Ukraine has confidently maintained its position as one of the top IT outsourcing destinations in Europe and globally in recent years (Outsourcing Journal, GSA, Gartner, PwC, International Association of Outsourcing Professionals).
This article will tell you more about Lviv, Ukraine’s second-largest IT outsourcing center, the country’s largest in the west, and one in Eastern Europe. Hundreds of IT firms (both Ukrainian and international) call this city home, and that number is growing year after year.
Here are some compelling reasons why Lviv should be considered an offshore software development center.
Geographical and Cultural Proximity
Lviv is the closest major Ukrainian IT hub to the EU’s borders of all the major Ukrainian IT hubs. You can fly to Berlin or Barcelona in a few hours from here. Lviv Airport serves approximately four dozen destinations and connects most of Europe and North America.
Ukraine is 7 hours ahead of the East Coast of the United States and 1 to 2 hours ahead of the European Union in terms of time zone. This makes working with local developers very easy.
The city is both geographically and culturally close to customers from Western countries. Cooperation becomes even more comfortable when there are only minor differences in mentality.
Skilled Tech Talents
According to a study conducted by the Lviv IT Cluster, the city’s IT workforce has grown to 26 500 people. The market has grown by more than 80% in the last four years.
The city had 492 businesses as of the end of 2020. Technical specialists make up 80 percent of Lviv IT employees. At least 95 percent of Lviv IT specialists are fluent in conversational English.
The city’s human capital assets are growing because of universities, dedicated course graduates, and internal migration from other parts of the country.
Cost Efficiency
Outsourcing an IT project or establishing an offshore software development office in Lviv will be less expensive than in Poland or other Eastern European countries. Furthermore, compared to Western Europe, the savings will range between 40 and 60 percent, if not more.
The average software developer salary in Lviv ranges between $25 and $50 per hour, depending on experience and programming language. This means that for the same project budget, you can hire professionals with more experience than those in Berlin, Krakow, or any other US city.
Local Community and IT-Friendly Environment
More than a hundred companies are part of the Lviv IT Cluster. The community promotes Lviv as a technology-friendly city, funds educational projects, conducts industry research, and is involved in numerous projects. It is currently the largest of Ukraine’s technological associations.
The city hosts conferences and other events regularly, some of which are among the largest in Eastern Europe. Lviv IT Arena 2020, in particular, was held for the eighth time, attracting 4,076 attendees and 88 speakers. The Lviv Outsourcing Forum, the annual top management conference for IT companies, is worth noting.
Participants in the IT community regularly attend events (hackathons, meetups), exchange knowledge and experience, and start competing. Renowned companies’ R&D centers (Wildix, SCC, Oracle, Plarium, Keel, OnApp, and Siemens) are already present, and new ones are being established regularly.
IT-related Education
Lviv has a strong educational foundation. The city is home to several technical universities, which attract students from all over Ukraine. Lviv universities graduate over 4,000 young IT professionals each year. Many courses are also held to train professionals in various areas of information technology. Furthermore, various educational programs are run based on specific companies.
It is critical that, in addition to academic education, non-formal training is actively developed. That means a sufficient pool of professionals eager to share their high-quality experience and even greater demand from those eager to learn.
Wrap-up
Close to the EU’s borders, this beautiful historical city is one of Ukraine’s key IT hubs. Choosing it as an IT outsourcing destination will be an excellent solution for any business looking to implement projects.
One of Lviv’s distinguishing features is that the city’s IT sector is one of the key directions officially approved as its competitiveness strategy. This means that local governments, businesses, and the general public are working together to grow the IT industry. This synergy is yielding excellent results.