StrategEast

We’re proud to support this milestone 👏 StrategEast is pleased to partner with the The University of Georgia (Tbilisi) as it once again receives the #Apple Authorized Training Centre — reinforcing its role as a leading hub for high-quality, globally recognized #techeducation. This achievement is more than accreditation — it’s about building future-ready talent equipped with practical, industry-aligned #digitalskills. Through Apple-certified programs, expert trainers, and a strong institutional foundation, students gain access to world-class learning pathways that prepare them for today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape. At StrategEast, we remain committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen digital skills, education ecosystems, and #innovation capacity across the region. Prof. Lika Merabishvili

🇺🇦🚀 StrategEast joined one of the key events of the year for the tech industry in #Ukraine - #Tech360: Policy Meets Technology in Kyiv, organized by the IT Ukraine Association, exploring how Ukrainian #ITindustry is navigating global expansion amid increasingly complex and dynamic markets. Moderated by Hanna Myshko, Regional Director for the Gulf States, Ukraine and Moldova at StrategEast, the panel, “Sales and Scaling in Non-Traditional Markets,” examined how companies define target markets, align expansion with business objectives and build a sustainable presence within the modern global #DigitalEconomy. The panel featured: 🎤Dmytro Gryn, CEO of Jooble and Board Member of IT Ukraine Association 🎤Ruslan Seredyuk, Chief Engineering Officer at ELEKS 🎤Vladyslav Tkachuk, Marketing Director at GlobalLogic A key theme was the changing geography of demand. While the United States remains central, companies are increasingly assessing markets such as #MENA, #NorthernEurope and #LatinAmerica in terms of strategic fit, reinforcing a more deliberate approach to #GlobalGrowth. The panel highlighted a shift in client expectations. Competitive advantage is increasingly defined by adaptability and the expertise in addressing complex challenges. Ukrainian companies are responding by strengthening their position within the #UkraineTech ecosystem through deeper specialization and integrated client engagement. As noted during the discussion, diversification is now a core strategy rather than a contingency. Its success depends on clarity of intent and execution across markets. A huge thank you to the IT Ukraine Association for the invitation - your tireless work in developing Ukraine's tech ecosystem makes moments like this possible. StrategEast is honored to contribute to the global conversation on the evolving role of emerging #TechEcosystems in the international #InnovationlEconomy. #Tech360

In November 2025, StrategEast — together with our long-standing partner, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) — launched a programme to support startups with market access to the GCC. The goal: to help six high-potential #startups from #CentralAsia, the #Caucasus, and #EasternEurope explore and enter the fast-growing #digitalmarkets of #SaudiArabia, #Qatar, and #Bahrain. Now well underway, the founders are moving through tailored advisory sessions, deep dives into local market dynamics, and strategic introductions that help them navigate the Gulf’s unique — and highly opportunity-driven — business environment. This year’s cohort brings together companies working across fintech, digital banking, logistics, biometric technologies, mobility services, and VR-based training: Alaqan Technologies, SpaceLab, Aspichi, VanOnGo, Investbanq, and UvU International. The Arabian Gulf Market Entry Program is another step in StrategEast’s broader effort to strengthen Eurasia–Gulf cooperation and build a real #digitalbridge between our regions. The programme is fully supported funded by EBRD and implemented by StrategEast. 👉 You can learn more about the program via the link on our website https://lnkd.in/d9hK9e94

Anatoly Motkin to Deutsche Welle: Ukraine isn’t just adapting to modern warfare - it’s redefining it. In a new interview with Deutsche Welle, Anatoly Motkin highlights why #Ukraine’s #defense-tech edge is built on more than #wartime urgency: 📌 300,000+ engineers powering rapid innovation 📌 Real-time battlefield iteration — not years-long procurement cycles 📌 Cost-effective solutions: interceptor #drones vs multi-million missile systems From #AI-enabled targeting to swarm drones, Ukraine is building a faster, smarter, and more adaptive model of defense innovation. The takeaway for global partners — especially in the Gulf: 👉 This is not just experience. It’s a blueprint for the future of security. https://lnkd.in/dxgmG7uU

🚀 Ukraine is not just adapting to war — it’s redefining global defense tech. And the Gulf is paying attention. The Atlantic Council has published a new article by Anatoly Motkin, “Drone superpower Ukraine is an ideal tech partner for the Gulf states,” spotlighting Ukraine’s rise as a global leader in next-generation #defense #innovation. The core message: #Ukraine’s edge is not just scale — it’s speed. Real-time battlefield feedback, rapid iteration cycles, and cost-effective #engineering are reshaping how modern #military #technologies are built and deployed. This transformation is drawing growing interest from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar — economies actively investing in their transition toward innovation-driven, tech-powered futures. The opportunity is clear. Ukraine brings battle-tested expertise, engineering talent, and a uniquely agile innovation model. The Gulf brings #capital, global market access, and platforms for scaling technologies. 🤝 Together, this is more than defense cooperation — it’s the foundation for a new cross-regional tech partnership spanning AI, electronic warfare, logistics, and dual-use innovation. The takeaway: drones are just the headline. The real story is the emergence of Ukraine as a global tech force — and a strategic partner in shaping the future of innovation. 👇 Check out the full article: https://lnkd.in/erWkXiak

