Why hire Ukrainian tech talent for your startup in 2023

Chances are, you have already worked with tech talents from Ukraine or you might be thinking of hiring on this candidate market. In the article for AIN.Capital, Viktoriia Prydatko, founder of VP Team and highfive.expert, and recruiting influencer in Ukraine, tells everything you need to know to start working with Ukrainians.

Pay attention if you’re in finance, SaaS, AI, cybersecurity, health and fitness, IoT, or MedTech startups. 

Ukrainian professionals have extensive experience in working with projects in these industries. Many successful startups you know have Ukrainian talents as their founders. Some notable examples include Grammarly (SaaS), GitLab (SaaS), Monobank (Finance), Reface (AI), Betterme (Health & Fitness), and Clario Tech (Cybersecurity), among others.

Ukrainian engineers have played crucial roles in creating products like Petcube and Ring (IoT), as well as Cardio.AI and Esper Bionics (MedTech). They also have vast experience collaborating with major medical companies worldwide.

So, as you’re here reading, let me answer the questions on your mind. 

Ukrainian talents don’t need pity; they need good projects, just like other professionals.

Is the war still going on in Ukraine? Yes, russia continues to commit horrible crimes. 

But it doesn’t mean Ukrainians are frozen in their career development or hindered in driving businesses. 

Quite the opposite.

Co-working spaces for remote workers in Ukraine are well-equipped with light, internet, and bomb shelters. 

City governments support infrastructure at all levels, and businesses ensure workers have safe places to do their work. 

Ukrainian talents bring the same international values as other professionals around the globe, with even more enthusiasm and responsibilities. Founders are closing and opening new businesses, while startup founders are raising millions in investments. 

Ukrainian tech companies donated over $55 million to war relief causes in 2022.

The fact that Ukrainian people have to live and work in a war is horrible, and Ukraine should win as fast as possible. 

But Ukrainians don’t seek pity. 

Ukrainian tech talents need trust as business partners and the opportunity to work on the same good projects as people worldwide.

In return, you’ll have the most talented and dedicated individuals on your team. 

Ukrainians are located across the globe too. 

It’s worth mentioning that you can still collaborate with Ukrainian talents who relocated before or as soon as the war started. Check the map we created using our open survey (Q1 2023) among skilled professionals (with 4.5 years or more of experience).

Engineers are located:

Managers are located:

You can directly hire Ukrainian tech talents. 

1. Search on LinkedIn, Djini (specialists at all levels), highfive.expert (5+ years of experience, both tech, and non-tech), and local recruiters.
2. Utilize platforms like https://www.deel.com  or similar services for employment purposes.
3. Enter into a direct contract with the specialist as an individual entrepreneur. This allows the specialist to pay taxes independently in Ukraine.

Many EU-based specialists already have residence status, working permits, and individual entrepreneur accounts in Ukrainian banks.

Engineers with extensive experience working with US startups often prefer direct contracts, agree on gross compensation, and handle their tax obligations independently in Ukraine. 

Ukrainian software engineers with 5-15 years of experience are a perfect match for startups. 

They have experience in various industries, use modern stacks, possess a product mindset, an international background, good English, and salary expectations feasible for businesses at different growth stages.

«Working with Ukrainian professionals has been a rewarding experience for Redstone Solution OÜ. Their strong work ethic, pursuit of quality, and intelligence are truly impressive. They show great motivation and dedication, always ready to take on tasks and contribute to our goals.

I recommend any company, especially startups, to consider Ukrainians when hiring remotely. Their commitment and passion can be a valuable asset to any organization.» — Jérémy Cochoy, CEO of Redstone Solution OU. 

«As an early-stage healthcare startup based in Silicon Valley, we were determined to maintain lean product engineering operations while upholding high-quality standards. We sought experienced individuals who possessed exceptional problem-solving skills, a fast learning ability, and the capacity to contribute beyond mere programming expertise – qualities commonly found in top-tier technology companies in Silicon Valley, but without spending the entire runway during the first few months. Given these requirements, the decision to hire Ukrainian engineers was a no-brainer for us.

Whether building our core team or expanding an existing engineering team, I wholeheartedly recommend considering Ukraine as a go-to destination for future tech hires.” — Artem Petrov, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Caret Health. 

You can hire the following engineers who participated in our surveys (Q1 2023) and shared their data:

• Software Engineer/Developer
• Mobile Engineer
• Machine Learning Engineer
• Machine Learning Researcher
• Penetration Tester
• Data Engineer
• Big Data Engineer
• Data Scientist
• DevOps Engineer
• Director of Engineering
• Engineering Manager
• QA Engineer
• Solution Architect

Technology stacks they are proficient in:

Average salary expectations vary based on years of experience and technology stack expertise.

More than 50% of experts prioritize the following:

1. The opportunity to work on impactful products and with new technologies.
2. Advancement in their careers by taking new steps.
3. The chance to work in new industries or different job functions.

Ukrainian managers with 5-15 years of experience have often worked with US and European markets, operate on a solid monthly budget, and have proficiency in product development.

I advise you to pay attention to Ukrainian managers. Many of them have years of experience in leading teams for famous products. For example, Olha Noha, CMO at US company SplitMetrics, or Ruslan Nazarenko, Senior Product Growth Manager at Vimeo, based in Los Angeles. Some of them are also founders of well-known products.

You can hire the following non-tech specialists who participated in our surveys (Q1 2023) and shared their data:

• Growth Marketing Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Product Manager
• Product Marketing Manager
• Strategy Manager
• Business Analyst
• CEO
• CMO
• COO
• CTO
• Delivery Manager
• Development Director
• Development Manager
• Head of Communications
• Product Owner
• Project Manager
• Recruiter
• Product Designer

Average salary expectations depend on years of experience, market, and budget they have worked with.

Conscientiousness, goal-oriented mindset, a mature approach, and a strong sense of responsibility for delivering results—we understand that you are searching for these skills, and you will find them in Ukrainian tech talents.

If you are exploring the market of Ukrainian talents, seek consultancy. Share your requirements, and colleagues will advise if they can fulfill them, provide an exact budget estimate, and suggest how to promote the proposal. You will be pleasantly surprised by the level of engagement and client service.

Author: Viktoriia Prydatko, founder of VP Team and highfive.expert