Running a business from a war zone: How a Ukrainian digital startup is surviving Russia's invasionOutcrowd project manager worked from the company's Kharkiv office , but later sheltered to work from her bathroom in the early days of Russia's invasion .Outcrowd, a Ukrainian startup, hardly took a break from operating since the start of Russia's invasion.The team urged other Ukrainian entrepreneurs to try their best to continue working.
Ukrainians have since fled their homes or taken cover in bomb shelters, while businesses have fettered shut. Many international firms have also had to cease their operations there. "The entire nation just united so much. Everyone tries to do their best to help the country," Natalia Alimaskina, Outcrowd's co-founder and financial director told Insider, explaining that their team was motivated to get back to work as quickly as possible, in defiance of Russia's efforts to sow division among Ukrainians."So that gives us a lot of energy.
Outcrowd, therefore, assembled quickly shortly after the invasion began, using their professional and personal networks to ensure colleagues left Kharkiv with somewhere safe to go. Many headed to Western Ukraine, which was spared in the early days of the invasion and therefore served as a safe haven for those fleeing the east.
Despite having a brick and mortar office, the team worked mostly remotely throughout the pandemic. This is an experience that is now helping the team work remotely during the conflict.