Mykhailo Lemak Steps Down as CEO of Lviv IT Cluster: Pavlo Kartashov to Take Over

Due to health reasons, Mykhailo Lemak has decided to step down as CEO of Lviv IT Cluster. He informed the Supervisory Board, the team, and the Cluster community of his decision. During his tenure, the organization implemented all projects and events planned for 2026 and initiated the development of a new strategy for the community. The Supervisory Board has already approved the appointment of a new CEO, who will assume his responsibilities on November 16.

Mykhailo Lemak became CEO of Lviv IT Cluster on July 8, 2026. Prior to his appointment, he served in the military and defended Ukraine on the front lines during the full-scale invasion.

“This was not an easy decision for me. The organization is currently undergoing an important transformation, and implementing everything we have planned requires someone who can devote their full attention to the role. Given my current circumstances, I am unable to provide the level of involvement, flexibility, and pace of work that this position demands. This is my decision, and I believe the responsible thing to do is to ensure a smooth and thorough handover of all ongoing initiatives to the new CEO. At the same time, I remain confident in the Cluster’s capabilities and the continued development of the entire community. I am grateful to the team and member companies for our work together,” comments Mykhailo Lemak.

Despite his relatively short tenure as CEO, Mykhailo Lemak, together with the Cluster community and its partners, held a strategy session to define new organizational priorities, reviewed internal processes and project effectiveness, and worked with the team to implement all activities and events planned for the year.

In September, the Cluster organized IT Arena for the 13th time — Ukraine’s largest technology conference. For the first time, the event featured a fundraising campaign in partnership with the Come Back Alive Foundation. The team also organized several events in Ukraine and Poland for the international community and partners, while continuing to strengthen connections across the technology sector. During this period, new companies continued to join Lviv IT Cluster, and team representatives participated in international forums focused on Ukraine’s recovery, integration, and international cooperation. The Cluster is currently conducting IT Research Ukraine 2026, its large-scale study of Ukraine’s IT industry, now in its 11th consecutive year. The results are expected to be published in December.

“We regret that our cooperation with Mykhailo is coming to an early end, as it has been a strong example of effective collaboration between a CEO and the Supervisory Board. At the same time, we respect and understand his decision. What matters most to us is that during this period, we were able to retain the team, carry out the necessary strategic and operational work, and ensure the implementation of our planned initiatives.

This once again demonstrates that Lviv IT Cluster is an institution built on a strong team, established procedures, and collective governance, rather than dependence on any single individual. A change in leadership does not mean suspending or reconsidering all the plans already developed. On the contrary, we have a solid foundation for moving forward consistently,” says Sviatoslav Kavetskyi, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Lviv IT Cluster.

Sviatoslav Kavetskyi, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, announced that Pavlo Kartashov will become CEO of Lviv IT Cluster effective November 16. Kartashov is a well-known figure in Ukraine’s technology community, particularly for his leadership of the Ukrainian Startup Fund (USF). His candidacy had previously been considered during an earlier selection process for the CEO position.

“Mykhailo informed the Supervisory Board of his intention to step down well in advance, giving us sufficient time to prepare and complete all the necessary procedures for appointing a new CEO. This allowed the Supervisory Board to focus on selecting the next leader and ensuring an effective transition of responsibilities.

We are confident that Pavlo Kartashov has the expertise and leadership qualities needed to successfully continue the changes initiated by Mykhailo and address the challenges ahead,” says Sviatoslav Kavetskyi, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Lviv IT Cluster.

Pavlo Kartashov is an executive with more than 20 years of experience in public administration, international cooperation, innovation development, and investment attraction. From 2018 to 2024, he headed the Ukrainian Startup Fund, where he helped build a support system for technology entrepreneurship, attracted international funding, and developed strategic partnerships. 

His key achievements include establishing the BRAVE1 defense technology platform, implementing the Seeds of Bravery project under the European Innovation Council initiative, and promoting Ukrainian startups at major international technology events, including Web Summit, CES, and VivaTech.

He subsequently served as an adviser on economic affairs, technology, and innovation at the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States. He also held the position of Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, where his responsibilities included investment policy, the green transformation of the economy, and international cooperation.

Most recently, he served as Co-Head of the Ukrainian Climate Office, focusing on climate policy, industrial decarbonization, European integration, and attracting financing for Ukraine’s green recovery.

About Lviv IT Cluster

Founded in 2012, Lviv IT Cluster is currently Ukraine’s largest business association, bringing together 300 companies and startups and representing a community of more than 100,000 IT professionals.

Lviv IT Cluster works to create a favorable business environment by improving the quality of education, developing talent, providing comprehensive support to technology companies, and advocating for the interests of Ukraine’s IT industry.