In less than a month, Lviv will host Ukraine’s largest English-language tech event, IT Arena. For three days, from September 29th to October 1st, Lviv will become the heart of Ukrainian tech, covering everything from the latest tech developments and AI startups to new business opportunities, product insights, and valuable networking.
Present reality shapes the future of Ukrainian tech business
This year’s IT Arena speakers will focus on the challenges facing the Ukrainian tech industry and seek solutions to help Ukrainian tech companies grow and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery.
That’s why many talks will focus on new opportunities for Ukrainian tech, including entering the Asian market. Countries in this region are growing rapidly, and IT Arena will unveil the details of a successful strategy that will help Ukrainian companies break into Asian markets. Laurent Dupuch, CEO of UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group, along with panel participants, will delve into obstacles and prospects for Ukrainian businesses during times of war.
Patrick Burt, the former mayor of Palo Alto, will share his experience in transforming a city into a tech oasis and, along with Andriy Sadovyi, the mayor of Lviv, explore ways to turn the city into a globally renowned technological center.
This process is difficult to imagine without AI technologies. Svitlana Siсular, who is at the forefront of research in responsible AI, will talk about the significance of ChatGPT and generative AI for companies. Executive Director of the Berkeley Fisher Center, Gauthier Vasseur, will share his insights on how generative AI is revolutionizing business analytics.
However, according to Dave Morgan, CEO and founder of Simulmedia, it will not be only AI technologies that shape the near future.
“The ad industry is set to go through an enormous transformation over the next few years, and there’s no question Ukraine developers, companies and entrepreneurs can play a big part in it,” says Dave Morgan. At IT Arena, he will discuss the directions in which advertising is booming and present his unique roadmap for Ukraine’s progress in this field.
IT Arena 2023 will pay tribute to the last decade of Ukrainian technology: the developments that have conquered the world, the innovators who have inspired, and the products that have impressed thousands of people. Representatives from the Ministry of Digital Transformation will explain how Ukraine’s digitilization has made our country one of the leaders in e-governance. Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, will join the discussion.
Ukraine as a future hub for innovative solutions
In the second year of full-scale invasion, the topic of new technologies has evolved from ideas into products, solutions, and startups. Debra Cagan, Evelyn Buchatskiy, along with Oleksiy Bornyakov and Volodymyr Havrylov, will debate one of the most contentious topics: whether Ukraine can leverage the experience of the full-scale invasion and become a tech hub, and what needs to be done for this to happen.
IT Arena Startup Competition participants are not waiting for answers to these questions; instead, they are prepared to showcase the potential of Ukrainian tech with their products: 30% of this year’s competition participants have focused their startups on AI development. Additionally, in partnership with the defense technology cluster Brave1, IT Arena is introducing a special category for startups.
Productive networking and safety measures
One of the main values of IT Arena is meetings and networking for introductions, future partnerships, and projects. Tech Lounge is an exclusive event that brings together founders of tech companies and leading industry experts. During the networking event, participants will be able to exchange knowledge, meet potential partners and clients, and learn about industry trends.
“The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been systematically supporting the tech sector since 2019. In the conditions of a full-scale war, when it is crucial for the Ukrainian tech industry to maintain its position, this support is increasing. The agency provides additional resources to Ukrainian technology companies to continue their growth, establish international partnerships, and ensure the stability of the economy. IT Arena, held in partnership with USAID, is a landmark event for the tech industry, during which attendees can learn about the current trends, industry insights, and the latest developments, as well as gain valuable contacts for further growth and market expansion,” says Natalia Petrova, Project Manager at USAID.
The organizers of IT Arena have taken extensive measures to ensure the maximum safety of all attendees.
- All IT Arena venues have secure and reliable shelters.
- Security personnel will be present at all locations. Emergency services will be available at all event venues.
- Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, we have modernized the air defense system protecting the skies over 8 western regions of Ukraine and improved its effectiveness by 40%.
Decade in tech
In 2023, IT Arena celebrates its 10th anniversary. The conference has become a symbol of resilience in the Ukrainian tech industry. Alongside attendees and speakers, the event has weathered COVID-19 and the first year of full-scale invasion. This year, IT Arena will once again prove that there is nothing impossible for our tech sector: powerful startups, lively discussions, technological innovations, productive networking, and thousands of attendees.
Media can apply for accreditation here. Confirmation of accreditation will be sent one week before the event. If you have any questions, please contact pr@itcluster.lviv.ua.
Book IT Arena tickets: https://cutt.ly/mwkKDyxe
Main partners: USAID, Ukrsibbank, Softserve, BMW
Exclusive partners: Linkup Studio, Sigma Software
Gold partners: N-iX, Avenga, Vector Software, Eleks, Simply Contact
About IT Arena
IT Arena is a tech conference known for its festival spirit and global scale, taking place annually in Lviv, Ukraine and bringing together over 5,000 attendees every year since 2014. Previous keynote speakers of IT Arena included Daniel Dines, CEO of UiPath, filmmaker Oobah Butler and dietitian Maye Musk.
