Digital economy, security, and AI: key highlights of the Ukraine Tech Conference 2025

14/ 10/ 2025

On 8 October, the European Business Association, together with Diia.City Union, held the annual Ukraine Tech Conference – an event dedicated to the development of the IT sector, strengthening Ukraine’s technological potential, and discussing strategic directions for digital transformation. The conference brought together leading Ukrainian and international IT companies, representatives of government bodies, the defence sector, investors, and start-ups around three key themes: digitalisation and optimisation of the economy to attract investment; the role of technology in strengthening national security; the transformational impact of artificial intelligence on business and society. Digitalisation is our success story and the key to globalisation, emphasised Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine. “Ukraine is actively developing digital trade and expanding the list of countries with which it has relevant agreements. This should be taken into account when shaping business strategies. At the same time, the development of new technologies requires a strong industrial and energy base, so we must work comprehensively on the development of related sectors as well,” noted the Deputy Prime Minister. He underlined that Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to rapidly implement modern technologies. The country is not only developing innovations but also becoming an exporter of them. Ultimately, “Made in Ukraine” now refers not only to tangible goods but also to digital services and products. “Technology gives hope, as Ukrainians, by developing major innovations, are shaping the future of Ukraine and of all Europe,” noted Katarina Mathernova, Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine. She remarked that Ukraine has impressively shortened the innovation cycle. One example of this technological achievement is the Diia application, along with the overall progress in digitalising public services during the war. Another is the rapid advancement of military technologies. “Ukraine can help Europe close the innovation gap and become a valuable partner in the technological sphere. This also reflects the human potential of Ukraine, as technology is only ever as strong as the people who create it,” the Ambassador emphasised. Panel I “Digital Architecture of Ukraine: Synergy Between Policy and Industry” The participants discussed the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation in the financial sector, regulatory initiatives, and collaboration between the state and business in building digital infrastructure.Oleksii Shaban, Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, emphasised the importance of partnership between state institutions and the private sector and shared the regulator’s digitalisation plans for the coming years. “During the war, we managed to ensure the resilience of the financial sector. Today, it can withstand heavy pressure while continuing to grow and integrate new digital services. This is the result of synergy and joint efforts between the state and market participants. The financial system must operate uninterruptedly, even in the face of full-scale war. That is why this remains one of the key priorities of the central bank, particularly within the framework of the NBU Strategy. We are focusing on strengthening cybersecurity, introducing open banking, expanding the use of instant payments, and exploring digital currencies, including the e-hryvnia.” Anna Onyshchenko, Vice President for Client Relations at Mastercard Ukraine and Moldova, highlighted that the digital economy in Ukraine has already become a reality: “According to NBU data, 9 out of 10 payment card transactions in Ukraine are cashless rather than cash withdrawals. Our statistics also show that over 60% of Mastercard transactions in the country are made using smartphones and NFC-enabled devices, while every sixth payment is made online. For years, Mastercard has been actively cooperating with the government, banks, and commercial partners to develop digital products and services — in particular, through initiatives such as National Cashback, Diia.Card, e-Entrepreneur, and a range of programmes supporting small and medium-sized businesses.” Mykhailo Polyakov, Deputy General Director at Philip Morris Ukraine, drew attention to the need to balance innovation with the realities of wartime, citing the example of the eExcise system: “The introduction of eExcise is a promising EU-integration reform that will help protect both businesses and the state. However, it is important that the focus in implementing such systems is on quality rather than speed,” he added. The panel moderator, Svitlana Mykhailovska, Deputy Director for Advocacy at the European Business Association, concluded the discussion: “For Ukraine today, digitalisation is not only a matter of survival but also of competitiveness for our economy. It forms the ‘added value’ of our country — something we can confidently place on the table before our European and other international partners, for instance, in the process of European integration.” Lyubomyr Doroshenko, COO of GigaCloud, also joined the discussion. Panel II “Algorithms of the Future: How AI is Transforming Business, Government, and Society” The second panel focused