Agenda

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Entry to the event is permitted only for participants aged 18 and over.

What if your product solves problems but still feels invisible? In this lecture, I’ll share how we went from building an AI-driven hiring platform to becoming Ukraine’s largest metaverse real estate developer — and why emotional connection turned out to be our true moat. Expect practical lessons on why pain points aren’t enough, how to design for “wow,” and how emotion can turn experiments into product–market fit.

Language of the talk: UA
This is not another tech talk. On stage are real soldiers — veterans of frontline battles — who now fight for the digital transformation of the military. They know the cost of every mistake and the power of every tool, because lives once depended on them. This panel is about the true heroes of a new era: warriors combining battlefield grit with a vision for a high-tech future. Expect raw honesty, hard-won lessons, and a bold ambition — to make Ukraine’s military the most technologically advanced in the world.

The panel “Emerging, Collaborating, Leading: from Baltics to Balkans” will bring together tech leaders from Lithuania, Northern Macedonia, Poland, Turkey, and Ukraine.
They share different histories but face similar challenges — from building resilient ecosystems to establishing strong global partnerships. Speakers will discuss how emerging markets can break through and become global leaders by fostering collaboration and mutual support.
The conversation will highlight practical success stories, cross-border cooperation, and opportunities for startups and innovative businesses.
It’s about shaping a future where the united voices of emerging countries have a powerful impact on the global innovation map.

This session cuts through the AI hype to show how businesses can drive sustainable impact by combining human leadership with smart AI adoption. We’ll explore strategies to avoid overspending, build an AI-ready culture, and balance market-ready tools with in-house solutions.

Learn why starting small, scaling smart, and keeping people at the center unlocks real value—illustrated with a practical case study of AI in action.

As AI drives explosive growth in computing power, energy is becoming the backbone of the digital economy. This session will explore why electricity is emerging as the next major investment frontier, reshaping markets and creating new opportunities at the intersection of technology and infrastructure.

The fireside chat “From Startup to Scaleup” is not just another talk — it’s the insider’s guide for those aiming to soar higher.
Discover what truly separates teams that remain small startups from those that evolve into global players.
Learn how first investments and early customers can either become a launchpad or a trap — and how to navigate it.
Speakers will explain everything in a nutshell.
Expect a raw, no-nonsense conversation designed for founders who don’t just want to “survive,” but to scale big.

This panel is about proof, not promises. Real companies operating in Ukraine’s defense and dual-use sectors will share how they secured funding, scaled their innovations, and delivered results under the toughest conditions. Founders will break down what actually works in the Ukrainian market — from deal structures to international partnerships. Expect candid insights into risks, returns, and the strategies that convinced capital to flow into Ukraine despite the war. This discussion is a frontline report: investments in Ukraine don’t just exist — they succeed.

Old MVP rules are broken. Strategies that failed in the past are now winning. The age of generative AI has turned the software playbook upside down. This session offers a new set of rules for building an AI-first company in this inverted landscape. Learn how to pair cutting-edge AI with a ‘People-Always’ philosophy, turning today’s chaos into your ultimate competitive advantage.

AI is no longer just a tool – it’s a core part of a company’s DNA. This talk covers the journey of transforming into an AI-Native company, from navigating the hype to embedding AI into daily processes and culture. Vadym will share how we tackle organizational challenges and build a new, AI-centric culture.

Vadym will also focus on the “Eating Your Own Dog Food” principle and our internal tooling, like the EPAM AI/Run product. You will learn how using our own tools helps us not only solve immediate problems but also accelerate our transformation, turning AI hype into tangible business value and a strategic advantage.

AI isn’t coming — it’s already here, rewriting the rules of business, politics, and even war. But what’s hype and what’s actually changing the game? On this stage, some of the sharpest minds will clash on the hottest question of our time: how to use AI not tomorrow, but today. Expect real cases, brutal honesty, and insider perspectives you won’t hear on YouTube or in think pieces. If you want to understand where the power, money, and risks of AI really are — this is the panel you cannot afford to miss.

We will talk about the battlefield reality where AI is already reshaping the rules of war. From drone swarms and real-time targeting to predictive logistics and cyber defense, these aren’t theories, they are weapons tested under fire. Speakers with military experience will reveal how algorithms and soldiers fight side by side. Expect uncompromising stories, tactical insights, and visions of a military that blends grit with code. This is where the future of warfare isn’t written in think tanks — it’s coded in the trenches.

