BotsCrew is one of Ukraine’s most well-known product IT companies, specializing in chatbot development. In 2025, the company became part of the American agency Court Avenue. One of its co-founders, Nazar Hembara, recently completed the MSc in Technology Management program at the UCU Business School. We spoke with Nazar about his entrepreneurial journey, business transformation, the motivation behind pursuing a business education — and how that education helped him prepare for a major deal.
Nazar, tell us about the origin of BotsCrew. How did it all begin?
We founded the company in 2016. It started as a kind of entrepreneurial adventure between three friends and classmates from Ivan Franko University — myself, Maksym Hladysh (who’s also a graduate of the MSc in Technology Management program), and Oleh Harasym. Everything began with participating in hackathons. The first one was a travel-themed hackathon in Berlin. There, we built our first Telegram chatbot and won second place. Just a few weeks later, we joined another hackathon in Mallorca — where we won in four different categories and took home €4,000 after just four hours of work.
But the most important outcome wasn’t even the prize money. One of the hackathon sponsors — an Irish startup — asked us to build a chatbot for them. That’s how we landed our first client.
At the same time, we were still working in other companies. But we decided to fully focus on our venture. We quit our jobs and went to Bali, where we concentrated on building BotsCrew. We actually consider our first working day in Bali as the company’s official birthday.
How has your company changed over these nearly ten years?
In the beginning, we operated as an agency, developing chatbots on demand. Over time, we realized that the technology we had built had potential as a product — so we started licensing it. Today, we have two business models: Product-based (a platform for building and managing chatbots), Service-based (implementation and support).
The past three years have been truly transformational. The emergence of ChatGPT and generative AI has completely changed the game. Our previous product became less relevant, but we managed to adapt — and that gave us a strong boost for growth. Client demands increased, and so did the need for deep expertise — something we had been developing for years.
We doubled in size in just one year — both in revenue and profit.
Today, our team has grown to over 50 people. Our product is used by companies all over the world.
We were truly lucky — we had a very strong team and excellent timing. Some of our very first clients have been with us for nine years now. And colleagues who joined us during BotsCrew’s first year are still with us in leadership roles. This was a transformation we went through together — we grew as a company, and we grew as a team.
Both you and Maksym Hladysh are graduates of the UCU Business School. Why did you decide to enroll?
We made the decision together. We considered different programs — the Key Executive MBA and the MSc in Technology Management — and eventually chose the technology management program because it was easier to integrate into the context of our business.
What did the MSc in Technology Management program give you?
First and foremost, it was a chance to step away from daily operations and look at the company from a higher-level perspective. Maksym and I studied together, and many of the ideas we discussed during the modules were later implemented at BotsCrew. It was a great time for reflection and rethinking.
We had a third partner who didn’t join us in the program but fully supported us and made it possible for us to focus on our studies. I think that says a lot. It was great to come back after the modules and discuss new approaches, ideas, and decisions together. We genuinely enjoyed seeing how this learning helped us transform the company.
At what point did you realize you needed a business education?
In the beginning, I don’t think business education is critical. You just work, launch processes, and learn as you go. But after a few years, you start to feel like you’re hitting a ceiling. To move to the next level, you need new approaches and tools.
For me, this moment came about 4–5 years after starting the company. I first became interested in short-term programs, and then eventually looked into more long-term education.
Why did you choose the UCU Business School specifically?
For me, it was an obvious choice. Other business schools in Ukraine felt more like business clubs. UCU, on the other hand, was associated with strong values, depth, and practical learning. Many of my friends had studied there and highly recommended it.
The community played a huge role. I had a lot of friends and acquaintances who had already completed programs at the UCU Business School — and they didn’t just recommend it, they actively shared their experiences, mentored us, and explained how the program had helped them.
We also consulted with entrepreneurs who had more experience than we did. They shared how business education helped them systematize management — and gave us suggestions on which programs to consider.
We looked into various options — both the Key Executive MBA and Technology Management. After speaking with graduates of both programs, it became clear that the MSc in Technology Management was the best fit for a tech business like ours. And over time, we’ve been proven right again and again.
The Technology Management program was the closest to our reality: it was English-language, internationally focused, and very hands-on.
The MSc in Technology Management is the first master’s program in Ukraine to offer business education specifically for the tech industry.
What role did the program play in your development as a leader and in the growth of your company?
A crucial one. First and foremost — the support of the community during the full-scale invasion. For me, it was the backbone that helped me stay strong as a leader and keep guiding the team.
Second — confidence in decision-making. Having the chance to consult with someone from the group, to feel that you’re not alone.
And third — the ability to take risks and see the bigger picture. During that time, we nearly doubled the company’s profit. We also managed to quickly adapt our product to the new realities of the AI market.
What does the alumni community mean to you?
It’s incredibly important. First of all, it’s our group. Over the course of the program, we became very close. We have active group chats, where someone is always sharing something, asking for advice, or offering support — weekly, monthly. These can be work-related requests, decision-making discussions, event invitations. And what matters most is that it’s not just a chat — it’s the feeling that you can always reach out, and you won’t be ignored. That kind of support means a lot.
We also meet in person — for example, when someone travels to Kyiv, we immediately make plans to see those who are there. It’s become a really nice tradition. I truly find these people inspiring — both professionally and personally.
There’s also one more interesting aspect: the power of the UCU Business School brand and community.
I’ve noticed that when you meet someone who’s also an alum, there’s immediately a sense of trust. You don’t have to earn it from scratch — it’s already there because you’ve both gone through a similar journey. I myself feel more trust in return too. It’s like you already know the person in some way — you share a common foundation: values, experience, and approach to business.
