Originally a small IT firm, Sigma Software’s story began in 2002 when five friends from Kharkiv—four programmers and a lawyer—brought together by Vlad Beck, combined their talents to create a company driven by a brave vision.
From their early days, they aimed not only to develop engineering solutions but also to develop the local Ukrainian tech ecosystem. Over the years, their company grew into Sigma Software Group, a globally recognized IT service and consulting leader.
In an interview with IT Logs, Dora Cseresnyes, CEO of Sigma Software’s Hungarian branch, shares the company’s insightful journey, explaining how a small IT firm from Ukraine managed to evolve into a global tech powerhouse that is also focusing on the SEE region.
IT Logs: Can you share the story of how Sigma Software was founded and the vision behind its creation?
Dora Cseresnyes: The story started back in 2002. The company was founded by five friends from Kharkiv (East of Ukraine): four programmers and a lawyer, all brought together by Vlad Beck in their early 20s.
Born into a family of engineers, Vlad began programming at 12, creating games on a programmable calculator. By 17, he had written his first commercial software, which calculated blood flow in arteries to predict cardiovascular risks. His first major job was at Westron, working on a project for the South Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant. After a brief stint in the USA in 1996, Vlad returned to his home country to build his business.
Vlad`s company eventually became the core of a well-knit team that was registered in 2002 under the name Eclipse Software Programming, which later transformed into Sigma Ukraine.
Beck and his friends Dmytro Vartanian, Valery Krasovsky, Volodymyr Chyrva, and Dmytro Zhuk gathered and ran multiple strategic sessions. During these meetings, they envisioned a company that would create excellent innovative products and solutions and help develop a local tech ecosystem. The idea was not just to build a company that makes quality full-cycle engineering products but to create solutions capable of shaping the future.
Fun fact: A few years ago, Vlad found some handwritten materials created during their brainstorming in 2002, and he was surprised that everything they had put on it came true word for word.
As the company expanded globally in the early 2010s, we rebranded as Sigma Software. We achieved certification under international standards, including ISO 9000 and ISO 27001, and became a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. Recently, we also became an official partner of Atlassian.
Joining the Swedish Sigma Group accelerated our growth, earning us global recognition. We’ve had the privilege of working with clients like Volvo, Scandinavian Airlines, AOL, Scania, Siemens, and many others. And since 2015, Sigma Software has been featured in the Global Outsourcing 100 by IAOP, cementing its legacy as a top-notch global IT service and consulting company.
All in all, Sigma Software Group is a rare example of a company where the founding team has remained in the business for over 20 years, maintaining genuine partnership relations. The company has now grown 400 times, but the founders have maintained the principles of mutual respect throughout all these years.
Valery Krasovsky, our CEO and co-founder, put it very clearly. He said that they (founders) know how to negotiate with each other. The basis of unity is satisfaction from work and the pursuit of a common goal, which I think is very inspiring and motivating.
What were some of the initial challenges you faced as a new company in the early 2000s?
Acquiring customers and building up our brand’s reputation from scratch was the most difficult part for us at the time. The company fought hard for every customer.
Beck recalls receiving a request from a potential client who wanted to develop a product using a rare and specific technology. The team thoroughly studied everything they knew about this technology and found rare specialists in the field despite its niche nature. Beck emphasises that their approach remains consistent: they always aim to deliver more than the client expects.
Another crucial part was to create and cultivate a certain culture and ensure that the company was developing sustainably. We’ve been building it on the principles of transparency, agility, and cultivation of excellent quality in everything that we do.
Although I joined Sigma Software Group just recently, in 2022, I have worked with them as a partner company for over 15 years. Through this extensive experience, I can wholeheartedly confirm the dedication and consistency of these principles.
What have been some of the key milestones in Sigma Software’s journey over the years?
