Future of Ukraine. How Kharkiv IT Cluster sees it

01 June 2023 y.

On May 30, Olga Shapoval, Executive Director of Kharkiv IT Cluster, took part in the civil society forum «Shapes of the Future: Victory, Recovery and Modernization of Ukraine». Ms. Olga spoke at the panel discussion «Civil Society and Business: Cooperation for Economic Modernization». The goal of the Forum is to unite and coordinate civil society in developing a joint action plan for Victory and Recovery. Moderator of the meeting: Andrii Dligach, Chairman of the Board of the Coalition of Business Communities for the Modernization of Ukraine, Head of the Civil Society Voice Project, Professor at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Speakers of the panel discussion: 👤 Olga Shapoval, Executive Director of Kharkiv IT Cluster 👤 Igor Liski, Founder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Effective Investments Group (EFI Group), co-founder of the Ukrainian Institute for the Future 👤 Sergiy Poznyak, Owner and CEO of FGK Financial Group, Chairman of the Association of ATO Veterans 👤 Alyona Kalibaba, co-founder of SILab Ukraine 👤 Kyrylo Kryvolap, co-founder of the Center for Economic Recovery, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Ukraine How do you see the future of Ukraine?

«The Ukraine of the future is about values — about freedom and unity. These two human virtues are the foundation on which our country's economic capacity and independence should be built, and people are the key capital, not a resource, that will be the driving force of Ukraine! Such a country will have sustainable development and will have a future.»

In addition, Olga Shapoval and her fellow panelists discussed several important issues at the meeting:

📌 how the war affects the state of the Ukrainian economy; 📌 why it is not fashionable and prestigious to be an entrepreneur today; 📌 how much does Ukraine need economic education; 📌 whether civil society can be part of the country's economic metasystem, or is it destined to be an «eternal» controller and stand aside.

What does Kharkiv IT Cluster think about the future of the city?

«The IT community wants to return to its native Kharkiv as soon as possible and is doing everything for this — IT professionals regularly support the city. For example, in pre-war 2021, the community donated more than UAH 500 million to implement various social projects in the city, and in 2022, more than UAH 1 billion was raised for humanitarian, social, and military needs, and this does not include personal volunteer initiatives of IT companies and their specialists,» says Olga Shapoval.

Only we can change our country and our city for the better if we take responsibility for something specific and act. Foreign investors and donors can help us, but they will not do it for us. The future of our country is in our hands — the hands of the society that lives in this country, that is the future of this country.

«There is no need to wait for some mythical «after the war», we need to start rebuilding a new Ukraine now,» Olga Shapoval quoted.

Join the progressive community of the Kharkiv IT Cluster — become a part of big changes! Let's build the country of the future together!