5 Things You Can Experience Only at IT Arena

IT Arena started in 2014 as an ambitious attempt to bring together the Ukrainian tech community in one place. Over more than a decade, it has grown into the country’s largest technology event. During this time, tens of thousands of attendees, hundreds of speakers from around the world, and hundreds of startups seeking investment and partnerships have passed through its stages and halls.

Traditionally held in Lviv at the end of September, IT Arena transforms the city into a full-scale tech ecosystem for several days: thousands of participants, international delegations, investors, founders, engineers, and media.

In 2026, the event will take place on September 25-27, so let’s take a look at why it’s worth planning your participation now.

1. Grand scale and top experts

In recent years, IT Arena has brought together over 6,000 participants from 40+ countries. But what matters more than the numbers is the composition of the audience: founders of product and service-based companies, venture funds and private investors, C-level executives, engineers, representatives of international corporations, the public sector, and defense initiatives.

Over the years, the stage has hosted executives and experts from global companies such as Google, Meta, and Amazon, as well as leaders of top Ukrainian tech companies, CEOs of international and Ukrainian startups, and leading experts from around the world.

Visitors can attend talks across five thematic stages: Business, Tech, Product, Startup, and Defense. In recent years, the dedicated Defense track has drawn particular attention from international delegations and industry media due to its focus on defense technologies tested in real-world conditions.

Beyond the stages, IT Arena features expo zones showcasing cutting-edge innovations, exclusive networking events, and traditional afterparties.

2. Startup Competition focused on results

One of IT Arena’s strongest elements is the Startup Competition.

Each year, hundreds of applications are submitted. Teams go through screening, mentoring sessions, and semi-final selection rounds. Only a limited number of startups reach the final, where they pitch to a jury of Ukrainian and international funds, angel investors, and corporate representatives.

In 2025, the competition’s total investment pool exceeded $15 million in prizes, grants, credit lines, and potential investment commitments. Even more telling is that many deals happen after the competition, through follow-up meetings of finalists with funds and corporate partners.

The Startup Competition also reflects shifts in the market. While SaaS and marketplace solutions once dominated, recent years have seen a rise in AI products, defense tech, hardware, and deep tech solutions. In that sense, the competition acts as a snapshot of where the tech ecosystem is heading.

Investors are highly engaged: they don’t just sit on the jury but also hold private 1:1 meetings, participate in side events, and join networking gatherings across the city. For startups, this means dozens of potential contacts in three days – a density of access that is hard to achieve otherwise.

Applications for the Startup Competition open in May, but you can read about the results of last year’s event. 

3. Lviv as part of the program

A significant part of IT Arena traditionally takes place beyond the main venue – throughout the city of Lviv.

The final day turns into dozens of meetups across the city: from intimate founders’ breakfasts to thematic gatherings for engineers, product managers, and investors. These events take place in well-known local venues – restaurants, hotels, coworking spaces – which become platforms for professional conversations during the event days.

At one table, you might find a startup founder, a fund partner, and a tech lead from a product company. A conversation that starts with a reference to a topic may end with a concrete intro or a meeting scheduled for after the event.

Another key factor is geographic compactness. Lviv’s city center allows participants to attend several gatherings in a single evening: a themed meetup, a partner dinner, and, later, an informal meeting at a pub with an international delegation.

This integration of the event into the urban space creates a different quality of networking — where connections emerge naturally and often become the starting point for partnerships, investments, or new roles.

4. Defense Tech – when technology serves security

One of the most distinctive aspects of IT Arena is the Defense Tech track, which sets it apart from many other European tech conferences. It’s a platform for discussing and showcasing technologies used in combat conditions and for national security.

The Defense stage features startup representatives from the defense sector as well as international delegations from the EU and the US interested in protection technologies, information security, and robotics. These presentations combine technological, engineering, and practical expertise – from drones and robotic systems to battlefield data analytics software.

A key component is the Defense Expo – a dedicated exhibition of defense technologies within the IT Arena, where startups and companies present prototypes and integrated solutions. For attendees, this is an opportunity to assess real-world effectiveness and connect directly with developers and investors.

The defense direction is also integrated into the Startup Competition. Teams working on defense or security products have a dedicated category where not only technological potential but also real-world applicability is evaluated. Finalists gain access to industry mentors, potential partners, and international funds, enabling rapid scaling.

Among last year’s finalists were teams such as Bravo Dynamics, BabAI, Dwarf Engineering, and Norda Dynamics, which continued negotiations with international funds after the competition and have since launched joint projects with foreign partners.

5. Made in Ukraine Showcase — Ukrainian products in focus

Alongside the Startup Competition, IT Arena hosts the Made in Ukraine Showcase – a large-scale expo showcasing Ukrainian products and services actively operating in domestic and regional markets.

The showcase features solutions for business, healthcare, agriculture, HoReCa, education, public administration, and more. Each booth provides an opportunity to demonstrate products in real time and receive direct feedback from actual users and decision-makers.

The Made in Ukraine Showcase brings together CDTOs and executives from all regions of Ukraine, representatives of ministries and local authorities, as well as key companies from the pharmaceutical, agricultural, manufacturing, and IT sectors. As a result, the expo becomes a meeting point between those seeking effective tools for business transformation and those building them.

More than just a few days on the calendar

IT Arena is not simply an event, but a place where a real technological ecosystem converges:

an international community of tech leaders exchanges experience and builds partnerships;

startups gain access to investment, mentorship, and scaling opportunities;

networking extends beyond the stage – conversations continue across the city, over coffee or dinner;

the program covers key directions, from AI and Data to defense technologies;

Ukrainian innovations are presented not only locally but within an international market context through expos and dedicated tracks.

Ultimately, IT Arena is a concentration point of knowledge, ideas, and solutions – where trends take shape, partnerships emerge, and projects are launched that genuinely influence technology and business development.

That’s why it’s hard to see IT Arena as “just another conference.” It’s a place where opportunities arise when the right people meet at the right moment.

Pre-book your ticket today or become a partner of the year’s largest tech event.