Denis Gursky

Denis Gursky is an impact tech advocate who believes in youth, tech and emerging markets. Having worked in international NGOs, business and government, Denis absorbed and implemented the best ideas to serve the digital development purpose. His specialisation is vision- driven projects that involve multi-lateral partnerships, are very public and have high impact on society, economy or both.

In 2012, Denis founded SocialBoost, a tech NGO. The portfolio of projects includes many impactful tech initiatives:

• In 2015, he evangelised, promoted and facilitated the implementation of Open Data reform in Ukraine that was followed by a development of the new market and the cascade of impact and civic tech startups. The impact on the economy is over $700m and projected to be 0.84% of GDP.
• In 2016, created the 1991 incubation program for startups that lead to a whole new paradigm of governments setting up challenges for tech market and getting a wave of domestic startups that form PPPs and resolve national issues having high impact on society and economy. Alumni startups cumulatively raised over $2m in seed funding after 1991 programs.
• In 2017, launched 1991 Civic Tech Center to facilitate the corresponding community in Ukraine and Eastern European countries with educational and partnership programs.
• In 2018, developed and launched participatory budgeting system that is being used by over 3.5m people and redistributes over $0.5bn of public funds by citizens themselves. 

Career highlights

• As an Advisor to Prime Minister of Ukraine conducted open government data reform bringing Ukraine to TOP-30 Open Data countries with zero government funding, but rather creating multilateral public-private-donor partnerships.
• Co-founded SocialBoost – a tech NGO which is leading digital development in Ukraine and Eastern Europe which is now almost 10 years old and growing 50% annually, funded by government funds, IT corporations and family offices.
• Launched 1991 Open Data Incubator and Civic Tech Center that led to over 150 startups with 80% survival rate due to unique acceleration model where startups are created in a response to government and country biggest challenges