7 Well-Known Ukrainian Companies | Their Features and Main Services Explained

Did you know that Ukrainian companies have become world-famous in recent years?

Ukraine is home not only to rapidly growing IT companies, but also to many well-known companies in the long-established food and mining industries.

This time, we’ll cover seven well-known Ukrainian companies and explain their features and main services. Japanese companies looking to form partnerships should take Ukraine’s technical capabilities as a reference point.

Well-Known Ukrainian Company #1: Grammarly

Grammarly is a company that provides tools for checking grammar and style in writing. It was founded in the capital, Kyiv, in 2009 by Max Lytvyn, Alex Shevchenko, and Dmytro Lider.

Since its founding, Grammarly has grown rapidly, and today it is used by people around the world.

Grammarly’s Features

Grammarly’s software improves the quality of users’ writing by detecting mistakes in English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style, and offering suggested corrections.

Beyond basic grammar checking, it uses natural language processing to match style and tone, offer real-time correction suggestions through plugins, and even provide personalized feedback.

Also, Grammarly is available as a browser extension, a web editor, a Microsoft Office add-on, and a mobile app, making it easy to check your writing.

A Tool Loved by Professionals and Students Worldwide

It is especially useful for writing business documents and academic papers, and is loved by many professionals and students.

In business settings, it’s used to improve the quality of emails, reports, and presentations, while in academia it’s used to improve the quality of research papers and essays.

Although Grammarly originated in Ukraine, it has earned international recognition for its technical capabilities and ease of use.

This tool, developed by Ukrainian engineers, continues to evolve day by day, powered by artificial intelligence and natural language processing.

Grammarly’s success symbolizes Ukraine’s technical capability and creativity. Its international recognition also shows that Ukraine is an important player in the world’s IT industry.

Well-Known Ukrainian Company #2: GitLab

GitLab is a company that provides a platform for software development. It started as a project in 2011 and became a company in 2014.

Founded by Dmitriy Zaporozhets and Sytse Sijbrandij, GitLab provides tools for managing the entire software development process — including source code management and CI/CD (continuous integration/continuous delivery) — all in one place.

GitLab’s Features

GitLab offers the following features so that developers and companies can efficiently manage the entire software development process.

• Source code management
• CI/CD
• Deployment
• Project management
• Security features

GitLab provides a Git repository hosting service, letting developers manage source code versions and collaborate.

It’s known for tracking a full history of code changes and providing an environment where multiple developers can work at the same time.

Also, GitLab’s continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines enable automated testing and deployment, helping improve software quality and speed up releases.

This significantly improves the efficiency of the entire development process.

GitLab, a Company with No Office

GitLab is used by thousands of companies, including Fortune 500 companies, and development teams of every size use it to work efficiently.

In particular, as remote work has spread, GitLab’s ability to manage the entire process in one place has become increasingly important.

GitLab provides an environment where distributed teams can collaborate efficiently, and has established itself as the standard tool for remote development.

GitLab is also famous as a fully remote company, with more than 2,000 members in over 67 countries around the world.

Not only does it have no office, but since its members are spread across the world, there’s no such thing as “closing time” either. The secret to GitLab’s growth is that people around the world can focus on their work whenever suits them.

GitLab listed on NASDAQ in 2021, and its market capitalization reached $6.4 billion (roughly ¥960 billion, at ¥150 to the dollar).

It’s no exaggeration to say that a project that started in a private home in Ukraine has now changed the world.

Well-Known Ukrainian Company #3: People.ai

People.ai is a company that provides an AI-based platform for improving sales and marketing efficiency.

It was founded in 2016 by Oleg Rogynskyy, and provides tools that analyze a company’s sales activity in detail and optimize its performance.

Within just a few years of its founding, People.ai grew rapidly, and many major companies adopted its platform. The key to its success lies in its advanced analytical capabilities, powered by AI and machine learning.

People.ai’s Features

People.ai’s technology supports data-driven sales strategy, and contributes significantly to improving companies’ revenue.

People.ai is a tool that collects a company’s sales data and identifies patterns and trends, helping sales teams take the most effective actions.

Specifically, People.ai monitors activity at each stage of the sales process and reveals which factors are contributing to success.

This lets sales teams build effective strategies and allocate their time and resources optimally.

Furthermore, each salesperson’s individual performance is also analyzed in detail, offering opportunities for training and feedback, which improves overall efficiency.

People.ai, Which Brought Ukrainian AI Technology to the World

People.ai is a leading example of Ukraine’s AI capabilities — its development base is in Ukraine, yet it has achieved success in the global market.

This success has demonstrated the strength of Ukraine’s IT and AI technology, and had a major influence on other Ukrainian companies.

People.ai’s success demonstrates Ukraine’s AI capabilities, while also proving that companies from the country can be competitive in international markets.

Its headquarters is currently in Redwood City, in the United States, but it also has employees at its Kyiv development office and in Ukrainian cities such as Kharkiv, Lviv, and Dnipro.

Well-Known Ukrainian Company #4: MHP

MHP (Myronivsky Hliboproduct) is one of Ukraine’s largest agricultural companies, with a particularly strong track record in poultry production and sales.

Founded in 1998, MHP grew rapidly in a short time and is today one of the largest poultry producers in Europe.

MHP Built Its Own Production System

The key to MHP’s success is its vertically integrated production system. Vertical integration is a method of achieving quality control and cost reduction by managing every step, from producing feed through to processing and selling poultry, as a single, consistent operation.

Specifically, MHP produces its own feed and uses it to raise chickens. It then processes those chickens at its own facilities and ultimately ships them to markets at home and abroad.

