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  • Writer's pictureMicah Woolstenhulme

Updated: Nov 17, 2022


My background in the tech industry as a hiring and production manager has given me the opportunity to partner internationally and to recruit globally for various tech companies. Having lived for some time in Eastern Europe myself, I have direct experience with the people of this region and as conflict broke out, I was deeply troubled by the stories of the men and women being impacted.

The Russian invasion created millions of refugees, destroyed property, and upheaved the livelihoods of men, women and their families. In an attempt to find a way to help that might actually make an impact, I considered the talent I’ve recruited in the past and I wondered if tech workers in Ukraine could still carry out their work. I wanted to understand what the situation was for tech companies in Ukraine, so along with a small team, we simply began researching and reaching out to dozens of tech companies in Ukraine in the hopes of being able to help in a time of crisis. We were unsure what we'd find in terms of operational capability, but we quickly discovered that many of these workers are talented, professional, and enthusiastic to keep some sense of normalcy in their lives by continuing to work. They implored us to spread the word that Ukraine tech is still open for business.


In our report, we have detailed the products/services of the companies we researched. We have also highlighted additional information for the companies with whom we spoke directly. These featured companies responded promptly to our communications and were willing and able to meet with us to discuss the details of their products and services and we felt confident in their ability to deliver.

Imagine yourself in their situation: would you want to fill your waking hours fretting over the news, pacing inside your home in worry? Or would you prefer to have some semblance of normalcy, the stability of a routine, and an income and hope for better days? This is what we can offer the people of Ukraine. More than just a handout, our outreach program offers people surrounded by uncertainty a chance to work with international clients to help keep their company afloat.

During conflicts of the past, it wasn’t possible to hire refugees of a war-torn area to work in a US factory or office without physically displacing them. Sending food and aid was the best that could be offered but was difficult to coordinate and track and was a one-time boost in well-being. Rebuilding economies and societies took a lot of time and capital and often could not begin until the dust of war had settled.

However, work as we know it has changed in the modern age. Especially during the pandemic, many companies learned that remote work is possible, especially in tech. We know now that we don't need to be under the same roof or even in the same city, country or time zone in order to share most work in today’s digital industry. Technology allows us to hire our brothers and sisters across the sea. In our recent conversations with companies in Ukraine, we’ve been more than impressed with the responsiveness and professionalism demonstrated under immense stress. They are diligent and willing to put in extraordinary effort.

The country of Ukraine has put an emphasis on technical infrastructure and cybersecurity. They have been under constant attack from Russian cyberthreats and understand them better than anyone else. They can now export that expertise. And yes, doing business with a company whose workforce is entangled in conflict presents some risk. But helping a company survive catastrophe could pay dividends of loyalty, camaraderie and morale for years to come. These things are not easy to measure, but they matter to a company’s bottom line. Employees aren’t as detached as in times past. If they know that their organization is doing something to help ease suffering, they become invested.

So hire some heroes. Dust off that project that keeps getting kicked down the road. Take on an agile dev team. Opt for some pen testing that you’ve been putting off, or refactor some legacy code that none of your current engineers are interested in touching. Get something meaningful done on the other side of the world while your devs are sleeping. If you look, you can find a project that could use some help. Instead of moving it to the next sprint, send it to Ukraine and see what the heroes can do with it. I’m quite certain that you’ll be pleased with the experience and the results. We know that we have.

See our list of companies you can help support here: https://www.hireukrainetech.com.

Thank you.

  • Writer's pictureMichael Neddo

General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) were created to protect residents of the European Union (EU), but affect anyone who does business in the EU. All businesses functioning with or within the EU geographic boundaries must comply with these regulations.


The GDPR regulations are complex and comprehensive, but in their most basic form, they are a set of rules that give people more access to the personal information businesses collect from them. This can include, but not limited to, first and last name, email, phone number, demographic information, etc. The regulations protect the privacy of people in the EU, and have created a movement in the rest of the world to push businesses and governments everywhere to be more conscientious about how they use people’s personal data.

Because GDPR affects so many people, businesses may conclude they could easily slide by without becoming compliant; however, this is a big mistake! Businesses found non-compliant with GDPR can be fined. Google, for example, was fined $57 million by France's data protection agency for not being GDPR compliant. No business wants to be fined for something that is easy to fix with a proper understanding of the procedures and protocol.

Are you worried your business could be fined for being non compliant? AppGlo is here to help analyze your business’s current compliance and help build you a plan to resolve any deficiencies. You can schedule a free consultation here with an AppGlo representative.


It has now been one year since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been in effect. Titled as a transition year, companies across the globe struggled to adjust and comply with the new law. Though companies and governments were given time to prepare for the new data assessments and procedures, there was still a level of uncertainty pertaining to the exact degree of preparation and readiness to prepare for the new law. Now, let’s step back and take a look at what has come as a result.


Based on information provided by SAs from 27 EEA countries Germany: Based on information provided by The Federal and 17 Regional SAs

In just a single year, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and data protection agencies have issued fines totaling €56 million from more than 280,000 cases. That is roughly fines of €4.6 million and 23,000 cases per month. GDPR did not come quietly as some might have expected.


We believe this is just the beginning of the enforcement procedures since last May. While many of the cases and fines will not be as notable as Google’s €50 million last year, the amount of cases being processed will provide more than enough justification to ensure GDPR compliancy—or even double checking. Just in case.


From day one, cross-border cases run a current total of 446 cases. According to the EDPB, 205 of those cases led to One-Stop-Shop (OSS) procedures. So far, there have been 19 final OSS outcomes.


Based on information provided by SAs from 27 EEA countries Germany: Based on information provided by The Federal and 17 Regional SAS

Though data breaches are more likely to garner all the attention, there are far more complaints about other aspects of privacy regulations. Around half of the complaints relate to the way subject access requests were handled.


The massive increase in reports of data breaches in the first year are astounding, as is the rate at which these cases are being processed. Over 60% of cases are already closed, with only 0.1% of them being appealed in national courts. That means justice is being served quickly and efficiently.


This is a quick overview of what has occurred since last May because of GDPR. Here is a report (pdf) of a more in-depth analysis of what happened in the first nine months of GDPR, which came out at the end of February.


Based on information provided by SAs from 27 EEA countries (Case status information provided for 164633 cases) Germany: Based on information provided by The Federal and 11 Regional SAs

With time and experience with GDPR now under our belts, it is an excellent opportunity to review company procedures of handling private data.

There are many different characteristics regarding GDPR, it is better to be safe than sorry. Now is a favorable time to inspect, test, and assure the adjustments and changes to meet compliancy are in full effect. At Appglo, we make sure companies are compliant with every aspect of GDPR so there are no surprises later on.


Call us today for a free demo to ensure GDPR compliancy, or simply to learn more about how GDPR affects your company.


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