GovTech Lab: Innovative Solutions for Public Services
As part of its open innovation program for the public sector, GovTech Lab Ukraine has identified three key challenges to be addressed through cutting-edge technological solutions.
Ukrainian and international startups will collaborate with government agencies to co-create innovative tools in the fields of urban planning, legal aid, and tourism.
GovTech Lab UA is a newly launched open innovation initiative designed to support government agencies in adopting digital solutions. The initiative has brought together startups, tech companies, and forward-thinking innovators. In essence, government bodies submit requests for service digitalization, and participating companies propose tailored solutions.
The GovTech Lab team received 21 submissions from Ukrainian government institutions. Three were selected for further development based on their relevance, scope, and technical feasibility.
The selection was carried out by an independent expert council, which included representatives from the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, East Europe Foundation, WINWIN Project Office, GovTech Alliance, GGTC Kyiv, PUBLIC, and international GovTech experts.
Selected Challenges
🔹 Transparent Solutions in Urban Planning
State Inspectorate for Architecture and Urban Planning
Obtaining a construction permit in Ukraine remains a complex and time-consuming process, often vulnerable to corruption. The proposed solution is to implement an AI-powered tool that automatically reviews project documentation. This would:
● accelerate approval processes;
● standardize decision-making criteria;
● offer clear, digital explanations for each decision.
🔹 Automated Legal Assistance
Ministry of Justice of Ukraine
Since the onset of the full-scale war, demand for free legal services has surged dramatically. Most inquiries are repetitive in nature. The goal is to develop an AI assistant capable of automatically responding to the most frequent citizen queries.
🔹 Data as a Foundation for Tourism Development
State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine
Tourism holds significant economic potential for local communities. However, its growth is currently constrained by the shadow economy and a lack of robust digital infrastructure. The proposed solution is to transform the Unified Tourist Register into a comprehensive analytical platform for managing and developing the sector.
Applications are accepted until 28 October 2025, and results will be announced on 19 November. Details and participation conditions are available via the link.
GovTech Lab Ukraine is an open innovation initiative in government technologies, implemented by the Global Government Technology Centre Kyiv (GGTC) with the assistance of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the World Economic Forum, and the support from Swiss-Ukrainian EGAP Program delivered by East Europe Foundation.
The Global Government Technology Centre (GGTC) in Kyiv is the second international GovTech hub established after Berlin, and the 21st Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) within the World Economic Forum’s global network. The Center was founded through a joint initiative of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the World Economic Forum, with assistance from the EGAP Program, implemented by East Europe Foundation and supported by Switzerland.