On September 4, 2025, Kyiv became the hub of one of the key events in Ukraine’s tech ecosystem — FutureTech MeetUp: Go Global, held as part of the Diia.City United platform. The event brought together startup founders, international investors, government representatives, members of the diplomatic corps, and the academic community to discuss strategies for taking Ukrainian innovation companies to global markets.

Among the participants were Anna Orel — academic lead of the “Communication Marketing” program (specialty D5 Marketing) at Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, Doctor of Economics, Professor at the Department of Marketing and Communication Design — and Mariana Shkoda, Doctor of Economics, Professor, and Dean of the Faculty of Management and Business Design. Both scholars represented the academic sphere as a vital partner in the development of the tech business, particularly in:

• Bridging academia and tech entrepreneurship: applying scientific knowledge to the practical processes of international market entry.
• Shaping global thinking: equipping students and future marketers with digital competencies as a key to thriving in rapid technology transfer and globalization.
• Supporting youth innovation: motivating students to join startups and create their own innovative projects — even during times of crisis.

Key event formats included:

• Office Hours: one-on-one consultations between startups and expert mentors.
• Pitch Grilling: public startup pitches followed by in-depth investor analysis.
• MeetUp Go Global: thematic panel discussions on international expansion of Ukrainian companies.

Main discussion points:

• Successful case studies of tech company scaling
• Challenges and opportunities for startups going global
• The role of government support and investment during wartime
• Integration of education and science into the business ecosystem

According to the organizers, in just the first half of 2024, Ukrainian startups attracted over $462 million in investments — a testament to the international business community’s trust in Ukrainian innovation.

Anna Orel’s participation in this event is a vivid example of the strong collaboration between academia and business — aimed at cultivating global thinking, digital skills, and readiness among students to operate in a dynamically evolving global economy.

10.09.2025