In September 2005, we met the management of the Swedish Sigma Group, led by legendary entrepreneur Dan Olofsson. We were drawn to Sigma because they shared our values and vision. They were professionals with a built-in culture of mutual respect and operated without a strict hierarchy, instead dividing the consulting group into several autonomous companies. In 2006, we accepted their offer to become part of the Sigma Group.
In 2014, we opened our first offices in the US and Poland. Since then, we have been developing as a separate company in Sigma Group.
In 2016, we opened a new chapter in our history by combining our domain and technology knowledge across various industries with a strong team of practising experts. This effort led to the creation of the Sigma Software University educational platform, which raises new tech talents for the IT industry.
In 2019, we evolved further by establishing Sigma Software Labs, initially an innovative hub for promising small tech businesses. This concept later transformed into a business incubator and VC fund. Today, we have over 20 startups in our portfolio backed by Y Combinator, 500 startups, Sequoia Capital, and other respectful ecosystem players. One of them is an AI-driven product called Datrics, a no-code platform that helps companies build and deploy machine learning models without writing code.
In early 2021, we evolved into a group of companies – Sigma Software Group – by welcoming the #1 blockchain company in Ukraine, IdeaSoft, into our family, followed by Eventyr, a metaverse expert. Both have successful traction of FinTech projects. Later that year, our co-founders and partners launched a new VC fund called SID Venture Partners. The fund has already announced more than 20 portfolio startups. In 2023, the SID fund was recognised as the best investor in Ukraine according to the Ukrainian Startup Fund and Startup Awards by Lift99.
Finally, in 2022, we became a truly global company by opening ten new offices in Europe (including Budapest) and Latin America. Now, our group operates in 40 offices in 19 countries worldwide.
What are the key markets for Sigma Software, and how do you plan to expand into new regions?
Our key markets are the United States, Western Europe, the UK, the DACH region, and, historically, Sweden. Recently, we started actively developing in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Canada, and other countries.
After the full-scale invasion, we quickly grew and expanded our global presence. We decided to open offices in countries with at least ten colleagues. As a result, we opened new offices in Hungary, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Brazil, and many other countries. Today, we aim to continue developing these offices in the mentioned countries.
In recent years, our colleagues have participated in various industry events in multiple countries to share our expertise, understand trends, and exchange knowledge with industry leaders, partners, and customers.
Today, you’ll see people from Sigma Software Group anywhere you go. We participate in the most influential tech and business events worldwide — from Japan to Canada. Since 2020, we visited more than 300 events in 30+ countries. These events are a great way to explore new markets for the business.
What initiatives do you have for your employees, especially during the present conditions and the ongoing war in Ukraine?
Our strategy has always been about focusing on people and their needs. At Sigma Software, we create an atmosphere of transparency, openness, and friendship. To keep communication open and honest, we have regular informal meetings with top managers, which we call Fika, inspired by the Swedish tradition of coffee breaks. These sessions let everyone ask questions, share ideas, and discuss the company’s vision.
When the pandemic hit and during the challenges of the Russian invasion, we moved Fika online but still kept smaller team gatherings in our European and American offices. Every quarter, we have a big online Fika to bring everyone together.
We also celebrate local traditions in all our offices, like breakfasts, holiday get-togethers, sports activities, and events for kids, so no one feels alone. Volunteering and pro-bono projects are great ways for our people to connect and feel involved.
We have internal communities where employees can share and connect with peers. Since 2022, we’ve also been hosting webinars with professional psychologists to help our specialists with everything from staying effective to living with family during relocations.
We believe in a healthy lifestyle, so we organize cycling days, support marathon teams, run online workouts, and have gyms in our offices. We offer first aid workshops and health advice sessions, plus medical insurance and sports compensation for everyone.
How do you foster innovation within Sigma Software and share some examples of recent initiatives, such as the Defense Builder Accelerator for example?
Since 2010, we’ve been fostering innovations within the company by establishing our own research and development (R&D) centres, where our specialists master new cutting-edge technologies and IT areas, such as infotainment, virtual and augmented reality, blockchain, machine learning, data science, and AI.
