Strengthening Strategic Partnership with JETRO – the Japan External Trade Organization

On January 29, the Lviv IT Cluster office hosted the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) representatives. During the meeting, we discussed the role of the tech industry in Ukraine’s wartime economy and the sector’s development prospects and presented key projects and initiatives of our association.

JETRO is dedicated to fostering trade and economic cooperation between Japan and other countries, attracting foreign investment, and strengthening business ties. In 2024, JETRO opened an office in Kyiv to deepen partnerships between Ukrainian and Japanese companies.

The delegation included Tomohiro Yoden, Deputy Director General of JETRO’s Warsaw office, and Osamu Taki, Director-General of the Overseas Business Development Department.

During the meeting, Yaryna Voznyak, Research Lead at Lviv IT Cluster, provided insights into the state of Ukraine’s tech industry in the third year of the full-scale war. She highlighted tech service export trends, specialists’ migration tendencies, and the current labor market landscape. Despite the challenges of war, the tech sector remains a cornerstone of Ukraine’s economy, generating significant foreign currency inflows. According to our IT Research Ukraine 2024 study, the tech industry contributes 4.4% to Ukraine’s GDP, with the industry’s total economic impact reaching $12.7 billion in 2023.

The Cluster team also showcased our key initiatives, which drive the development of Ukraine’s tech ecosystem and unlock new opportunities for tech specialists. In particular, we introduced CodeUA, a joint project between the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and Lviv IT Cluster. This initiative helps Ukrainian tech companies expand into global markets and highlights the strength and potential of the Ukrainian tech sector.

To foster the startup ecosystem and strengthen international connections, Lviv IT Cluster has also been organizing IT Arena, the largest tech conference in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, for the past 12 years. Each year, the event brings together top experts, innovators, and entrepreneurs from around the world, helping to attract substantial investment into Ukrainian startups.

Another key area of our work is enhancing tech education. We have been modernizing bachelor’s programs at leading Ukrainian universities for over nine years. In 2024, every second applicant for tech programs in Lviv region chose the Lviv IT Cluster-supported program. Additionally, we are developing a state-of-the-art Research Center in Lviv for engineering students, aimed at fostering new product development, including in deep tech fields.

“Our meeting with JETRO representatives was highly valuable. As Ukraine’s largest business association of tech companies, we are committed to strengthening strategic partnerships with international organizations. Today, we saw that JETRO shares this interest in fostering collaboration between Ukrainian and Japanese businesses and recognizes the potential of our tech sector. Despite the challenges of war, Ukraine’s tech industry continues to demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and the ability to drive economic growth. Together with the delegation, we explored potential areas of cooperation, and I am confident that today’s meeting marks an important step toward positive changes in the industry and the creation of a favorable business environment in Ukraine. We extend our gratitude to international guests for their visit and a productive discussion,” said Stepan Veselovskyi, CEO of Lviv IT Cluster.

Lviv IT Cluster actively works to ensure that Ukraine’s tech industry remains stable even in the most challenging conditions. Our association continues to grow, attract new companies, and launch crucial projects for the industry and the country. Today, we unite over 300 tech companies and more than 100,000 tech specialists.