Hromada 4.0 is an acceleration program for communities that helps digital transformation leaders launch digital projects in their communities that will meet the needs of residents and community authorities.
The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has disrupted various aspects, notably the local self-government reform. As efforts pivot towards centralized military and humanitarian support, municipalities grapple with sustaining development amidst budgetary constraints and advancing digitization endeavors. These hurdles include unstable digital infrastructure, heightened vulnerability to cyber-attacks, population movements, and a shortage of IT specialists.
Communities are now urged to prioritize establishing a digital state, emphasizing the need for enhanced digital literacy, citizen engagement, and robust cybersecurity measures. Ukraine's IT sector's resilience, demonstrated in both peacetime and conflict, underscores the pivotal role of technology in the nation's progress. Ukrainians have witnessed successful digital projects tailored to their communities, highlighting their transformative potential. The crux lies in empowering digital transformation leaders to select and implement the most effective tools at the local level, fostering a paradigm shift alongside technological integration.
Based on the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) concept, we incorporated its fundamental principles into a program to develop digitization projects in Ukrainian municipalities. The Digital Resilience Accelerator Hromada 4.0 involves using existing technologies and developing new solutions to strengthen sustainability, optimize digital processes, and introduce innovations that will contribute to the recovery and reconstruction of the country.
The Digital Resilience Accelerator Hromada 4.0, which spanned from March to October 2023, is a seven-month program tailored for current and aspiring leaders in digital transformation. Its core aim is to facilitate the development and implementation of digital projects that enhance wartime resilience and address future reconstruction needs.
The program comprises three key components:
Participants from Ukrainian hromadas work closely with mentors and experts to create comprehensive project blueprints, serving as launch plans for digital products. These blueprints provide vital information for potential investors, partners, and contractors, covering vision, team roles, implementation plans, user research, financial strategies, prototypes, technical specifications, communication plans, and presentation materials.
This program empowers digital transformation leaders to drive impactful projects, fortifying wartime resilience and preparing for future reconstruction efforts.
The Digital Resilience Accelerator Hromada 4.0 has significantly impacted Ukrainian hromadas. It has facilitated the successful formulation of robust digital transformation project concepts, laying a solid foundation for implementation. Participants have markedly improved their capacity to attract investments and secure donor funding, positioning them favorably for sustained project development. The program has also forged valuable partnerships between hromadas, public sector representatives, businesses, and various organizations, allowing for the leveraging of resources and expertise toward collective progress.
The program's reach and engagement have been noteworthy:
Additionally, an educational course titled "Hromada 4.0: Creating Digital Transformation Projects" was launched, providing practical guidance on formulating project concepts for presentation to donors, investors, community members, or state funding initiatives. This course is accessible on the Diia.Osvita portal by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