The next stop was Sigma Software Labs, our investment arm and business incubator. Its main goal since 2018 has been to create an ecosystem for startups by investing in promising projects and supporting their growth with the power of our vast international network of a world-class IT consultancy brand.
At Labs, startups gain synergy between product and service businesses, technical mentorship, massive scaling and fundraising opportunities, secured space and infrastructure support, and the ability to participate in creative and tech-related initiatives and events.
Overall, we invested over $2.2M in 18 portfolio companies (6 announced since February 2022). We also claimed two success cases in 2022:
- Our first portfolio investment is Datrics — a no-code platform for analytics and data science, allowing companies to simplify their process of working with data. They attracted NEAR Foundation as a strategic partner with investment. So, having multiple use cases in traditional Web2, they are now moving towards Developing use cases with Web3 companies.
- Clean.io — a cybersecurity solution born within the company a couple of years ago, was acquired by US industry leader Human Security.
It’s a great example of how resilient and determined Ukrainian businesses can be. If we talk about recent innovative projects, we must highlight the UNICORN Startup Competition for startups from Ukraine and the EU. This contest is designed to guide startups through different stages, offering an intensive two-week program to support dynamic interaction.
Initially founded by the name IT_EUREKA by the Tempus educational program in 2014, the Swedish Sigma Group and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine later supported the project. After the end of the Tempus program, we became the competition’s main organiser. In 2021, Sigma Software Labs became the main driver of the competition. In 8 years, over 900 projects were represented by more than 2,200 participants.
In 2023, the IT_EUREKA startup competition was upgraded into UNICORN. This rebranding emphasises our commitment to developing a startup ecosystem that transcends geographical boundaries and meets the ambitions of visionary entrepreneurs. The competition is getting a stronger focus to help the startup ecosystem grow and achieve even more significant results in the future.
This year, UNICORN will be held by EIT Community RIS Hub Ukraine and Sigma Software Labs with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine as part of the Startup World Cup.
And, of course, there is the Defence Builder Accelerator, which we launched in April 2024 in collaboration with another leader of the Ukrainian tech ecosystem, Genesis, the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), and Buntar Aerospace, creating solutions for UAV navigation and control. The accelerator`s mission is to develop defence tech startups and grow expertise in this field by combining unique knowledge and experience now available to Ukrainians. In May 2024, the Defence Builder signed an agreement to cooperate with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
We also have research and development (R&D) centers where our specialists master new cutting-edge technologies and IT areas, such as infotainment, virtual and augmented reality, blockchain, machine learning, data science, and AI.
What have been some of the biggest challenges Sigma Software has faced during the past couple of years since the war started?
The biggest challenge was, without a doubt, stabilising the situation and ensuring that all our operations and commitments would be fulfilled without any serious delays. This is where our Business Continuity Plan (BCP) comes into play. We’ve had such a plan in place since 2011, and all team members are well-versed in its procedures.
In 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and started its unprovoked and brutal war, we swiftly enacted our BCP by relocating our infrastructure to a data centre in the EU and transitioning some resources to the cloud. Back then, our priority was to establish a resilient IT infrastructure that did not rely on the physical presence of our offices.
In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we began replacing desktop computers with laptops to increase the flexibility of our operations. This resulted in 95% of our workforce being equipped with laptops, enabling them to work from any location anytime.
All these measures played a critical role in our ability to withstand disruptions and function independently of physical proximity, which was particularly vital during the evacuation stage – the central component of our BCP in the event of military conflict. We had to evacuate hundreds of our employees from Kharkiv and all the other cities near the frontlines. In line with our BCP, we ended up relocating nearly 3,000 people. Ensuring our people’s safety and well-being was our first concern during the first weeks.
