IT Arena

The first all-Ukrainian summit by IT Arena 📢 Looking for a way to expand your professional network? Join the Ukrainian Outsourcing Summit, an event for CEOs, top managers, and owners of service tech companies. Why you should participate: 💡Insights for data-driven decisions: Be among the first to learn the results of IT Research Ukraine, the Lviv IT Cluster’s study on the state of the tech market in the third year of the war. 🌍 International opportunities: Gain the tools you need to enter global markets and adapt your business during a crisis. 🤝 Exclusive partnerships: The event will bring together business leaders, donors, and representatives from the government and financial sectors. 🔧 Innovations: Don’t miss the official launch of a unique tool to support tech businesses. 📅 When: 21 November 📍 Where: Kyiv, InterContinental Join the dialogue between business and government, meet new people, and build strong business connections. ⚡Buy early bird tickets until November 1 at outsourcingsummit.com.ua

🥈Today, let us introduce you to the runner-up of the #itarena2024 Startup Competition: Bliss Brain. This startup focuses on mental health and creates personalized meditations using AI. The team was awarded $10,000 in prize money and received an invitation to the Investment Committee of Startup Wise Guys, where they could secure potential investments of up to €100,000. 🌏The startup was presented on stage by Sasha Khabchuk, CMO & CPO of the startup, who has over eight years of experience in marketing and market entry strategies in EMEA and APAC, gained during her time at Google. 🧘The founder, Vladyslav Klymenko, previously led the development team for the Health & Fitness product BetterMe. He was inspired to create the startup by his personal story. When the war began, he was in Lviv while his parents were in Mariupol, and he had very little contact with them. Meditation helped him cope with the immense stress he was experiencing, but he found that the available meditations were too generic and didn’t consider individual contexts. This realization sparked the idea of creating personalized meditations. Swipe through the carousel to read our brief interview with Vladyslav Klymenko, the founder of Bliss Brain, to learn more about the team's values 🧭

🚀 For the first time in its history, #itarena2024 hosted a cybersecurity workshop with a Capture the Flag competition. Participants immersed themselves in a real-world simulation of a cyberattack on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Divided into five teams, they tackled the challenge of “Threat Hunting,» identifying vulnerabilities and solving complex tasks that mirrored real-life APT attacks. Each team raced against the clock, capturing “flags” to piece together the complete picture of the attack while learning effective response strategies for future threats. 💻 Throughout the workshop, participants enhanced their teamwork, analyzed real-time attack data, and tracked their performance on a live dashboard. This hands-on experience sharpened their cybersecurity skills and provided valuable insights into proactive defense strategies. Speakers: 🔹 Dr. Yegor Aushev, CEO and co-founder of Cyber Unit Technologies 🔹 Rostyslav Kondryk, COO of Cyber Unit Technologies and Koryos Investment Fund 🔹 Iryna Supruniuk, COO of the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum, co-founder of the Defense Innovation Highway. Hosted in partnership with the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum (KIRCF), this workshop delivered valuable takeaways for Blue Team Analysts, Cybersecurity Engineers, and Cyber Defense professionals 🌐💡

🥇Meet the outstanding winner of #itarena2024 Startup Competition 2024 – eXtra Vision | augmented reality in surgery! This AR application for neurosurgeons uses AI and ML for preoperative planning. Along with securing first place, the startup received $15,000 and an invitation to the Investment Committee of Startup Wise Guys, with potential investments of up to €100,000. 🔍The AR glasses app enables users to view human anatomy hidden beneath the skull, skeleton, and skin – structures invisible to the naked eye. Since the spring of 2024, the creators have actively engaged neurosurgeons in Ukraine. Over 120 surgeries have been performed using the app, and it currently has more than 30 active users. This startup is driving innovation in medical technology, and we’re excited that the Startup Competition helps support such groundbreaking projects. Read the interview with the startup’s Co-Founder and CEO Vladyslav Kalyuzhka in the carousel to learn about eXtra Vision’s journey ⏩

IT Arena 2024 placed a special focus on the development of defense technologies in Ukraine and globally, making it a key theme of this year’s event 💫 For the first time, attendees had the opportunity to visit the exclusive Defense Expo, companies showcased a wide range of solutions aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s security and defense capabilities. The expo featured 25 cutting-edge innovations designed to enhance the efficiency of military units, including: ✔️UAVs ✔️Electronic intelligence and warfare systems (SIGINT/EW) ✔️Ground-based missile systems ✔️Laser guidance systems ✔️Autonomous maritime drones ✔️Military software ✔️Light military vehicles The expo provided a crucial platform for sharing expertise, addressing current security challenges, and showcasing state-of-the-art developments that enhance Ukraine’s defense capabilities. IT Arena 2024 also debuted the Defense Stage, a dedicated space for leading industry speakers to explore global and local defense trends, challenges, and opportunities. Defense startups had the chance to connect with mentors, gain valuable insights, and accelerate their growth through expert guidance 💫

