Is innovation possible in European Ukraine? – Discussion with the chief executives of SoftServe

25 Nov 2013

The opening of Ideas Lab began with a discussion on whether Ukraine is a European country in which innovation is possible. 

On November 22, the participants of two groups of the MS in Innovations and Entrepreneurship program together with the chief executives of SoftServe, Yaroslav Liubinets and Taras Verveha, spoke about values, corporate culture, management secrets, and fostering innovation.

At the beginning of the meeting, the moderator of the discussion, CEO of the Lviv Business School Sophia Opatska said: “We are all concerned about what is happening now in Ukraine. Our discussion today is a great opportunity to discuss why each one of us wants to go to the EuroMaidan.”

In response to Sophia’s question to the guests whether they would leave the country if they were young, the chair of the Board of Directors of SoftServe Yaroslav Liubinets, answered: “I’ve always had a chance to go abroad but I didn’t, and among the reasons why I didn’t is values. You can live in wealth abroad, have a high salary, but here in Ukraine there are opportunities to do something more. Ukraine has better opportunities for the youth to reach their potentials.”

Member of the SoftServe Board of Directors Taras Verveha had a similar opinion. According to him, there are difficulties everywhere, for some the “climate” of USA or Germany is better, but for others the Ukrainian one is the best. “It’s easier to find your niche in your own country,” Taras Verveha assured the participants. He says that for the young people innovations are often connected with global trends, which can influence the whole society. “In my opinion, at first innovations don’t have to be massive. These are things that change the family, company, university, and city. If a person thinks in an innovative way and tries to introduce something new, then sooner or later he or she will introduce a global innovation that will change much more than he or she expected.”

Ideas Lab is one of the numerous opportunities that the MS in Innovations & Entrepreneurship program provides. It is a comfortable and inspiring space where ideas fornew innovative start-ups are born from discussions with like-minded, experienced entrepreneurs and mentors. Workshops, presentations of projects, discussions, café seminars, and meetings with mentors are held at Ideas Lab. “You can come and create something new here,” Sophia Opatska told the participants.

All participants of the program will be able to attend these events and participate in their organization, as well as holdmeetings with mentors. Inthe first year after graduating from the Business School, the participants will have free access to Ideas Lab, where they can complete their projects and havebusiness conversations.

LvBS expresses its special gratitude to SoftServe and anonymous donors for the support of the Ideas Lab project!