Top 10 Famous Ukrainian Tech Startups

Ukraine’s IT and tech sectors have remained firm during the ongoing conflict, showing that no matter the circumstances they will stay on their ground and continue to grow. With more than 2,600 startups that are active to this day, they are making the Ukrainian economy not fall and the startup environment continues its development and flowering. The Ukrainian IT and tech startup scene can be described in two words: resilience and innovation

10 Leading Ukrainian Tech Startups

Ukraine gave the world several fascinating startups that are known worldwide and made their country famous. They are the base of tech startup infrastructure being a prime example for future projects by their success and dedication. This list contains 10 famous tech startups made in Ukraine.

Grammarly

• Founding year: July 1, 2009
• Founders: Alex Shevchenko, Max Lytvyn and Dmytro Lider
• HQ: San Francisco, California, USA
• Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Grammarly is a globally known Ukrainian startup and also a software tool used to check English grammar mistakes. Initially, this startup’s goal was to test for plagiarism in student’s essays. However, this idea gradually became the now-known digital English writing assistant that helps people upgrade their spelling, grammar, and overall communication. This service tracks grammar and stylistic errors and also suggests how to avoid and correct these mistakes with explanations. By 2015 Grammarly had 1 million daily users. Later this startup launched extensions for browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and also for Google Docs. 

“People now judge us by how we talk digitally,” Grammarly co-founder Dmytro Lider said in an interview. 

Grammarly has grown significantly, appealing to important funding resources that made it possible for it to raise 13 billion dollars in 2021.  It also uses AI and machine learning algorithms that ensure real-time writing advice and suggestions. They also expanded their locations to places like San Francisco (where is their headquarters), Kyiv, New York, and Vancouver. 

Grammarly has a phenomenal journey from a simple Ukrainian tech startup to a worldwide unicorn. It serves as an example for new startups due to their innovative approach and commitment to their users. 

MacPaw

• Founding year: 2008
• Founders: Oleksandr Kosovan
• HQ: Kyiv, Ukraine 
• Operating systems: macOS and iOS

MacPaw is a Ukrainian software startup that creates apps for macOS and iOS. It created apps like CleanMyMac (being the company's main product), ClearVPN, and Setapp. CleanMyGarbage works by deleting the trash from the user's Mac and improving its working capabilities. According to MacPaw's founder, Oleksandr Kosovan, his startup has more than 30 million users globally and every fifth MAC on this planet has at least one app invented by MacPaw.

"We make useful things unboring.” - MacPaw team.

This software startup is supporting its country, Ukraine by fortifying its IT and cybersecurity. It provides safe internet connections for people usually in occupied territories and also detects unwanted spying efforts. MacPaw also has a foundation that donated more than 9 million dollars for aid and procurement.  It also provided 2 medical evacuation cars, and also humanitarian help support.   

MacPaw’s journey shows not only success in business but also that it is important to take meaningful actions during hard times.

Petcube 

• Founding year: 2012
• Founders: Alex Neskin, Yaroslav Azhnyuk, Andrey Klen
• HQ: San Francisco, California, USA
• Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Petcube is a Ukrainian-based tech startup that creates smart devices for pets that have integrated cameras, laser points, and treat dispensers according to Forbes. The story of this startup starts with Alex Neskin’s love for his chihuahua pet Rocky who often stayed alone every time he left home. While his little pet Rocky was whining home alone, Alex, fearing to disturb his neighbors, invented a smart device to keep Rocky occupied. He attached to a motor a laser point with a camera and shortly after, Neskin observed that Rocky felt more relaxed. This gave him the idea to start something that wasn’t on the market at that time. Later he gained two more partners, Yaroslav Azhnyuk, and Andrey Klen. 

In 2013, the startup became the best-funded pet product of that year raising 250,000 dollars. Petcube created three products: Petcube Bites, Petcube Camera, and Petcube Play. This startup engages in charity, for instance, Petcube supports finding new homes for stray pets. Also, as a Ukrainian tech startup, it acts as a reinforcement for charity projects joining United24  and donating from its company funds for the future recovery of Ukraine.