Due to these forced measures, we naturally faced some temporary interruptions in our usual work routine in the first weeks. People needed time to come to their senses and organize everything they needed to work and live, particularly for their families. We helped with that as much as possible. In the shortest possible time, we provided safe conditions for those who remained in Ukraine. We also helped those who relocated to other countries, including Hungary, where we opened a new office in Budapest. We have also done a lot to support and care for our team of professionals because these talents are the core value of our company.
We also anticipated some concerns from our customers. Therefore, we communicated as transparently as possible regarding the situation, relocation status, and the current project workflow. We were pleasantly surprised by the tremendous support from our clients and partners, who donated money, shared their workspaces, and even helped with accommodations. Fortunately, we managed to deliver and release current projects as scheduled, even during the darkest first weeks of the war. Thus, our clients have been really impressed, as we fully recovered within just two weeks after the invasion without any project suspensions or delays.
This was reflected in our exceptional Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 65 in 2022, the highest we had ever recorded until we reached 70 (!) last year. This shows that our customers truly value and trust us.
Today, there are indeed ongoing troubles with the Ukrainian energy infrastructure, which is being ruthlessly and constantly bombarded by Russians. As a result, Ukrainians are facing rolling blackouts once again.
However, we have made tremendous preparations. There are now up to 20 offices across Ukraine, which are very comfortable to work in, allowing our people to feel better and safer. These offices are also very advanced from a technological standpoint. They have several internet channels with plans A, B, and C, and diesel generators with long-term fuel capacity (at least for two weeks). Additionally, some people who prefer to work from home have portable power stations and Starlinks.
It’s important to mention that the recent attacks on our energy infrastructure did not impact our operations. From a business point of view, we stand very strong and work without interruptions.
How do you attract and retain top talent in a competitive IT industry in the current conditions?
We are incredibly proud of all the talented individuals at Sigma Software Group, including those who have been with us for a long time because many of our top executives have grown within the company.
Our strength lies in our vibrant horizontal management system and democratic corporate culture, which focuses on individual potential. Every specialist in the company has the opportunity to propose and implement ideas, gain new knowledge and mentorship, and work on diverse projects.
Employees have individual development plans, can choose different career tracks within the organization, and work with mentors who support their growth. Our people have the opportunity to develop modern technological solutions using the most advanced approaches and tools. This contributes to Sigma people staying with the company for 10, 15, and even 20 years.
Talented specialists appreciate working with industry leaders and seeking solutions that advance digitalisation. Other advantages include flexibility, the option to work from anywhere, a comfortable and friendly office or remote location, and a commitment to diversity.
Sigma Software University offers various opportunities for lifelong learning in technology and soft skills, adapting to technological changes as needed.
In general, we maintain a strong focus on people. We support employees worldwide at all levels, ensure professional development and learning, increase satisfaction, and keep everyone informed through efficient and transparent internal communications.
We also cultivate an inclusive environment for diverse groups, promote non-discrimination, and collaborate with professional associations to develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions.
Having worked with customers from over 30 countries, we understand the nuances of different mentalities. Today, when Sigma Software Group operates from 40 offices in 19 countries, diversity and multicultural approaches are even more crucial for our continued successful development.
Women comprise 35% of our company’s tech team and hold 50% of management positions. In 2021, together with the Danir Group, we ran the Femmegineering project, which aims to build a female IT community and inspire women to join the tech industry by sharing success stories, launching educational events, providing free access to IT training, and offering mentorship from industry leaders. In 2023, we won the Best Workplace for Women in Tech award at the Women in Tech Global Awards. Last year, the UN Global Compact Ukraine also awarded us the Partnership for Sustainability Award 2023 for our efforts in building equality and gender balance through the Femmegeneering project.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. According to Julia Ostroukh, Head of our HR Department, our strategy aims to attract the best people around the world to join our team and create a working environment where they can fully develop and realise their professional potential and capabilities for the benefit of our clients.
Today, we offer remote job opportunities around the globe! A mix of cultures, approaches and views empowers us. We take the best from every nation to eventually create superior software. Join us in Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, or remotely from any corner of the world.
