History

2015-2016

Kharkiv IT Cluster focuses on building the IT community, protecting and establishing international relations.

Main achievements of 2015-2016:

• a powerful system of legal practice and advocacy was created to protect local IT companies from unlawful actions of law enforcement agencies
• the US and Canada removed the "risk zone" label and resumed air traffic by building strong ties with embassies
• a platform for networking and experience exchange in the community was built.

2017-2018

Thanks to the neutralisation of risks, Kharkiv IT Cluster begins its rapid development. It positions and consolidates the brand of Kharkiv as a leading IT location.

Key achievements of 2017-2018:

• the first Kharkiv IT research 2018 was held - a large-scale study of the Kharkiv IT industry for 400+ representatives of C-level IT companies in the region, business and government.
• more than 300 events were organised and held, with a total coverage of more than 100 thousand people

2019

Kharkiv IT Cluster already has more than 50 companies and 7 thousand specialists, and projects are scaling up in terms of impact and reach.

The main achievements of 2019:

• IT Loyalty programme with value-added services for Kharkiv IT Cluster member companies was launched
• C-level networking platform - CEO club by Kharkiv IT Cluster, as well as specialised communities PR&Communications, Infrastructure&Smart city, Legal&Finance - were launched

2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine, Kharkiv IT Cluster unites Kharkiv IT companies to help society and support the future of the IT industry

Main achievements of 2020:

• the Cluster initiates the IT4Life project, which later turns into a charity fund, which, thanks to Kharkiv IT companies, raised more than UAH 6 million for medical equipment and protective equipment
• On 28 January, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Yevhen Stadnyi met with the Kharkiv IT Cluster Education Committee, heads of Kharkiv higher education institutions, business representatives, and employers in Kharkiv.

2021

Kharkiv IT Cluster is gaining momentum and is actively implementing projects in the main areas: education, government relations, city PR, IT community, office and residential infrastructure, and Smart City

Main achievements of 2021:

• Kharkiv IT Cluster held the B2B event IT Forum Latvia;
• a web portal for applicants was launched - a Digital Assistant for Ukrainian graduates of grades 9-11 and their parents to facilitate the choice of IT specialities at a particular faculty or college;
• in September 2021, Kharkiv IT Cluster conducted a large-scale study Kharkiv IT Research 2021, which showed the growth of the industry in the region.
• in October, Kharkiv IT Cluster takes part in a series of closed online events for European organisations that promote innovation and share their experience. At the first EU4Digital ICT Innovation meeting, participants analysed the main missions and visions of ecosystem development and their implementation at different stages on the example of European countries.
• in November, launches the IT Disciplines Certification project to improve public IT education, which aims to update the content of 43 IT disciplines with the help of IT business representatives.
• actively participates in the dialogue on the implementation of Diia City, making proposals for improving the regime.

2022

Kharkiv IT Cluster community companies demonstrate resilience and indomitability. This is the year when Kharkiv IT Cluster reached the national level and created new partnerships with regions to support companies that temporarily relocated outside Kharkiv.

The main achievements of 2022:

• 15 thousand people — IT professionals, their families, and pets — were evacuated to other cities of Ukraine and European cities;
• a guide on how to keep your phone safe during the war, Protect Your Digital Space - How to Keep Your Phone Safe, was developed.
• Kharkiv IT Cluster, together with the IT Ukraine Association and other Ukrainian IT clusters, conducted a study of the Ukrainian IT business during the war;
• despite the hostilities and blackouts, in 2022 Kharkiv IT Cluster engaged universities, colleges and schools from more than 15 regions in cooperation. More than 300 free educational events were held online and offline with more than 19 thousand participants.
• In 2022, Kharkiv IT Cluster welcomed more than 50 new IT companies as members, most of which have lost their clear geographical boundaries but have not lost their roots in Kharkiv
• Kharkiv IT Cluster is the only Ukrainian IT association to officially become part of the EEN Consortium, the world's largest support network for small and medium-sized companies with international ambitions.

2023

The Kharkiv IT Cluster community has expanded around the world, rapidly expanding opportunities and focusing Kharkiv IT Cluster on global challenges.

The main achievements of 2023:

• Kharkiv IT Cluster joined the regional forum "EDUCATION. SCIENCE. BUSINESS" regional forum to address the urgent challenges of innovative recovery of Kharkiv and Ukraine.
• In May, Kharkiv IT Cluster, led by Olga Shapoval, took part in the Tech Industry strategic session of the USAID Competitive Economy of Ukraine project to discuss support for the IT industry and its development despite challenges and to build potential hypotheses and project ideas.
• The Cluster took part in the Forum of the Coalition of Business Communities dedicated to the formation of a common business position on the principles of Ukraine's reconstruction.
• The Kharkiv IT Cluster community took part in the Strategic Session on the vision of human capital and education in the IT industry in Kharkiv to jointly determine the current state of the IT industry, predict its future, and create a strategic plan for its further development.
• On 8 September 2023, the Kharkiv IT Cluster team and members met at the General Meeting 2023 simultaneously in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Lviv and online. The meeting summed up the results of the first half of 2023 and discussed the immediate plans.
• In 2023, Kharkiv IT Cluster, with the support of the USAID Competitive Economy of Ukraine Program, implemented the IT Cluster in the Cloud project to provide support and cluster services to all IT companies interested in surviving and growing in uncertain times. The project has consolidated more than 600 IT companies and associates united by values rather than geography.
• In September, Kharkiv IT Cluster presented the results of the pilot of the IT Disciplines Certification System project, which was launched in October 2021, but due to the outbreak of war, was put on hold until February 2023. 
• Kharkiv IT Cluster initiated the Education Committee 2023, which brought together university and college professors of technical disciplines, representatives of IT companies, teachers, and students to discuss current challenges in technical education and find answers to them.
• On 2 December, the largest networking event in the Kharkiv IT Cluster community took place — the Annual General Meeting by Kharkiv IT Cluster!
• In December, Kharkiv IT Cluster Executive Director Olga Shapoval and Director of the Kharkiv Regional Small Academy of Sciences of the Kharkiv Regional Council Victoria Lunina signed a cooperation agreement between Kharkiv IT Cluster and the Kharkiv Regional Small Academy of Sciences.
• On 27 December, Kharkiv IT Cluster signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The aim of the cooperation is to promote positive changes in education and science, research and innovation.
• Kharkiv IT Cluster ended 2023 by signing a memorandum of cooperation with the Scientific Association of Cybersecurity of Ukraine.

2024 

The Kharkiv IT Cluster community is rapidly expanding its capabilities and focusing on global challenges.

The main achievements of 2024:

• The Kharkiv IT Cluster leadership consortium, together with KhAI, NURE, the Reforms Delivery Office, and Business Hub Kharkiv, took first place in the National Selection for the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) network under the EU's Digital Europe programme. 
• IT Ukraine Association, Kharkiv IT Cluster, and Lviv IT Cluster issued a consolidated position of the tech industry on the draft law No. 10449 of 30.01.2024 "On Mobilisation".
• On 15 February 2024, the Kharkiv IT Cluster community and the team of the Ministry of Digital Transformation met offline in Kharkiv to discuss problematic issues of the industry: booking, travelling abroad, Diia.City and startup development.
• The long-awaited meeting of young people with the team of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine took place in Kharkiv to discuss the potential of Kharkiv region in the digital sphere.
• Kharkiv IT Cluster and the University of Customs joined forces by signing a Memorandum of Cooperation to strengthen the innovative educational environment in the region.

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