on the impact of artificial intelligence across various spheres of public and political life — from government services to corporate management.Oleksandr Bornyakov, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, presented the vision for a Ukrainian AI model, which the Ministry is developing in cooperation with Kyivstar: “We are creating a sovereign AI model built on Ukrainian infrastructure. This will enable the integration of AI into public services while ensuring data security.” He also noted that the Ministry is already preparing for the potential implementation of EU regulations for this market. Anastasiia Rostalna, Enterprise Account Lead for Ukraine at Amazon Web Services, spoke about the role of AWS in supporting Ukraine’s cybersecurity: “Amazon Web Services supports the protection and resilience of Ukraine’s critical digital infrastructure by implementing advanced artificial intelligence and cloud computing technologies to prevent cyber threats and ensure stable operations. At the same time, we invest in training professionals, as the development of human capital is the foundation of Ukraine’s technological progress.” Andrii Pishchikov, General Manager at HPE, operated by Sophela, outlined possible ways to address challenges related to AI: “The first solution is to restrict access to sensitive data within internal AI systems. However, the more common approach is an ‘AI factory’ — an in-house AI service within a company that allows for centralising the entire AI ecosystem, ensuring data protection, complying with necessary legal regulations (particularly regarding data), and providing the ability to measure the efficiency of AI services.” Valeriia Kushnerchuk, Executive Director of Diia.City Union, summarised the discussion: “Artificial intelligence is already transforming business, government, and society. In our daily processes, it teaches us to make more accurate decisions, act faster, and think differently. We are all ambassadors of the Ukrainian brand — and today, being Ukrainian is not only about agriculture or raw materials, but also about breakthrough technological developments and innovations powered by AI.” The discussion also featured Leonid Polupan, Country Manager of Microsoft in Ukraine and the Baltic States, and Stepan Mitish, Vice President and Head of EPAM Ukraine. During the keynote address, Ustym Manko, Business Development Specialist and Account Manager for Telecommunications in the CEE region at NVIDIA, shared insights into how the company collaborates with partners and start-ups, and how artificial intelligence and AI Factories are helping businesses, corporations, and governments to grow. Panel III “Cybersecurity and Defence Tech: Technologies that Protect the State” The participants of the third panel discussed the importance of strengthening cybersecurity and developing the defence technology sector as vital components of the state’s overall capacity to counter enemy attacks and build a multi-layered protection system.As Stanislav Hryshyn, Co-founder and Director of Development of General Chereshnia, noted, cybersecurity is an integral part of comprehensive national security: “Today, Ukrainian companies are capable of creating products of significant value, including for Western countries, which in turn opens up opportunities for investment,” he said. Maksym Yashchenko, Head of Information Security at UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group, agreed that Ukraine is able to independently develop innovative solutions, particularly in the field of cyber defence. The enemy understands the importance of the banking system: since the start of the full-scale invasion, the number of cyberattacks aimed at disrupting or halting the financial sector’s operations has increased severalfold. Therefore, market participants are making considerable efforts to protect banking data. “Building cybersecurity is a cyclical process with no beginning or end. The resilience of IT infrastructure to threats can only be achieved through a symbiosis of best international practices and Ukrainian experience,” he believes. Yurii Myronenko, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, spoke about the use of advanced technological solutions on the battlefield, the work of cyber specialists within the defence forces, and the development of AI. He explained that the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine is forming an open and secure ecosystem for cooperation with technology partners. He also highlighted that the global defence technology market is showing steady growth, while investment in security and technological innovation has become a priority for many nations. He stressed that all systems are designed in line with the human-in-the-loop principle — ensuring that decisions regarding the use of force or other critical actions always remain under human control. Other participants of the panel included Valerii Krasovskyi, Co-founder and CEO of Sigma Software Group, and Maksym Vasylchenko, CEO of Tencore. The European Business Association and Diia.City Union express their gratitude to the main partners of the Ukraine Tech Conference — Mastercard and UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group; to the partners — Amazon Web Services, N-iX, General Chereshnia, and HPE operated by Sophela; and to the media partners — 1+1 Media and AIN.UA.