AI & State: Co-Creating the Future of GovTech will explore how collaboration between government, business, and the tech community is driving the development of AI-powered solutions and transforming public services. The session will highlight AI’s role as a bridge between resilience and recovery, showcasing its potential to modernize governance and accelerate progress in times of change.

As AI tools become capable of handling more coding tasks, engineers’ expectations are shifting. Companies no longer need more hands — they need sharper minds. Engineers are evolving into Tech Advisors: professionals who understand the product, the business, and the customer — not just the code.

In this talk, we’ll explore how AI reshapes development teams, why soft skills have become core skills, and what new competencies define a Senior+ developer in the age of copilots and autonomous agents.

The panel discussion “R&DNA of Ukraine” is a must-attend for anyone shaping the country’s innovation future. Together with international experts, we will dive into global best practices of science–business collaboration and uncover which models Ukraine can adopt to leap ahead. Expect sharp insights into tax incentives, grant programs, and financial instruments that actually move the needle in R&D investment. We’ll showcase breakthrough cases where businesses have transformed scientific discoveries into global products — and extract the playbook for Ukraine. This is not just a conversation, but a roadmap for the policy shifts and bold decisions needed to put Ukraine’s R&D on the global map.

The full-scale war has created unprecedented challenges for Ukraine — from logistics and defense to cybersecurity and basic survival needs. At the same time, these challenges have become a catalyst for breakthrough technologies and innovative solutions that are transforming not only the battlefield but also global markets. The discussion will explore how war has accelerated the development of defense and dual-use technologies, which startups and companies are already delivering disruptive solutions, how investors and international partners perceive Ukrainian innovations, and what it takes to scale them worldwide. This panel will provide a platform for an open conversation between entrepreneurs, military and experts on how crisis can become a springboard for the technologies of the future.

In a time of global leadership crisis, women leaders are redefining what it means to build resilient, values-driven societies. From technology and cybersecurity to diplomacy and culture, Anna Bulakh (Google), Kateryna Kruk (Meta), Ieva Ilves (Latvian diplomat and cyber policy expert), and Jamala (artist and cultural ambassador) will explore how diverse leadership perspectives are shaping innovation, resilience, and the future of democracy.

While Ukrainian startups often set their sights on global markets, it is equally vital to ensure that Ukraine itself becomes fertile ground for innovation — creation, funding, and adoption. For Ukraine to position itself as a true global innovation hub, the ecosystem must empower startups to emerge, thrive, and scale at home, serving citizens, transforming industries, and attracting capital. The discussion will highlight how this innovation loop is being closed: ideas are born locally, supported by both domestic and international funding, implemented and scaled inside the country to deliver real impact, and then expanded globally as competitive, world-class products.

This is the story of going from zero to breakthrough in defense technology. Stanislav Khutor — a soldier with frontline experience and now a tech leader — will show how ideas are born, battle-tested, and turned into deployable products. His talk blends personal experience, lessons from war, and the practical realities of building innovative defense tech companies. This is a real case study of transformation — from the very first step to large-scale impact. Expect a candid story of challenges, failures, and victories that are shaping Ukraine’s new defense industry.

What can Central Europe’s past struggles against empire teach us about the choices Europe faces today? In this talk, historian Franziska Davies will trace these historical patterns and open a conversation on how Ukraine’s current struggle may shape the future of the continent.

Conversion gets users through the door — but activation determines whether they stay. Even the best-designed products often stumble at this stage. This keynote reveals why users drop off before experiencing real value, highlighting common pitfalls and sharing strategies to close the activation gap — turning first impressions into lasting adoption.

Forget buzzwords — we’re going straight to the jugular. AI is no longer just a tool; it’s rewriting the rules of marketing, branding, and customer engagement. Can algorithms now do what once required armies of CMOs and creative directors? Our speakers will challenge the hype, expose the blind spots, and show how AI is already making bold marketing decisions at scale. This won’t be a polite conversation — it’s a raw debate on whether the future CMO has a human face… or a neural net.

Ukraine’s recovery is impossible without protecting its economy from shadow schemes and criminal influence. In this candid conversation, Oleksandr Tsyvinskyi, Head of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine, will explain why economic security is the foundation of Ukraine’s recovery and international trust. He will share the tools БЕБ uses to fight financial crimes, prevent capital flight, and ensure fair market rules. This is about building a system where businesses can invest and grow without the fear of corruption or corporate raiding

While the official IT Arena program concludes with Sunday meetups, the celebration kicks off Saturday night at the stadium. Joining us is special guest, Jamala, starting at 19:10. Unwind with music, signature cocktails, and plenty of networking opportunities in a laid-back setting.
(Available for all types of tickets).