit, Relevant Software, PLVision, Embrox, CharStudio, Jappware, Deviark, Scimus, Simulmedia, in partnership with Kormotech and Enzym Group. Together, UAH 10.5 million was raised for the rebuilding.

Would you like to aid the Armed Forces of Ukraine? Join Lviv IT Cluster and support the Victory Projects initiative. For details, please contact Yurii Ohonovskyi at yurii.ohonovskyi@itcluster.lviv.ua.

Lviv IT Cluster continues to maintain its status as the largest association of tech companies in Ukraine, bringing together more than 300 members.