“If we stick together, it will add strength to us to compete with the world,” Constantine Yevtushenko, Managing partner of UNIT.City

Mariupol is becoming an increasingly modern technological city of the country. But to maintain the status and develop an innovator’s image, moving away from the stereotype about the “industrial East”, it is necessary to articulate the values ​​of the region correctly. One of the panel discussions of the online event EAST COAST: IT Investment Forum was devoted to the development strategy of a promising area in innovation and technology.

Constantine Yevtushenko, Managing partner of UNIT.City, spoke about Mariupol’s opportunities to attract talent, investors, and partners.

• Mariupol is everywhere now. Everyone strives for partnership, joint development and education together with representatives of the region. And this wave should be used to establish contacts and spread knowledge about the possibilities of the East.
• When the idea of ​​the UNIT.City innovation park was born, we travelled worldwide and watched the most influential companies and teams work. It is interesting that during these travels, we repeatedly met talented Ukrainians from different regions. We received only positive feedback from foreigners on cooperation with compatriots, but not a single company knew how to work with Ukraine — where to go for creative and IT services. Therefore, we decided that UNIT.City will become the entry point for foreign clients, investors and partners on our state’s territory. It is just as crucial for Mariupol to have such a necessary identification, where experts, talents, investors, and entrepreneurs will be gathered to cooperate for innovation.
• The entry point that will help mark Mariupol as an innovative region can be filled with educational projects. After all, education creates and develops talents, and it is around it that robust ecosystems are built. In particular, our IT-academy UCode provides a program in six regions where we sell our own software. Such integration of areas into one network is what can make us competitive on a global scale.
• The fact that many people leave Ukraine is useful only from the point of view of education and new experience. But those entrepreneurs who decide to stay here understand that this is a better choice than moving and building a business in a country where they have to give 50% of their income as tax. For example, I can live in any country globally, but I know that there is no better place with more opportunities than Ukraine. And if we stick together, it will add strength to us to compete with the world.
• For five years, the attitude towards Ukraine has changed. Americans share their ideas with us when they know they cannot be implemented without them. The Chinese are, on the contrary, closed. But Europeans are like us and are ready to share their experience and are often invited to study. This possibility should never be ignored.