We want to start this story with the relatable words of Denys Shokotko, the CTO and Co-Founder of Sonerim:

‘Our main focus at Sonerim is to provide customers with sustainable growth, delivering IT solutions that are the core of their business.’ 

Founding History

Sonerim is a software development company founded in Ukraine, but we create web and mobile applications for clients worldwide. Today, the geographic scope of our clients encompasses Austria, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Israel, the USA, Canada, and Australia, to name but a few. However, when this story started six years ago, there was hardly a single client. 

Everything started at the beginning of 2017 when several close friends from the city of Kharkiv met for a cup of coffee in one of their favorite downtown cafes. By the way, have you ever tasted the freshly-ground and freshly-brewed coffee in Kharkiv when frosty winter bites are over but the long-awaited spring is a bit late, like a girl for her first date? We strongly recommend it!

To be absolutely correct, the pre-history started as early as the summer of 2016. Artem Gaiday (the CEO of Sonerim), a brilliant businessman and long-time friend of Denys Shokotko, initiated a small project for which Denys recommended an employee, Michael—his good friend and a great programmer. 

In the autumn of 2016, which was especially picturesque, Artem and Denys had several long bike rides together (have we mentioned that besides strong coffee, the friends have one more passion in common?) It goes without saying that after each ride, they took a cup of coffee. While sipping their late autumn coffee brewed by the best barista in the city, they discussed the profitability of Artem’s idea and various ways of its technical support.

In December, Artem invited Denys to become the CTO of the project. After a short consideration, Denys agreed. In January 2017, reinforced by the successful early stage, the ambitious coffee lovers from Kharkiv registered their software development company. The black Ethiopian coffee they liked to drink in that downtown cafe was exceptionally strong, just like the decisiveness of these newly-minted founding fathers who literally sketched their first business plan on a napkin at their table. 

So, the Sonerim team started with just a couple of people, one of them being Denys Shokotko’s best friend, Michael, a man of impressive intelligence, business acumen, and inquisitive mind. The core team included specialists who knew each other well for a long time, so the internal communication was very open and informal, suggestive of a family more than a workplace.

Several months into the functioning of the newly-born company, the idea of renting a full-fledged office came to the founders. From day one, they had been renting a small room, but an increasing number of employees, applicants, and clients required a bigger and more professional space for negotiations, also equipped with a brand-new smart coffee brewer called Sonya (a Ukrainian word for ‘Sleepyhead’). 

One sunny autumn day, the Sonerim team moved into their spacious, high-ceilinged office in downtown Kharkiv. In the new office, they finished the biggest project of the period, which took a couple of years to complete—an Australian project on the software for solar panels’ management. Back then, the working mode was already flexible, so the COVID-19 pandemic and the forced remote work didn’t take them off guard; on the opposite, it only helped the company move to a new level, attract highly-qualified employees from abroad, and develop our expertise further. 

With respect to expertise, we strive to maintain the highest level possible. One interesting case can prove it. Some years ago, we cooperated with a Canadian fund supporting short-term projects from different startups. Shortly after, an Asian client came to us asking for a product with particular requirements and presenting the sample they favored very much. While assessing future costs, we discovered that the sample was our own product previously created for that Canadian fund—the best proof ever!

As for our legal address, Tallinn, Estonia, was chosen to become Sonerim’s headquarters for several reasons. First, it’s convenient for our Western clients who appreciate working with a company within a European jurisdiction. Next, it allows us to protect our intellectual property better and have absolutely transparent taxation. Estonia is a highly digitalized European country, and for Sonerim, it was a decisive factor. 

Since 2017, we’ve been evolving and expanding our expertise no matter what—be it the 2020 Pandemic, the 2022 war (you can read more about our wartime experience here), or repetitive industry crises. Now there are more than 30 versed specialists in the company who work in different areas of focus: Java, JS, Android, iOS, DevOps, and others.

Sonerim Timeline

13.01.2017 – Foundation 

02.2017 – Starting with the Android Department

04.2017 – Moving to the 1st Workplace

Summer 2017 – Adding Objective C and Swift to the tech stack 

Summer 2017 – Creating Mobile Development Department

 Autumn 2017 – Creating JS Department

Winter 2018 – Creating Java Department

Autumn 2018 – Moving to a New Office

Spring 2019 – Creating DevOps Department

Spring 2020 – Adding Designers to the Team

Summer 2020 – Team Expansion to Europe

Spring 2023 – Adding Content Creator to the Team

2023 – Present Day  

Bottom line

Six years and zillions of strong black coffees later, Sonerim—the company created by several bright, aspiring guys in a small Kharkiv cafe—is alive and kicking. It has seen both flush and tough times but has managed to survive them all. What does the future have in store for Sonerim? Let’s wait and see…

No comments found for this post.