Introducing the 2020 Top Freelancers and Agencies in Ukraine

We were honored to recognize the 2020 top freelancers and agencies in Ukraine—working in web, mobile and software development, as well as design and creative—at the Upwork Ukraine Awards hosted over Zoom.

There are so many talented independent professionals in Ukraine who’ve chosen Upwork as the place to build a home for their freelance business, and we couldn’t be happier. These professionals consistently show commitment to developing their careers on Upwork and to supporting each other in their local freelance community.

Upwork launched the annual Upwork Awards in Ukraine in 2015 to recognize the hard work and dedication these independent professionals put into delivering their best work and establishing strong relationships with clients. These are the qualities that help build a profitable, long-lasting business and an outstanding profile and reputation on Upwork.

A look at the award winners for 2020

The Upwork Ukraine awards are based on a number of criteria from the past calendar year, including:

• Earnings
• Client feedback, including the number of successful job outcomes
• Regular profile improvements and updates
• Efficient client communications, based on client feedback
• High responsiveness scores
  

Top freelancers and agencies in Ukraine were invited to an online awards ceremony on May 12, 2021, hosted by Katrin Hippler, Senior Manager, Talent Success at Upwork, and Kylie James, Senior Manager, Talent Success and Community at Upwork.

Best Agency 2020, Web, Mobile and Software Development in Odesa winner Viacheslav Shybaiev, Team Lead at Beemster, said they’ve been able to grow their team to 80 people and are really motivated to keep going with Upwork: “It's still the best platform for our business. We tried different channels, but Upwork is out in front of the competition because every morning we’re receiving new invites and have clients ready to go ahead with their projects.”

Best Agency 2020, Design and Creative in Kharkiv winner Polina Chebanova, Co-Founder of Phenomenon Studio, mentioned their whole team is really happy and proud to receive this award: “Our studio grew from two designers and one sales manager to a strong company with really great specialists. We work mainly with complex and long-term projects, as we have always focused on quality and not quantity, and the Upwork platform has become a big leap for us in these aspects.”

Breakthrough of the Year 2020 winner Dmytro Durach, COO at Onix-Systems, LLC, shared: “Thank you so much! It was very unexpected for us to receive this award. We have been with Upwork and previously Elance for almost 20 years. For us, it feels like getting an Oscar that Leonardo DiCaprio gets in his career.”

Best Freelancer 2020, Design and Creative in Odesa winner Vladyslav Fedchenko, UI/UX Designer, said, until COVID-19, he thought Upwork was only for small jobs: “I used to work for big companies and never thought that I can achieve serious success on Upwork. I can tell you now that I will never go back to the office again. As a next step, I think I will create my own agency on Upwork.”

The Upwork Ukraine 2020 award winners

It’s been inspiring to see what Ukrainian freelancers and agencies accomplished in 2020 in two of the most in-demand categories on Upwork—Web, Mobile and Software Development and Design and Creative. Here’s a look at this year’s award winners:

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Learn growth tips and best practices from successful freelancers and agencies

Upwork hosts regular virtual conferences, networking meetups, and other events that often feature community leaders—like this year’s award winners—who share their tips and best practices with fellow freelancers and agencies. Check out the Upwork local events calendar for a list of upcoming online events and webinars.

Want to start boosting your business in preparation for next year’s awards?

• Learn how to grow your freelance career and bring your freelance business to the next level. With tips from upskilling to considering starting an agency, we’ll help you reach new heights.
• To view more articles, customer case studies, webinars, and industry reports, check out Upwork’s Resource Center.
  

Congratulations to all the Upwork Ukraine Awards winners for 2020. Your results have shown you love the work you do, and your focus on building the best business you can is inspiring.

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Katerina Bozhkova, Business Development Partner, CEE at Upwork

Katerina is responsible for strategic development and marketing activities for the Upwork freelance community in Ukraine and Central-Eastern Europe. For the past five years and counting, she and the Ambassador team have been creating and hosting regular innovative events aimed to educate, support, and nurture freelancers and agencies on Upwork in the region.