Reface

• Founding year: 2018
• Founders: Dima Shvets, Ivan Altsybieiev
• HQ: Kyiv, Ukraine
• Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Reface is a Ukrainian tech startup that offers generative AI products. It is known for its face-swapping app which is AI-powered. Reface allows their users to switch their faces in a video, image, or GIF, creating humorous content. It quickly gained fame with millions of users and became one of the best entertaining apps worldwide. Within two years of its launch, Reface had more than 250 million downloads. 

Putting aside the amusement and content making, Reface is using its platform to help Ukraine during hard times. It supports Ukrainian refugees and started campaigns to stop Russian disinformation. Despite the ongoing conflict, the tech startup continues to expand and create innovations offering new products. Showing that they are not forgetting about their followers and users but also about their social responsibility. Currently, they are working to expand their AI capabilities and developing new features with the help of 5,5 million dollars from the founding round in 2022. 

Respeecher

• Founding year: 2018
• Founders: Alex Serdiuk, Dmytro Bielievtsov, Grant Reaber 
• HQ: Kyiv, Ukraine
• Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Respeecher is a tech startup made in Ukraine in 2018 using synthetic-made-voices used in different goals. The co-founder of this startup, Alex Serdiuk couldn't believe at the time of launching that soon after that, they will have Hollywood as one of their clients. 

“If you don’t hear synthetic (voice), Respeecher did our job right.” - Respeecher team.

Using Respeecher, Disney can use in their movies the voices of actors who are no longer with us, for example, James Earl Jones. Also, patients who went through laryngectomy using Respecheer can create a device called an electro-larynx device with their voice before the surgery creating an electronic voice box. 

With the current geopolitical conflict, Respeecher had to get more clever, because they were working for Hollywood while being in the bomb shelters. The startup relied on the Starlink internet connection and used power generators. Even so, they managed to succeed and Hollywood was using their product in the new Star Wars movie. Respeecher used 10 years old footage to clone the voice of the young actor Mark Hamill who played Lyke Skywalker. 

Right now, Respeecher has more than 300 clients including Disney, Sony, Warner Bros, Netflix, etc and also working on more than 170 projects to give the world innovations. 

Preply

• Founding year: 2012
• Founders: Dmytro Voloshyn, Kiril Bigai, Serge Lukianov
• HQ: Kyiv, Ukraine, Barcelona, Spain
• Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Preply is a Ukrainian-based tech startup created to create a better environment for learning languages. This startup acts like a platform that connects students with their mentors worldwide, offering 50 languages for study. It gained success globally, having thousands of students and tutors in more than 190 countries. 

Preply has raised impressive funding to boost its operations, despite the hard time Ukraine is living through now. For instance, it secured 50 million dollars in Series C, in 2022 being led by Owl Ventures. Using these funds, Preply launched an AI assistant for mentors and created personalized studying devices. Tutors are using AI to check the homework, create a variety of exercises, and some grammar explanations and AI is also used during the classes.  

“Preply is the clear leader in live language learning.” - James Kim, partner at Reach Capital.

This tech startup has collaborations with Tik Tok and Mercedes, to offer language lessons for their employees. It is expected that Preply will grow its domination of the language learning market reaching 47 billion dollars by this year. 

DressX

• Founding year: 2020
• Founders: Daria Shapovalova, Natalia Modenova, and Julie Krasnienko
• HQ: Los Angeles, California, USA
• Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

“ We started by offering a simple yet groundbreaking service: allowing users to digitally wear clothes in photos.” - DressX team.

DressX is a women-founded tech and fashion Ukrainian startup that has a significant influence in the fashion industry. This startup is focused on creating and selling digital-only accessories and clothing. Since its launch in August 2020, Dress has become the biggest and most well-known digital clothing platform with more than 3500 digital items on thor website. Clients can probe the garments during video calls, in AR, photo dressing, and on avatars in Ready Player Me and Decentraland. Avatars are the digital identity of a person which are important for self-expression for the next generation. 

