UVCA’s members and friends - representatives of the companies of IT sector, and government - gathered together to congratulate Association, founded by serial entrepreneur and venture investor, founder and managing partner of AVentures Andrey Kolodyuk, Horizon Capital and Jaanika Merilo, co-founder of IСT Competence Center, expert of the State Agency for E-Governance in Ukraine and Advisor of new technologies to Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi.
The event was sponsored by the UVCA member - law firm Magnusson Ukraine. Its director - Anton Prysyazhnyuk - expressed confidence in investing in Ukraine, particularly in IT companies, and wished further success UVCA.
At the beginning of the event Jaanika Merilo and Andrey Kolodyuk thanked the members and friends of the Association, who were together with UVCA during the first year of its functioning, and those who were behind the creation of the Association.
Among the guests were: business coach, CEO and co-founder of OVERFUND John Von Achen; Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine Gia Getsadze; people’s deputy Alexander Danchenko; CFO of "Karpatygaz" Artur Somov; director of the US-Ukrainian Business Council (USUBC) Michael Datsenko; Managing Director of the accelerator GrowthUP Denis Dovgopolyi.
Natalia Berezovskaya, Chairman of the Board of business angels community UAngel, which signed a memorandum of cooperation with UVCA earlier this year, wished to Association the patience, that is essential to all market participants currently, while they are building Ukrainian venture capital industry together in accordance with international standards. "The most important is that we got energy, enthusiasm and understanding of our common task - WE INVEST IN UKRAINE!» - noted Natalya.
During the first year of its existence, the Association implemented a lot of projects, as well as took part in more than 40 international investment events and conferences.
In addition, the Association joined the European Association of venture and private equity, which published the first review of the investment market in Ukraine by virtue of UVCA.
Currently there are 5 UVCA committees - Legal, Research, Invest in Ukraine, ICT (information and communication technologies) and the Energy Committee. As part of Association’s initiative members and management of UVCA participated in the elaboration of 3 draft laws aimed to create more favourable conditions for investors’ activity in Ukraine. In addition, UVCA actively struggling to stop illegal interference in the activity of IT companies in Ukraine by the police. Executive Director Jaanika Merilo and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Andrey Kolodyuk participated in a range of round tables organized with the participation of representatives of the ministries of economic development, finance, etc.
Moreover, members and leaders of the Association developed the Memorandum that contains concrete proposals of investors to improve the investment climate in Ukraine by government.
Furthermore, last year was very productive for the members of the Association. As one of the most significant transactions in Ukraine in 2015 can rightly be considered the purchase by the Ukraine’s Development Fund of George Soros (Ukrainian Redevelopment Fund LP) of the share of IT-outsourcer Ciklum, which has the largest development office in Ukraine, from Horizon Capital with the active support of AVentures. This deal is not just another success on the Ukrainian IT market, but also an important positive signal for the countrys investment climate, as this was the first time when George Soros invested in Ukraine - namely, in IT sector. It is interesting to note, that Horizon Capital, Ciklum and Aventures are all members of the UVCA, and Andrey Kolodyuk – partner of AVentures - also chairs the Supervisory Board of the Association.
The end of the year was also productive for the other members of the Association - Digital Future, which completed several successful transactions, in particular - sale of mobile marketing service Jeapie to Canadian company Mobify, as well as investing of $ 250 000 to Internet-service Prodvigator.
Also, by the initiative of Andrey Kolodyuk jointly with the Embassy of Israel in Ukraine VC Tour to Israel was organized, in which members of UVCA took part.
As part of the educational activities of the Association launched a series of workshops, which are conducted by UVCA members to the public free of charge, in particular by Andrey Kolodyuk, Jaanika Merilo, Alexander Soroka (Startup.Network), Anna Zorya (Arzinger), Andrey Dubetsky (RepOffice of the Warsaw Stock Exchange in Ukraine). Topics of lectures are quite diversified, ranging from "How to attract its investors", aimed at attracting investment by young entrepreneurs, to «Due Diligence in Ukraine", revealing the legal aspects of a successful investment transaction.
This Autumn UVCA launched the new event project – so called Investment Breakfast that gives opportunity to communicate with interesting foreign international and local investors, entrepreneurs and political processes participants. First Invest breakfasts were devoted to the discussion of Israels experience in the sphere of venture capital, investment trends in Silicon Valley.
Among the nearest UVCA’s plans, except the continuation of already initiated activities - the organization of VC Tour to Canada and to London in 2016 aiming to exchange experience and promote investment opportunities in Ukraine for foreign investors.
Currently UVCA unites 36 members - the leaders of investment market of Ukraine, in particular the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Warsaw Stock Exchange; as well as such leaders of investment market as Ukraine Partners (SigulerGuff), TA Venture, Horizon Capital, AVentures, KM Core, Noosphere Ventures, Intel Capital, InVenture Investment Group, Fison and others.
