From Clusters to EU Markets: Kharkiv IT Cluster at IT Wave Odesa 2026

October 21, 2026

On October 9, IT Wave Odesa 2026: Build What Matters, a conference organized by Odesa IT Family, took place in Odesa. The event focused on the future of technology, business digitalization, leadership, and the development of international cooperation.

Olena Loienko, Deputy Director of Operations at Kharkiv IT Cluster, joined the panel discussion “From Clusters to EU Markets” alongside representatives of Odesa IT Family, Lviv IT Cluster, Ivano-Frankivsk IT Cluster, and the Regional Development Agency.

The panel focused on the presence of Ukrainian IT companies in European markets and the role clusters play in this process. We are sharing Kharkiv IT Cluster’s experience and the key takeaways from the discussion.

Intercluster Cooperation to Access European Markets

Entering international markets and representing Ukraine’s technology sector abroad require systematic efforts that are difficult for individual companies to achieve on their own.

Tech Synergy was established to address these challenges. It is an alliance of technology clusters and communities created under the leadership of Kharkiv IT Cluster and IT Association Vinnytsia. Today, it brings together 24 regional technology clusters.

Its main objectives are to establish a unified voice for Ukraine’s technology sector and create greater value for member companies.

The Trading House as a Practical Tool

One of the projects launched within Tech Synergy is the Trading House. It provides collective services in cooperation with clusters and helps companies:

• Enter local markets and attract new clients;
• Prepare for international exhibitions and business missions;
• Engage in structured B2B matchmaking.

A joint presence at global industry events delivers significantly better results in negotiations and contract acquisition than individual efforts.

Each regional cluster is a strong institution in its own right. However, it is through consolidated efforts that the technology sector can be strengthened more effectively and Ukraine’s IT industry can be represented internationally with confidence.

The next step in putting this approach into practice will be joint participation in ReBuild Ukraine 2026, an international exhibition and conference taking place in Warsaw on November 12–13. Together with its partners, Kharkiv IT Cluster is assembling a business delegation to showcase Ukrainian IT solutions.

Learn more about the exhibition and join the delegation via the link.

We thank Odesa IT Family for the excellent organization of the event, warm hospitality, and an open space for exploring solutions that truly matter for Ukraine’s IT industry!

The IT Wave Odesa 2026 conference was co-financed with the support of the international cooperation programme STEP IN 2 EU, co-financed by the Governments of Germany and Norway, the European Union under the EU4Business initiative, as well as the Governments of Lithuania and Estonia. The programme is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.