How to Keep Your Business Running Smoothly With Ukrainian Developers During the War

Softensy
6 min readNov 7, 2022

Many foreign companies outsource software development to Ukraine because they like affordable prices, excellent results, and effortless communication with Ukrainian partners.

However, given the military situation caused by ongoing russian attacks, any CEO or founder will assess risks before making critical business decisions.

So what happens when you’re dealing with a war? How do you keep your business running smoothly when there’s unrest and instability all around you?

The answer, surprisingly, is to outsource to Ukrainian developers.

This article will explain why.

What is the current situation in Ukraine?

Despite the war, the IT industry in Ukraine does pretty well. It holds a strong position in Ukrainian exports and greatly contributes to the national economy. Here are the figure-based facts that prove the stable position of Ukrainian IT at the present time.

Growing revenue. In 2022, Ukrainian IT services increased the share of export earnings by 28% compared to 2021 and provided $2 billion of export revenue.

Incoming projects. Since the beginning of the war, 80% of Ukrainian companies have attracted new projects, and 60% of companies have planned to expand their operations.

Safe locations. 46% of Ukrainian ІТ specialists are currently working abroad or in the safer regions of Ukraine.

Work dedication. 84% of Ukrainian ІТ specialists did not interrupt work on projects and continue working full time to this day.

Client retention. 84% of Ukrainian IT companies have kept from 90 to 100% of their clients. Among the 16% of companies that have lost their clients, the percentage of lost clients does not exceed 10%.

How can Ukrainian developers help your business?

Software development outsourcing to Ukraine is a great way to boost your business with reasonable costs. Ukrainian developers are highly skilled and in high demand, and their rates are lower than in other parts of Europe.

Developers’ rates in Europe
Source: Future of IT report, 2022

Also, Ukrainian IT specialists are among the top 10 best developers in the world, ahead of Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and other developed Western European countries.

Best software developers worldwide
Source: Pentalog.com

Ukraine also ranks second in the list of the best JavaScript and C/C++ developers.

Best JavaScript developers worldwide
Source: Pentalog.com

And it has a well-developed community of Java, JavaScript, C#, PHP, and Python experts.

Programming languages in Ukraine
Source: Ukrainiansoftwaredevelopers.com

Despite the war, many Ukrainian IT companies are on the list of top IT companies in Eastern Europe. Working in more challenging conditions than their counterparts from neighboring countries, Ukrainian developers deliver top-notch products within the established deadlines.

So, if you are looking for ways to improve your business through outsourcing, consider hiring Ukrainian developers to

  • cut development costs
  • get easy access to an extensive talent pool
  • partner with mature development teams
  • implement even the most challenging tasks
  • receive an excellent product within set deadlines

Why choose Ukraine over other outsourcing destinations

Ukraine has long been a high-tech IT hub with a large database of skilled developers and other IT professionals. World-known companies such as Google, Oracle, Abbyy, Snap, Lyft, and others have had their R&D centers and have been successfully doing business in Ukraine for years. Ukrainian IT providers have also become reliable partners for foreign startups and mid-sized companies. In addition to software development, they offered many other services, such as DevOps, product management, QA marketing, and brand promotion.

However, despite the excellent reputation of Ukrainian developers, many foreign clients began to doubt if they needed to keep business in Ukraine during the war. Such thoughts are understandable as the primary task of any entrepreneur is to act in the interests of their business. And having Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, etc. nearby, why not move the business to a more safe location?

Each company must answer this question based on the project specifics. Yet, there are several objective reasons which make clients outsource to Ukraine despite the war.

  • Ukrainian developers have not reduced their work efficiency. As it was already mentioned, the export of IT services has only increased in 2022. Ukrainian IT has made every effort to support the national economy and fulfill obligations to its clients.
  • Ukrainian IT providers have revised their workflow during the war. The majority of Ukrainian IT companies evacuated their employees to the west side of the country or abroad. Ukrainian offices have reliable basements, are equipped with powerful power supplies and generators, and have big supplies of water and food.
  • Ukrainians know how to work under tough political conditions. The experience of 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and proclaimed the LPR and DPR, taught Ukrainians to make informed decisions and work with a cool head no matter what.
  • Ukrainian IT community makes great donations to the army and humanitarian aid. Since the beginning of military activities, Ukrainian IT specialists have donated about $19 million to the army through charitable organizations. Therefore, by cooperating with Ukrainian companies, you not only increase the efficiency of your business but also bring the victory of Ukrainians and peace in Europe closer.

How to find the right Ukrainian developers for your business

Currently, 5,000+ IT companies operate in Ukraine, most of which are software development service providers. These companies have different domains, staff number, and expertise. And, naturally, not all of them are suitable for your project.

To find a reliable technology partner in Ukraine, you will need to put in some effort and do research. The guide below will help you quickly explore the Ukrainian IT market and find the perfect match.

Define your needs. What do you want your outsourcing partner to do? Do you need to augment your in-house team, order particular services, or completely outsource product development to a remote team?

Research the market. Resources like Clutch, LinkedIn, and DOU will help you discover diverse Ukrainian IT companies and see their specialization, ratings, and rates.

Check the portfolio. When narrowing your choices, compare companies by their portfolios and case studies. This will give you a good idea of the company’s abilities and whether they’re a good fit for your project.

Meet the team. When you filter out several suitable companies, appoint a meeting with each of them. After a live conversation, you will get more information about how the team works and will be able to make an informed decision.

Compare prices. You can order a discovery phase from several companies, compare results and prices, and then decide which provider suits you best. Alternatively, you can ask for a rough product estimate which is usually provided for free, and choose the company based on its results.

Make a choice. When you gather all the necessary information about your potential partners, it’s time to choose the most suitable company and sign a software development contract. When all legal issues are settled, you can start developing the product of your dreams.

Conclusion

Given the current situation in Ukraine, it’s understandable if you’re hesitant to hire developers from that country. However, for more than half a year of the war, Ukrainians have proven their strong work ethic and the ability to fulfill obligations to clients even in the most difficult conditions. Now the vast majority of Ukrainian IT offices work in quiet regions, and the Ukrainian IT sector brings huge incomes to its country.

Ukrainian developers donate to the army and humanitarian aid. Thus, by outsourcing software development to Ukraine, you will not only get a high-professional team but also help the world overcome the current political and economical crisis.

At Softensy, we have many years of experience working with clients from all over the world. We develop long-term enterprise projects and short projects for startups. If you are looking for a reliable technology partner in FinTech, e-commerce, real estate, EdTech, FoodTech, or other areas, get in touch. Our consultants will be happy to answer all your questions and offer a solution that best suits your project needs.

This article was originally published at Softensy

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Softensy

Softensy specializes in fintech development and enterprise-level apps. Our team helps companies automate business processes by developing software solutions.