On 8 October, the European Business Association, together with Diia.City Union, held the annual Ukraine Tech Conference – an event dedicated to the development of the IT sector, strengthening Ukraine’s technological potential, and discussing strategic directions for digital transformation.

The conference brought together leading Ukrainian and international IT companies, representatives of government bodies, the defence sector, investors, and start-ups around three key themes:

digitalisation and optimisation of the economy to attract investment;
the role of technology in strengthening national security;
the transformational impact of artificial intelligence on business and society.

Digitalisation is our success story and the key to globalisation, emphasised Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.

“Ukraine is actively developing digital trade and expanding the list of countries with which it has relevant agreements. This should be taken into account when shaping business strategies. At the same time, the development of new technologies requires a strong industrial and energy base, so we must work comprehensively on the development of related sectors as well,” noted the Deputy Prime Minister.

He underlined that Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to rapidly implement modern technologies. The country is not only developing innovations but also becoming an exporter of them. Ultimately, “Made in Ukraine” now refers not only to tangible goods but also to digital services and products.

“Technology gives hope, as Ukrainians, by developing major innovations, are shaping the future of Ukraine and of all Europe,” noted Katarina Mathernova, Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine.

She remarked that Ukraine has impressively shortened the innovation cycle. One example of this technological achievement is the Diia application, along with the overall progress in digitalising public services during the war. Another is the rapid advancement of military technologies.

“Ukraine can help Europe close the innovation gap and become a valuable partner in the technological sphere. This also reflects the human potential of Ukraine, as technology is only ever as strong as the people who create it,” the Ambassador emphasised.

Panel I “Digital Architecture of Ukraine: Synergy Between Policy and Industry”

The participants discussed the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation in the financial sector, regulatory initiatives, and collaboration between the state and business in building digital infrastructure.Oleksii Shaban, Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, emphasised the importance of partnership between state institutions and the private sector and shared the regulator’s digitalisation plans for the coming years.

“During the war, we managed to ensure the resilience of the financial sector. Today, it can withstand heavy pressure while continuing to grow and integrate new digital services. This is the result of synergy and joint efforts between the state and market participants. The financial system must operate uninterruptedly, even in the face of full-scale war. That is why this remains one of the key priorities of the central bank, particularly within the framework of the NBU Strategy. We are focusing on strengthening cybersecurity, introducing open banking, expanding the use of instant payments, and exploring digital currencies, including the e-hryvnia.”

Anna Onyshchenko, Vice President for Client Relations at Mastercard Ukraine and Moldova, highlighted that the digital economy in Ukraine has already become a reality:

“According to NBU data, 9 out of 10 payment card transactions in Ukraine are cashless rather than cash withdrawals. Our statistics also show that over 60% of Mastercard transactions in the country are made using smartphones and NFC-enabled devices, while every sixth payment is made online. For years, Mastercard has been actively cooperating with the government, banks, and commercial partners to develop digital products and services — in particular, through initiatives such as National Cashback, Diia.Card, e-Entrepreneur, and a range of programmes supporting small and medium-sized businesses.”

Mykhailo Polyakov, Deputy General Director at Philip Morris Ukraine, drew attention to the need to balance innovation with the realities of wartime, citing the example of the eExcise system:

“The introduction of eExcise is a promising EU-integration reform that will help protect both businesses and the state. However, it is important that the focus in implementing such systems is on quality rather than speed,” he added.

The panel moderator, Svitlana Mykhailovska, Deputy Director for Advocacy at the European Business Association, concluded the discussion:

“For Ukraine today, digitalisation is not only a matter of survival but also of competitiveness for our economy. It forms the ‘added value’ of our country — something we can confidently place on the table before our European and other international partners, for instance, in the process of European integration.”

Lyubomyr Doroshenko, COO of GigaCloud, also joined the discussion.