#Ukraine needs to rebuild its economy, attract sustainable foreign investment, and establish itself as a technology hub that can thrive in the postwar era. The #Gulf states need to accelerate their technology transitions, diversify their strategic partnerships, and develop genuine domestic innovation capacity rather than simply buying capabilities off the shelf from Western defense contractors. These are not competing objectives. They are, in important respects, the same objective approached from different directions. My last piece for the Atlantic Council

#Azerbaijan is making a bold move toward becoming a regional tech powerhouse 🚀 A new article by Prof. Lika Merabishvili, published in Azeri Observer, explores how the country is accelerating its #digitaltransformation and positioning itself as a technology hub of the South Caucasus. In “Azerbaijan's Digital Leap: Shaping the South Caucasus Tech Hub,” the analysis highlights a clear shift—from an energy-driven economy to a diversified, innovation-led digital ecosystem. 📊 The takeaway: With sustained investment in education, innovation ecosystems, and global collaboration, Azerbaijan is well-positioned to become a leading tech hub in Central Eurasia. 👉 A must-read for anyone tracking digital transformation, emerging #techmarkets, and the future of the region.

🇺🇦🚀 Tested by military - produced for civil: Ukrainian #tech sector attracts #investors In a new article for the Center for European Policy Analysis titled “Investors Eye Ukraine’s Silicon Steppe,” Anatoly Motkin, President of StrategEast, highlights #Ukraine’s growing #investment potential driven by the success of its #defensetech sector. Mr. Motkin argues that wartime #innovation has accelerated breakthroughs in drones, AI, robotics, and electronic warfare — creating a powerful ecosystem of combat-tested technologies with strong dual-use potential. Much like the early development of Silicon Valley, Ukraine’s defense-driven innovation is now fueling broader technological growth. The country’s strong engineering talent and globally recognized IT sector — which produced companies like Grammarly — are increasingly combining software expertise with hardware innovation shaped by battlefield experience. With expanding drone production, growing venture investment, and government initiatives such as Brave1 and Diia.City supporting the ecosystem, Ukraine is rapidly emerging as one of Europe’s most dynamic defense-tech hubs. His message to investors is clear: Ukraine’s defense-tech success is creating a unique opportunity to invest in technologies that are already proving their value in the most demanding real-world conditions. Read the full article https://lnkd.in/dwaApweq

🇺🇸🌍 Without #trusteddigital component - the #MiddleCorridor will not be sustainable On March 3, together with the Center for the National Interest, we convened leaders in Washington, D.C. at the Microsoft Innovation and Policy Center to examine U.S. strategic interests in the Digital Middle Corridor. Our new report, “The Middle Corridor: Where Trade Routes Meet Digital Control” underscored a critical shift: control over customs systems, data exchanges, and port digital platforms will define who shapes Eurasian trade — not just railways and ports. The takeaway of the discussion was direct: if the U.S. and Europe want secure access to #CentralAsia’s critical resources, they must help set trusted digital standards — or risk a new geopolitical chokepoint. With insights from Stephen Benson (Laser Light Federal), Arkadiy Dobkin (EPAM Systems), and Anatoly Motkin (StrategEast), moderated by Andy Kuchins, the panel reinforced one point: digital infrastructure is now core to geoeconomic power.

🇺🇸🇺🇦 From strategic dialogue to defense partnerships. StrategEast advanced the U.S.–Ukraine #Tech Partnership Initiative in Washington, convening Ukrainian #defense and dual-use tech leaders with senior U.S. policymakers, industry executives, investors, and security experts. Organized in partnership with Diia.City.Union. and @Kharkiv IT Cluster, and supported by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the visit strengthened direct connections between Ukraine’s dual-use innovation base and the U.S. defense ecosystem. 💡 Engagements included a high-level tabletop wargaming exercise in partnership with the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) on electronic warfare and escalation dynamics; a strategic roundtable with Business Executives for National Security (BENS) on lessons from #Ukraine’s rapid, battlefield-driven #innovation; a high-level supply chain discussion with the US-Taiwan Business Council; and the launch of “Ukraine’s Defense Tech Industry: By The Numbers,” developed by Snake Island Institute in partnership with StrategEast. The delegation also met with the Atlantic Council’s senior advisor and Paladin Capital Group, alongside participation in a commemorative event marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, co-hosted with With Honor, Razom, and Snake Island Institute, as well as the US–Ukraine Security Dialogue XVIII. C-level leaders from BlueBird Technologies, ZarubaTech, Organized Matter, Pegasus Aerospace, and Celebra LLC presented export-ready capabilities and partnership priorities to U.S. stakeholders. Ukraine is not only adapting in wartime — it is shaping the future of defense innovation and deepening transatlantic industrial cooperation. Anatoly Motkin Hanna Myshko