Your company recently became part of Court Avenue. How did you come to that decision?
Court Avenue became our client in 2023. We worked together for about six months, and then the idea of a potential acquisition came up.
We explored their model — they had created the “Court Avenue Collective,” which includes independent companies that keep their own brand, team, and structure, but gain new growth opportunities.
We looked at the companies that had already joined Court Avenue and saw that they were growing much faster and achieving great results. So we compared the pace we could move at on our own — even with good momentum — versus the pace we could have with them. And we decided to give it a try.
Negotiations lasted nine months, and eventually, we came to an agreement. Court Avenue acquired a controlling stake, but our team, brand, and structure remained unchanged. Now we have more opportunities: new job openings, new clients, new markets.
Did your education at the UCU Business School help during this process?
Absolutely. Most of all — the Negotiations course by Linda Nitch. It was my favorite course: four days of intensive practice, feedback, reflection, and deep immersion.
It was especially useful that we studied the specifics of the American negotiation culture — exactly what came in handy in the real deal.
I’m confident that this course helped me be better prepared and reach a more beneficial outcome for everyone.
It was truly a win-win deal — and the UCU Business School definitely played a part in that.
You also became a participant of the Stanford Ignite program. Could you tell us more about it? What motivated you to apply, and what are your expectations?
Yes, this is a short-term program — Stanford Ignite lasts several months and is run by the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In Ukraine, it is implemented by the Ideas Center UCU (CfE Accelerator UCU) and the Stanford Graduate School of Business, with the support of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Catholic University.
They selected 42 entrepreneurs from Ukraine to participate in the program — with the goal of helping them create more jobs in Ukraine. It’s a very impactful program, and I’m incredibly happy to be a part of it. The online part of the training has already begun: fascinating lectures, a strong team, and many well-known leaders among the participants, including several alumni of the UCU Business School. I’m really looking forward to the in-person part: first at UCU, and then a three-week final module on the Stanford campus.
What drives you the most in your business?
What I enjoy most is doing business with people: building relationships with clients and with teams. It’s incredibly inspiring to see how those relationships evolve, how our impact on clients’ businesses grows, how their businesses scale — and alongside that, how our team grows too. We grow together. I think that’s what I love the most — working with great people on something great. It doesn’t even feel like work.
What are your goals for the coming years?
To take advantage of the unique window of opportunity currently opening in the artificial intelligence market. I want to significantly grow the company — especially in terms of revenue, since that’s our key metric. We aim to become a globally influential player in the AI solutions implementation market. We want this to be a success story that we’ll be proud to continue. The plan is to multiply our metrics several times over the next three years.
And how have the past few years, especially the war, affected your business?
Of course, it had an impact. But if we look at our main financial metrics, we managed to double in size between 2021 and 2024. We’re incredibly grateful to have such clients — not a single one stopped working with us during the full-scale invasion. On the contrary, they supported us, telling us things like, “Take as many days off as you need,” and even paid us six months in advance. We didn’t ask them for that — they wanted to help us on their own. It was an incredibly powerful show of support.
At the same time, there were also challenges. For example, restrictions on traveling abroad made it harder to have in-person meetings. And our business heavily relies on building relationships. This affected the pace of acquiring new clients.
What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting their own business? Or to yourself ten years ago?
I actually just read a post on LinkedIn today: “I scheduled a meeting with my 10-years-younger self — but he didn’t show up.” It was funny, but also true. I think the Nazar from ten years ago wouldn’t have shown up to that meeting — he was a completely different person. But if he had come, I’d tell him: build relationships with people. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from those who are a few steps ahead.
From my experience, no one has ever refused when I asked for advice. On the contrary — they shared their knowledge and offered support. And that really accelerates your journey. I regret not doing it more often in the beginning. Of course, you still have to make your own mistakes, but having an outside guide is incredibly powerful.
Also — invest in education. Maybe it’s not worth enrolling in a technology management program if you’re not in a leadership role yet or not working in the tech industry. But the moment you step into a leadership position or start building something of your own — that knowledge becomes extremely valuable. For me personally, it would’ve meant much less if I had joined the program earlier.
And of course — just work. Most problems are solved through consistent daily effort and a strong team. It’s worth investing in the people around you — your team.
In your opinion, what qualities should a true leader have today to succeed?
First and foremost — understanding. Understanding the needs of the market, of customers — that’s critical. But just as important is understanding your team: what drives them, what inspires them, what worries them. A leader’s job is to create an environment where every team member feels that their work has meaning, delivers value, and creates impact.
I believe no one wants to work “just because” anymore. People are searching for meaning in what they do. So it’s the leader’s task to build an organization where everyone feels their worth and understands why and with whom they are working. That’s what culture grows from — and values, and everything else.
BotsCrew is a Ukrainian company specializing in building chatbots to enhance customer experience for brands. The company’s story began in 2016 with a hackathon win, where the team built their first chatbot — and they’ve been refining this simple yet powerful solution ever since. Today, BotsCrew is a team of over 50 enthusiasts who have delivered more than 100 chatbots and 10 voice assistants for platforms like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Slack, Google Home, Alexa, and more.
The company works with clients around the globe — from startups to Fortune 500 companies, including Samsung NEXT, Mars, Virgin, and BMC. What sets BotsCrew apart is their passion for what they do and their commitment to client success. They guide customers at every stage — from ideation to support — to deliver products that bring real value to end users.
