A Passion for Technology

Dmitrii Kucher’s fascination with physics, mathematics, and programming began in high school. He created his first computer program as a young student to analyze experimental data collected by a relative at the Verkin Institute for Low-Temperature Physics and Engineering in Kharkiv. Initially pursuing an academic career, Kucher soon found his true passion in the rapidly evolving field of information technology.

The Rise of Ukraine’s IT Industry

In 2003, the Ukrainian IT market was valued at approximately USD 110 million, representing a nascent yet promising sector. With increasing salaries and career opportunities, it became a magnet for talented individuals eager to establish themselves in technology. Kucher’s recollection reflects this sentiment: “In the early 2000s, IT was something entirely new – a window into a world of opportunity.”

Founding P2H

While in his twenties, Kucher partnered with Dmitro Breslavets, a fellow graduate from Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics. Sharing a mutual frustration for inefficiencies and outdated practices, commonly referred to as ‘sovok’, they sought to create solutions that would eliminate such issues. This vision led to the founding of their IT company, P2H, in 2005. Two decades later, P2H has grown into a multinational company known for delivering original solutions to both innovative enterprises and global governmental bodies.

Challenges and Innovations

P2H’s journey began in a modest internet café located in a basement in Saltivka, Kharkiv, where Kucher rented both office space and computers. As business flourished, Kucher redirected funds to purchase equipment and transitioned operations to his grandmother’s apartment to cut costs. Looking back, he notes the financial strain: “We lived from client to client, barely making ends meet.”

Creating a Market Niche

Recognizing a growing demand for efficient digital solutions, Kucher and Breslavets focused on transforming designs into pixel-perfect HTML code through their platform, psd2html. This service quickly attracted international interest by simplifying the web development process. Kucher explained, “Instead of hiring developers, sitting through endless meetings, and managing complex projects, companies could simply fill out a straightforward order form and receive a high-quality, ready-to-use website in no time.”

Training the Next Generation

The overwhelming demand for their services led to a shortage of skilled developers in Kharkiv. To combat this, P2H introduced a training program for junior developers in 2007. The initial training period was six months, which was later condensed to 1.5 months by 2009, enabling the company to maintain a steady influx of talent. To date, psd2html has successfully completed 102,000 projects for 22,000 clients, generating USD 89 million in revenue for P2H.

Global Impact and Collaborations

Under Kucher’s leadership, P2H has diversified its offerings and played an instrumental role in the digital transformation of the public sector, particularly within the Middle East. Notable projects include Qiwa, a cutting-edge digital platform for employees and entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia, facilitating business management and job opportunities for over 12 million users.

Another significant initiative by P2H is The National Donations Platform, which enhances charitable giving by ensuring efficient donation processes for life-saving surgeries, youth programs, and more. To date, this platform has successfully enabled 16.5 million transactions supporting over 34,000 causes.

Sustained Success and Client Loyalty

P2H has collaborated with various clients ranging from small digital agencies to large organizations, including respected global names such as Discovery and Roche. Impressively, many of their initial clients continue to engage with P2H even after nearly 20 years, a testament to the company’s commitment to excellence. “After almost 20 years, some clients still come back to us because they remember how well we executed short projects together,” Kucher remarked.

Conclusion

Kucher’s journey exemplifies how passion, determination, and teamwork can lead to remarkable achievements. “A guy from Ukraine can build an international company known across the world, and that’s exactly what we did with P2H,” he concluded, inspiring entrepreneurs globally.