Through this integrated production system, MHP is able to keep its products at a high level of quality while offering them at competitive prices.

MHP’s products are recognized in the European market as high-quality poultry that clears strict regulatory standards.

MHP’s Sustainable Agriculture

MHP’s business strategy goes beyond simply expanding production; it also puts effort into sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.

For example, MHP promotes the use of renewable energy and works to reduce its environmental footprint, including by recycling waste.

Through this, it has achieved energy self-sufficiency and built an environmentally conscious, sustainable business model. MHP’s success has had a major impact on Ukraine’s agricultural industry as a whole.

MHP’s forward-looking initiatives serve as a good example for other agricultural companies, contributing to improving Ukraine’s agricultural technology and strengthening its international competitiveness.

Well-Known Ukrainian Company #5: Kernel

Kernel is Ukraine’s largest agricultural exporter, holding a leading position especially in the production and export of grain and sunflower oil.

Kernel’s Main Products

Founded in 1995, Kernel has produced high-quality agricultural products using Ukraine’s vast farmland and advanced agricultural technology, and supplied them to markets at home and abroad.

Kernel’s main products include corn, sunflower seeds, rapeseed, and soybeans. These crops are grown on Ukraine’s fertile land under ideal climate conditions.

A distinctive feature of Kernel is that, beyond its own farms, it also works with many contract farmers, drawing an abundant harvest from a wide area of farmland. This cooperative system lets Kernel ensure a stable supply while maintaining strict quality control.

The Keys to Kernel’s Success

One factor behind Kernel’s success is its supply chain management. It manages the entire process in an integrated way, from harvest through transport, storage, and processing, to final export.

This lets it maintain quality and reduce costs, offering high-quality products at competitive prices. Kernel has used its own port facilities to efficiently export its products around the world.

Kernel’s products are highly regarded both in Ukraine and abroad, and are exported to many countries around the world.

In particular, it has a strong presence in markets such as Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, widely spreading recognition of Ukrainian agricultural products’ quality and reliability.

Kernel and Europe’s Breadbasket

Kernel’s success has contributed greatly to Ukraine fulfilling its role as “Europe’s breadbasket.”

As one of the world’s leading grain producers, Ukraine has strong demand in international markets. Kernel has kept introducing technical innovation and efficient production systems to strengthen this position.

Kernel has established its position, both at home and abroad, as a leading company opening up the future of Ukrainian agriculture.

Well-Known Ukrainian Company #6: Metinvest

Metinvest is Ukraine’s largest steel company, and one of the world’s leading steelmakers.

Founded in 2006, Metinvest has a vertically integrated production system running from mining through to steelmaking, with rigorous production efficiency and quality control.

Metinvest’s Products

Metinvest mines iron ore from mines in Ukraine and abroad, and produces high-quality steel at its own steelworks.

This vertically integrated approach lets it manage the entire process, from sourcing raw materials to manufacturing final products, achieving cost reduction and consistent quality.

Metinvest’s products are supplied to a wide range of industries, including automotive, construction, shipbuilding, and energy.

Its high-quality steel is especially valued in fields that demand durability and reliability, and Metinvest has earned international recognition for its quality and supply capacity.

Beyond meeting demand within Ukraine, it has grown by actively exporting to overseas markets including Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Metinvest’s success has demonstrated Ukraine’s mining and steelmaking capabilities abroad, and it has played an important role in the domestic economy. However, following Russia’s full-scale invasion, the company halted operations at its Azovstal and Illich steel plants in Mariupol at the end of February 2022, and after Mariupol was occupied, it lost control of these plants.

Well-Known Ukrainian Company #7: Antonov

Antonov is a leading Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer, known worldwide especially for designing and building large transport aircraft.

It began in 1946, when Oleh Antonov (Oleg Antonov) led his own design bureau in Novosibirsk, in the Soviet Union. Since the bureau moved to Kyiv in 1952, Antonov has developed numerous innovative aircraft and played an important role in the aerospace industry.

Antonov’s Flagship Products

Antonov’s most famous products include the An-225 “Mriya” and the An-124 “Ruslan.” The An-225 is known as the world’s largest transport aircraft, designed to carry extremely heavy cargo and large machinery.

With six engines and an enormous cargo hold, this aircraft was used especially for transporting large commercial cargo and humanitarian aid.

The An-124 is likewise a large transport aircraft, widely used for both military and commercial purposes. Highly durable and reliable, it has been adopted by many countries.

Antonov’s Appeal Lies in Its Broad Product Lineup

Antonov doesn’t stop at building large transport aircraft — it also designs and builds multi-purpose aircraft.

For example, it’s a company that offers products to meet needs ranging from regional transport aircraft and multi-purpose military aircraft to aircraft for special missions. This diverse product lineup lets Antonov maintain its competitiveness in international markets.

However, in February 2022, amid Russia’s full-scale invasion, the An-225 was destroyed by a Russian military attack at Hostomel Airport near Kyiv.

Immediately after its destruction, Ukraine’s state-owned defense company Ukroboronprom announced it would rebuild the aircraft and make Russia bear the cost. Whether it will fly again is still unknown.

Ukraine Has Many Technically Capable Companies

Ukraine is home to many well-known companies, supplying their technology and products to the world. These companies have contributed greatly to Ukraine’s economic development, and further growth is expected going forward.

In particular, Ukraine stands out in cutting-edge fields like IT and AI, and new services originating in Ukraine will likely keep emerging.

Japanese companies looking to form partnerships in the IT and AI fields should take note of Ukraine’s technical capabilities.