Panel II “Algorithms of the Future: How AI is Transforming Business, Government, and Society”

The second panel focused on the impact of artificial intelligence across various spheres of public and political life — from government services to corporate management.Oleksandr Bornyakov, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, presented the vision for a Ukrainian AI model, which the Ministry is developing in cooperation with Kyivstar:

“We are creating a sovereign AI model built on Ukrainian infrastructure. This will enable the integration of AI into public services while ensuring data security.”

He also noted that the Ministry is already preparing for the potential implementation of EU regulations for this market.

Anastasiia Rostalna, Enterprise Account Lead for Ukraine at Amazon Web Services, spoke about the role of AWS in supporting Ukraine’s cybersecurity:

“Amazon Web Services supports the protection and resilience of Ukraine’s critical digital infrastructure by implementing advanced artificial intelligence and cloud computing technologies to prevent cyber threats and ensure stable operations. At the same time, we invest in training professionals, as the development of human capital is the foundation of Ukraine’s technological progress.”

Andrii Pishchikov, General Manager at HPE, operated by Sophela, outlined possible ways to address challenges related to AI:

“The first solution is to restrict access to sensitive data within internal AI systems. However, the more common approach is an ‘AI factory’ — an in-house AI service within a company that allows for centralising the entire AI ecosystem, ensuring data protection, complying with necessary legal regulations (particularly regarding data), and providing the ability to measure the efficiency of AI services.”

Valeriia Kushnerchuk, Executive Director of Diia.City Union, summarised the discussion:

“Artificial intelligence is already transforming business, government, and society. In our daily processes, it teaches us to make more accurate decisions, act faster, and think differently. We are all ambassadors of the Ukrainian brand — and today, being Ukrainian is not only about agriculture or raw materials, but also about breakthrough technological developments and innovations powered by AI.”

The discussion also featured Leonid Polupan, Country Manager of Microsoft in Ukraine and the Baltic States, and Stepan Mitish, Vice President and Head of EPAM Ukraine.

During the keynote address, Ustym Manko, Business Development Specialist and Account Manager for Telecommunications in the CEE region at NVIDIA, shared insights into how the company collaborates with partners and start-ups, and how artificial intelligence and AI Factories are helping businesses, corporations, and governments to grow.

Panel III “Cybersecurity and Defence Tech: Technologies that Protect the State”

The participants of the third panel discussed the importance of strengthening cybersecurity and developing the defence technology sector as vital components of the state’s overall capacity to counter enemy attacks and build a multi-layered protection system.As Stanislav Hryshyn, Co-founder and Director of Development of General Chereshnia, noted, cybersecurity is an integral part of comprehensive national security:

“Today, Ukrainian companies are capable of creating products of significant value, including for Western countries, which in turn opens up opportunities for investment,” he said.

Maksym Yashchenko, Head of Information Security at UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group, agreed that Ukraine is able to independently develop innovative solutions, particularly in the field of cyber defence.

The enemy understands the importance of the banking system: since the start of the full-scale invasion, the number of cyberattacks aimed at disrupting or halting the financial sector’s operations has increased severalfold. Therefore, market participants are making considerable efforts to protect banking data.

“Building cybersecurity is a cyclical process with no beginning or end. The resilience of IT infrastructure to threats can only be achieved through a symbiosis of best international practices and Ukrainian experience,” he believes.

Yurii Myronenko, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, spoke about the use of advanced technological solutions on the battlefield, the work of cyber specialists within the defence forces, and the development of AI. He explained that the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine is forming an open and secure ecosystem for cooperation with technology partners. He also highlighted that the global defence technology market is showing steady growth, while investment in security and technological innovation has become a priority for many nations.

He stressed that all systems are designed in line with the human-in-the-loop principle — ensuring that decisions regarding the use of force or other critical actions always remain under human control.

Other participants of the panel included Valerii Krasovskyi, Co-founder and CEO of Sigma Software Group, and Maksym Vasylchenko, CEO of Tencore.

The European Business Association and Diia.City Union express their gratitude to the main partners of the Ukraine Tech Conference — Mastercard and UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group; to the partners — Amazon Web Services, N-iX, General Chereshnia, and HPE operated by Sophela; and to the media partners — 1+1 Media and AIN.UA.