Harvard Business Review experts and global trends show that participation in building powerful communities not only strengthens their members but also provides competitive advantages for businesses around the world. According to research by the Advanter Group, members of such associations grow faster than the market.
A classic cluster is usually about belonging to an industry and a particular region. Having an office in a city, you can join the local community. But the war has changed the approach to unification somewhat. Many companies were forced to relocate their specialists, and IT people are scattered all over the country and the world. This transition to working with remote teams has created new challenges and restrictions for businesses.
Kharkiv IT Cluster is a community that has grown significantly during the full-scale invasion, as consolidation is the way to survive. Today it has more than 270 members and partners. Over the years, Kharkiv IT Cluster has created a unique package of cluster services for IT businesses that help to keep the business alive and grow.
This experience inspired the launch of a new project “IT Cluster in the Cloud” in partnership with Kharkiv IT Cluster and the USAID Competitive Economy Program. This initiative is changing the way IT companies can cooperate and grow in a difficult period of turbulence. USAID’s Competitive Economy of Ukraine program supports startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to increase their competitiveness in Ukraine’s domestic and international markets, helps build a simplified and transparent business climate, and provides Ukrainian companies with opportunities to take advantage of international trade.
About the IT Cluster in the Cloud project
- The aim of the project is to scale up support for small and medium-sized IT companies that are forced to locate in different parts of the country and the world during the war. The IT industry is going through difficult times and a “perfect storm,” so support is needed more than ever.
- The project is expected to strengthen the resilience of IT businesses, increase their ability to increase sales, hire talent, and attract investment.
- “IT Cluster in the Cloud” will provide IT companies with convenient access to cluster services, expert support, and networking, regardless of the absence or presence of a regional office.
Who can join the project
The IT Cluster in the Cloud project is open to all IT companies, whether they are current members of Kharkiv IT Cluster or representatives of the IT business who are not yet members of the community. Joining the project is very easy – fill out an application on the Kharkiv IT Cluster website to get a unique cluster service without geographical restrictions.
Participants of the IT Cluster in the Cloud project will have access to cluster services, support, customer exchange, or free staff (to prevent the dismissal of temporarily unemployed specialists).
The cost of the basic level of participation in project activities for participants from IT companies is covered by the USAID Competitive Economy Program.
The main objectives of the initiative include:
- Increasing an export capacity and demonstration of the sustainability of IT business for clients abroad, including startups and product companies
- Providing support to participants in preserving and restoring their business, in particular in legal matters
Participation in the project provides networking opportunities in HR, Sales, and PR/Marketing, which will allow IT companies to create partnerships, including matching clients and temporarily free professionals with each other to retain them in the Ukrainian IT industry.
The project will include a communication campaign for clients and professionals, which will allow managers to get the necessary support for their brands in the community, and for the IT industry to save up to 1500 jobs.
“IT Cluster in the Cloud is an exceptional opportunity for the development and transformation of IT companies, startups, and professionals. This initiative is a unique point for attracting investment and expanding international cooperation from any part of the country or abroad.
Join the space of development, respect and support, become a part of the “IT Cluster in the cloud”, change the world around you together with the unbreakable IT community – Kharkiv IT Cluster!
