TechCrunch Startup News Ukraine’s startups keep building
Feb 24, 2026
Ukrainian startups keep building and growing despite the war. Engineering talent is powering defense tech and wider innovations. New protections shield key startup employees from mobilization. Teams adapt products for wartime mental health and trauma care. Offices and co‑working hubs serve as warm, connected refuges while regional ecosystems and VC activity gain international attention.
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Startups Scaling Amid War
- Ukrainian startups have not just survived the war; many are scaling, hiring engineers, and expanding globally despite conflict.
- Preply grew to unicorn status and used its round to hire ~100 engineers, with one-third based in Kyiv, showing remote resilience.
Defense Tech Momentum Spreads To Civilian Sectors
- Engineering talent and rapid innovation born from defense tech are transferring across sectors, strengthening Ukraine beyond the battlefield.
- The same speed that gets tech to the front also produces civilian tools like mental-health platforms and services.
Draft Shields For Strategic Startup Employees
- Ukraine grants special status to key startup employees to shield them from mobilization when their work supports the country.
- This policy lets companies like Aspichi retain critical talent deemed essential to national interests.