Research on Science–Business
Collaboration

SoftServe

Bohdan Khomych, Head of R&D Product and Commercialization, SoftServe, shared how the company actively engages with scientists to explore quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and other deep tech technologies. SoftServe collaborates with over 95 universities. «We work closely with universities and encourage top talent to join our organization. We run educational programs that let us actively participate in the academic process and create hubs where we engage with students directly,» Bohdan noted. SoftServe\’s R&D t eam includes over 100 specialists, most of whom are scientists and engineers.

The company actively expands its partnerships with universities and participates in scientific conferences and initiatives. This gives scientists access to infrastructure that is otherwise unavailable within their universities. “We establish both R&D partnerships with universities and take part in academic conferences and research-driven initiatives aligned with scientists’ areas of interest,” Bohdan added.

SoftServe applies rigorous selection criteria to its projects, focusing on commercial and investment potential. “Only projects with the strongest commercialization prospects receive investment,” Bohdan explained. Key success factors include transparent communication, use of innovation assessment models, and proper financial planning.

Haiqu

Mykola Maksymenko, Co-Founder & CTO at Haiqu, previously scaled R&D at SoftServe, and went on to establish Haiqu, a company developing technologies for quantum computing. The company actively collaborates with scientists through programs such as MITACS: “We can hire a student from the University of Waterloo to work on our project, and the Canadian government covers half the cost. This is highly beneficial because it reduces our risk if the project turns out unsuccessful.”

Haiqu engages students through hackathons and other events as part of its hunt for top talent. “We recruit interns via various events and hackathons where the most proactive students participate. Their prior experience is critical, allowing them to quickly start working on complex, real-world tasks,” said Mykola. Key success factors include demonstrating the value of collaborating with academic institutions and showcasing proven success stories.

Himera

Misha Rudominski, Co-Founder of Himera, a company developing universal communication systems for civilian and emergency applications, emphasizes the importance of hiring smart people who understand technologies: “You can raise capital, you can build a lab, but finding smart people and training them quickly—that’s the hard part.”

Misha’s team includes scientists who receive stock options (a core full-time team that contributes beyond the standard employee role). This model of compensation plus potential equity participation may serve as a compelling example for motivating scientists and enhancing science–business collaboration. “Businesses need to understand that this option exists, that this tool can help them achieve their goals, that it works, that it’s viable,” he shared. A critical factor is the presence of an innovation component in the company’s product.

Ecosoft

Natalia Hudym, Head of R&D at Ecosoft, spoke about the company’s successful cooperation with scientific institutions and the importance of science to their operations. Ecosoft, founded by scientists, focuses on developing new products through the active use of scientific knowledge and research: “For us, it’s an opportunity to create a product that doesn’t yet exist on the market.”

Ecosoft operates its own laboratory and collaborates with the Ion Exchange Laboratory at Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI), enabling in-depth research and development.

Natalia emphasizes that the company is prepared for long-term research when new product or technology development requires it. The end-to-end process, from research to commercial launch, can take several years. In-depth, sustained research ensures the creation of a high-quality final product with reduced risks. “The company is thirty years old, so we’re not afraid of long-term research. For us, it’s completely normal for a product to hit the market in the third year after research begins. We understand that the research process alone takes time.”

Ecosoft demonstrates how long-term funding and investment in scientific research can drive the development of innovative products. A key element of their approach is not only product creation but also turning research into tangible market offerings and maintaining a feedback loop between business and the academic community.

MacPaw

Sergii Kryvoblotskyi, Head of Technological R&D в MacPaw, shared insights into the creation of a dedicated innovation unit within the company, focused on research and experimentation. Initially, the company had no structured experience with innovation processes, so it started with a small team and gradually scaled it up.

“At first, we lacked experience, no one at the company had done this before. We were great at building products, but we didn’t have the expertise to integrate technological innovation. No one knew how to engage with science, and no one knew how to manage it,” Sergii explained.

Today, MacPaw’s software is used by over 30 million people. Its applications are installed on one in five Mac computers globally. Sergii highlights the importance of involving skilled professionals who understand technology and are ready to operate in a fast-paced environment.

“Why do businesses need science? To protect yourself from being copied. Otherwise, your products and future innovations are exposed. You might create something, but it won’t be protected.”

Enzym Group

Olena Krasovska, R&D Director at Enzym Group, spoke about the company’s innovation strategy, which focuses on developing yeast-based products. The company actively collaborates with scientific institutions both in Ukraine and abroad to ensure a high level of research and development. “We have our own R&D center, which currently employs around 25 people. We started back in 2014 with just two or three,” Olena shared.

Enzym Group partners with several universities in the European Union and works with consultants across the globe. These relationships were built over years: some through the global network of Ukrainian scientists, others through meetings and negotiations at conferences and trade fairs. This collaboration has enabled the company to make significant progress in developing innovative products. For example, the company has created yeast-based products that accumulate specific compounds, adding value and offering potential advantages over alternatives.

“We once needed a yeast strain that would accumulate a certain compound, and our partners proposed a mutually beneficial model: payment only upon successful completion of the development,” said Olena.

Enzym Group places strong emphasis on the commercialization of its innovations. Olena stresses the importance of turning scientific achievements into real, market-ready products. This is a core principle of the company’s R&D philosophy—only commercially viable developments are considered successful. “A result is only positive if we’ve created a product that can be implemented and commercialized. Only then is it a success,” Olena emphasized.

YURiA-PHARM

Dmytro Derkach, CEO of the YURiA-PHARM Group of Companies/CEO of YURiA-PHARM, shared how the company has achieved significant success by embracing innovation and advanced technologies. One of the Group’s key areas of activity is the R&D of pharmaceuticals and technologies, driven by the growth of its own research and innovation centers: “From the very beginning, we chose the path of building our own infrastructure. Today, our laboratories in Cherkasy and the R&D Center in Kyiv are equipped to the standard of Europe’s top facilities,” said Dmytro Derkach.

Since 2015, the YURiA-PHARM Group has been developing a dedicated biotech R&D infrastructure—YP Biotech—with the goal of establishing Ukraine’s first center for the full-cycle development of biotechnology solutions for biomedical purposes. The company’s scientists are focused on creating several proprietary biological platforms. One of these platforms will enable the development of therapeutics based on recombinant proteins. Another will support the replication of existing mRNA-based vaccine technologies, and in the future, will facilitate the development and production of original nucleic acid–based therapies.

“Innovation is literally born in our labs. It’s a process that starts with molecular chemistry and leads to nucleic acids,” Dmytro added.