Key Moments
Lessons From The Founders Scaling Their Startup In A War Zone
Y CombinatorKey Moments
Ukrainian startup founders evacuated their team and continued operations during a full-scale invasion, but the emotional toll of war and the need for 'kamikaze drivers' highlight the extreme challenges.
Key Insights
Awesomic, a platform matching companies with designers, operated on the third day of the Russian invasion while evacuating its team, showcasing rapid adaptation.
The founders developed an 'emergency plan' that allowed them to operate in a 'robot mode' during the initial panic and stress of the invasion, enabling them to focus and execute.
Evacuating team members from occupied cities involved hiring 'kamikaze drivers' who knew safe routes through dangerous locations, demonstrating creative problem-solving under severe risk.
Emotional trauma surfaced after the initial emergency phase, particularly after seeing photos from Bucha, leading to difficulties in focus and personal connection to the atrocities.
The company focused on growing its business and bringing foreign money into Ukraine's economy post-evacuation, with founders seeing the entire country operating in a 'countrywide startup mode'.
The founders expressed strong optimism about Ukrainian people's resilience, unity, and ability to rebuild the country after the war.
Surviving a missile attack on the first birthday in a bunker
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia began on February 24th, 2022, just four days after Roman Sevast's birthday. The co-founders of Awesomic, Stacy Pavlyshyna and Roman Sevast, found themselves celebrating Roman's birthday in a bunker after an air raid siren signaled a nearby Russian missile strike at 2 am. This starkly illustrates the immediate and profound disruption to their lives, transitioning from typical startup founders to survival coordinators in the early days of the war. Their headquarters in Kyiv, previously a hub for their platform connecting companies with designers, became a site of urgent evacuation and risk assessment.
Evacuating a team under constant threat
The founders of Awesomic, a platform that matches companies with designers for tasks with a 24-hour turnaround, faced an unprecedented challenge starting February 24th, 2022. With over 100 designers, most based in Ukraine, their primary concern shifted from business growth to the safety of their team. Roman Sevast described waking up to the news of the war and immediately calling Stacy to begin their own evacuation from Kyiv, which was under bombing. Even during their escape, they witnessed Russian helicopters overhead, underscoring the pervasive danger. The realization that 'there is no safe place in Ukraine' set the tone for their operational strategy, acknowledging the constant threat of missile attacks across the entire country.
Executing an emergency plan in 'robot mode'
Despite the shock of a full-scale invasion, which even surprised them despite preparation for escalation, Awesomic's founders had a pre-existing plan. This emergency plan proved crucial in navigating the initial chaos. Stacy Pavlyshyna described the first few days as a blur of panic and stress, feeling like they were living a 'horror movie or a dream.' However, the existence of a plan allowed them to shift into 'robot mode,' focusing on step-by-step execution of what needed to be done, including financial needs. This structured approach, even amidst extreme emotional turmoil, enabled them to keep functioning and address the most critical needs of their team. The first month was intensely focused on helping everyone, leaving no time for personal grief or sadness.
The profound emotional and psychological toll
Once the initial emergency actions were completed, the deeper emotional and psychological toll of the war began to surface. For Stacy, the hardest part came after photos from Bucha were released. She described a week of staring blankly at the wall, unable to focus, deeply affected by the personal connections she had to the people and stories from the affected areas. The discovery of widespread rape cases also brought specific and terrifying challenges, such as figuring out how to hide and protect a female team member in an occupied city and advising her relatives on how to keep her safe from invaders. These experiences highlighted that detachment was impossible, and the personal impact of the atrocities was immense. The threat to their people's safety became one of their greatest fears.
Creative solutions for evacuation and safety
Ensuring the safety of their team members, especially those in heavily impacted or occupied areas, required extraordinary measures. Awesomic utilized what they termed 'kamikaze drivers' – individuals who knew safe routes through dangerous territories. These drivers were hired to pick up team members and their relatives, facilitating their evacuation from occupied cities. The founders prioritized eliminating any potential safety concerns as their first action, emphasizing that basic health and safety were paramount. They maintained constant awareness of new safety threats in any region where their people or operations were located.
Resuming business operations and contributing economically
With basic safety measures in place, the focus shifted back to growing the business and maintaining operations, even amidst the ongoing war. Awesomic was operational and accepting new customers by the third day of the invasion. Roman highlighted the importance of economics in war, stating that 'military wins the battles but economics' determines the overall outcome. They resolved to stay and invest in Ukraine, bringing in foreign currency and onboarding designers who had lost their jobs. This approach aligned with what they described as a 'countrywide startup mode,' where the entire nation was focused on resilience and contribution, whether through economic efforts, fighting, or supporting others.
A nation united in a countrywide startup mode
The founders described Ukraine as having entered a 'countrywide startup mode,' where every citizen was trying to contribute to the war effort and economic survival. This atmosphere fostered extraordinary resilience and helped slow or stop Russian advances. People could focus on economic contributions, like Awesomic, or engage in other critical support roles, such as baking bread for soldiers. This collective effort and spirit of unity were seen as a source of immense strength. The founders expressed profound optimism in the Ukrainian people's ability to support each other and maintain their resolve.
Optimism for the future and rebuilding
Looking beyond the immediate conflict, the founders are actively engaged in discussions about rebuilding Ukraine once the war ends. Their continued resilience and focus on both survival and future reconstruction underscore their commitment. The optimism displayed by Stacy and Roman is presented not just as a personal trait valuable for any founder, but as a necessary component for a nation fighting for its freedom. Their core message is one of resistance, support for Ukraine, and an unwavering belief in eventual victory.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Companies
Common Questions
Stacy and Roman had an emergency plan which helped them operate in a 'robot mode' to focus on executing steps and prioritizing the safety and evacuation of their team members.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
The country where the startup Assamic is based and which faced a full-scale invasion by Russia.
The country that launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, significantly impacting the operations and lives of Ukrainian founders and their teams.
A city in Ukraine where atrocities were discovered following Russian withdrawal, deeply affecting Roman and the team.
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