Even though DressX is only at its beginning, it has many partners that are leaders in fashion, tech, and lifestyle firms such as Roblox, Meta, Google, Coca-Cola, and many more. DressX at the LVMH Innovation Award 2022 was named one of the finalists in the category of 3D/Virtual Product  Experience and Metaverse according to the official site of DressX.

Ajax Systems

• Founding year: 2011
• Founders: Aleksandr Konotopskyi 
• HQ: Kyiv, Ukraine
• Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Ajax Systems is a leading tech startup founded in Ukraine and specializes in home security and intrusion detection systems. 

“AI in cameras and doorbells is the standard in the market” - Valentyn Hrytsenko.

Ajax Systems’ main goal is to increase the efficiency of home security systems using AI. For example, it is hard for one person to attentively view a video stream from one location with more than 100 cameras. This issue is solved by Ajax Systems with their infiltration of AI in their smart security tools. This Ukrainian-based tech startup has had an impressive journey, from selling 4,000 devices per month in 2015 to 250,000 devices per month in 2020. The Ajax Systems team succeeded in creating a solid startup in the security sector with their products being sold in more than 90 countries. 

Ajax System has a fundamental role in the conflict Ukraine has had since 2022, by creating an alert app active in the whole country. While the country was bombarded, its outdated alert systems couldn’t keep up. The initiative to resolve this problem took Ajax Systems by creating an alerting app with the help of Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation. By one week of the current conflict’s  start, the app was working in five regions of Ukraine, and by one month from the beginning, it was working in the entire country. 

Due to its dedication to high quality and innovations, Ajax Systems is referred to as the “Apple of Ukraine”. It serves as a remarkable example of commitment, stability, and responsibility. 

People.ai

• Founding year: 2016
• Founders: Oleg Rogynskyy
• HQ: Kyiv, San Francisco, California
• Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

People.ai is a tech startup founded in Ukraine that focuses on revenue intelligence technology. It created an algorithm that analyzes the work of sales specialists, forecasts future sales, finds new clients, and closes deals. It analyzes data from calls, emails, and calendars with the help of AI. And at the same time, employees' privacy is not in danger. People.ai is very popular with investors and businesses because it helps them grow their revenue, according to Rogynskyy.

In 2021, People.ai raised an investment of 100 million dollars and is estimated to have a valuation of 1,1 billion dollars, and like that, this startup had become a unicorn. In the same list are companies like Grammarly, GitLab, and Revolut. Some of People.ai's clients are Zoom, AppDynamics, DataRobot, Okta and others. The tech startup is continuing its growth and expansion having a great influence in the innovation world.

Monobank 

• Founding year: 2017
• Founders: Dmytro Dubilet, Michael Rogalskiy, Oleg Gorokhovskyi
• HQ: Kyiv, Ukraine
• Operating systems: Android, iOS

Monobank is a tech startup based in Ukraine with a focus on finance and is the first online bank without traditional ramifications in the country. Currently, it is the second most downloaded app on the App Store and the third app in Google Play. According to the PaySpace Magazine Awards, Monobank is considered the best finance app in Ukraine.   

Monbank offers the whole spectrum of banking services through their app giving the possibility of paying utilities, fast and free money transfers, cashback possibilities, etc. 

This fintech startup is continuing its expansion currently working in countries like the UK and Poland and has more than 8 million clients. It is deserving of the title of the country’s best finance app chosen by its users and followers. 

Conclusion

Ukraine surely has a fascinating and empowering tech and startup environment specializing in different domains like AI, language learning, finance, and even fashion and pets. Ten startups that are based in Ukraine and discussed earlier have proven that the key to success is perseverance, commitment, and following your dream even when nobody believes in you! These startups are:

• Grammarly (language learning and grammar checking);
• MacPaw (macOS and iOS products);
• Petcube (pet surveillance);
• Reface (AI and entertainment);
• Respeecher (AI-made-voices);
• Preply (language learning);
• DressX (digital fashion);
• Ajax Systems (smart home security);
• People.ai (finance and AI);
• Monobank (finance app).

Their paths are all different but their destinations are all the same, bringing fame and inspiration to the future startups and making Ukraine proud.

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