Seed Forum Kyiv 2015, a closed international investment conference, was held on April 28 in the Ukrainian capital. The event gathered high tech investors, businessmen and journalists, as well as diplomats, who discussed the main industry issues in an international perspective.
Steinar Hoel Korsmo, co-founder of Seed Forum Central and Eastern Europe, praised Ukraine’s IT development and potential, noting however that it is crucial for Ukraine to make research activity more commercially oriented.
Dimitri Podoliev, co-founder of Seed Forum Central and Eastern Europe and director of the iHUB network, believes that the country is succeeding in its transition from an agriculture-focused economy to the technological age, as witnessed by the importance of its outsourcing industry.
However, Ukraine has yet to develop a full-fledged innovation ecosystem – and keep its talents in the country, Podoliev said.
Seven Ukrainian hardware and software startups presented their projects: Poster, InkHunter, Luciding, FORCE, AdTena, Preply, TONA.
Hosted by iHUB, a Kiyv- (Kiev-) based IT innovation center, the conference was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway and the Seed Forum Foundation.
Seed Forum Kyiv is part of a series of international investment conferences Seed Forum in more than 45 countries worldwide. The conference has been held in Ukraine since 2008.