🌟 IT Arena 2024: A Recap of Startup Competition During two thrilling days of competition, #itarena2024 Startup Competition participants impressed the jury with groundbreaking innovations in fields such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, logistics, social development, mental health, and more. Each startup had just 7 minutes to make their case to a jury of international tech leaders and investors. 🏆 General Category Winners: 🥇1st place: eXtra Vision | augmented reality in surgery – $15,000 for an AI-powered app that transforms CT and MRI scans into 3D models for surgery assistance. 🥈2nd place: Bliss Brain – $10,000 for a personalized meditation app. 🥉3rd place: Aspichi Luminify – $5,000 for a VR tool assisting psychotherapists. 🏆 Defense Category Winners: 🥇1st place: Oko Camera – $15,000 for thermal cameras designed for drones. 🥈2nd place: Vidar Systems – $10,000 for artillery-detecting acoustic tech. 🥉3rd place: NORDA Dynamics – $5,000 for autonomous piloting systems for UAVs. With an $85,000 prize fund and $1.5 million in investments, these startups are ready to take off! 🚀 Swipe through to relive the highlights, and check out our blog for more details. Link in the comments.

IT Arena 2024 wrapped up successfully, and we’re excited to share some great news! Another important industry event is on the horizon that will, for the first time, bring together service businesses and government representatives. 🚀 Ukrainian Outsourcing Summit – the first event for C-level executives in the Ukrainian tech industry, organized by IT Arena! 🔹 When: November 21, 2024 🔹 Where: InterContinental, Kyiv The event will bring together business leaders, government officials, investors, and media to discuss the most pressing industry topics. 🎯 Get access to the latest market research and industry analytics. 🎯 Be part of the exclusive presentation of a new platform for market development and expansion. 🎯 Don’t miss out on unique networking opportunities with top industry players Mark the date in your calendar and join the leaders of Ukrainian tech at the Ukrainian Outsourcing Summit 2024. Buy your early bird tickets by November 1 at outsourcingsummit.com.ua for the best price available!

🎟 While you’re anticipating #itarena2025, grab your tickets to the Ukrainian Outsourcing Summit now! Gain valuable insights and make new connections to influence the industry’s future. Join discussions with tech company CEOs, representatives from tech clusters, and government agencies, the financial sector, and donor organizations — all coming together at InterContinental, Kyiv on November 21 to build new partnerships and valuable connections. Top speakers will delve into the future of collaboration between government and businesses, exploring new markets, economic forecasts, and growth opportunities for companies: ✔️ Alex Bornyakov, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine ✔️ Kateryna Chernohorenko, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformation, and Digitization ✔️ Pavlo Sheremeta, Economist, Founder of the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School ✔️ Vitalii Portnikov, Publicist, Writer, Journalist ✔️ Evgeny Zaigraiev, Chief Corporate and SME Business Officer, Management Board member, PrivatBank among others. Get your early bird tickets by November 1 at outsourcingsummit.com.ua 👩🏻💻

This year’s IT Arena 2024 was packed with groundbreaking topics, record number of attendees and investments, and cutting-edge innovations. From the rise of AI technologies to the crucial discussions on cybersecurity and defense tech, the event brought together the brightest minds from across the globe. The impact? Game-changing insights, six figure investments, and the biggest Startup Competition in IT Arena’s history. Here’s a glimpse into the key moments that shaped this year’s event 🔥 Swipe through the carousel for a closer look at #itarena2024. The full story is already on our blog at itarena.ua 👩🏻💻

A huge thank you to our amazing media partners this year! 🔥 ⚡️ AIN – A leading Ukrainian tech media outlet, AIN keeps us updated on the latest news about startups, venture capital, and M&A deals across the CEE region, with a special focus on Ukraine. ⚡️ SPEKA – A dynamic editorial team that delivers daily updates on tech, business, artificial intelligence, and groundbreaking innovations that contribute to our defense efforts. ⚡️ VECTOR – A non-boring media platform focused on the creative economy, offering fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. ⚡️ Calibrated – A Ukrainian communications agency with a global reach, specializing in advocacy and communications for resilience technologies, cybersecurity, and the public sector. ⚡️ Army TV – The official military television channel, showing the world the true realities of our resistance. Made by the military, for the military, and about the military. Thank you for your support and fruitful cooperation 🤝🏻