IT company IdeaSoft, part of Swedish-Ukrainian Sigma Software Group, has announced the acquisition of Kharkiv-based software and gaming technology company PULS Software.
According to the Sigma Software Group’s website post, PULS Software has already changed its name to Eventyr, while retaining its structure and leadership team after the merger.
The transaction took place on January 20, 2022. It is expected to accelerate both companies’ growth, business and management capabilities, and strengthen entire Sigma Software Group by adding new domains to business offerings for existing and new customers.
The amount of the transaction is not disclosed.
One of the main business vectors will focus on the Web 3.0, NFT games and Metaverse vectors, as well as expansion into the large corporate IT sector.
IdeaSoft CEO Andriy Lazorenko emphasizes that the main reason for this collaboration is the strong management team at Eventyr.
“We will assist them to grow and launch new business verticals. The merger allows us to explore deeper to the NFT gametech domains utilizing Ideasoft and Eventyr [ex. PULS Software] key expertise. That perfectly lines up with the current market growth,” Lazorenko said.
Eventyr is a fast growing company with extensive experience in mobile app development, AR/VR and games. It was founded in 2017 by Danylo Slupsky and Oleh Voitenko joined in 2020 as COO. Currently, Eventyr brings together 70 professionals and has more than 200 projects.
Earlier, in December 2021, Sigma Software, Ideasoft and Datrics created a new venture fund in Ukraine called SID Venture Partners with a $15 million trust fund.
The fund will focus on financing at early stages (pre-seed, seed, Series A) of projects with Ukrainian founders in deeptech, b2b, blockchain, fintech and automotive industries. Entrepreneurs from Clean.io (cybersecurity solutions) and NEAR (a $6 billion blockchain project), as well as other representatives of the IT market, will also be involved in scaling portfolio companies.
The Moldovan parliament has declared a 60-day state of emergency over the gas crisis.
The decision has been made at the government’s proposal, an Interfax correspondent said in a report. It was supported by 58 deputies from the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (out of 101 parliament members).
The opposition denied support to the government proposal.
Budhouse Group’s shopping centers were visited by 28.6 million people in 2021, which is 50% more than in 2020, the developer’s press service reported.
Such a significant increase is explained, first of all, by the opening of Kharkiv shopping center Nikolsky in May 2021. If we compare the attendance of other operating shopping centers, then there is also a gradual recovery of traffic after a fall in 2020 – a 13.1% increase. But none of the company’s shopping centers has yet reached the level of 2019, which is explained by quarantine restrictions, which also took place in 2021.
On average, as reported by the press service, there were 552 visitors per 1,000 square meters of the mall area. According to the company’s research, on average, visitors visit Budhouse Group’s shopping centers seven times a month and spend 73 minutes in them per visit. This is about the same as in 2020, and 16% less than in 2019, due to the restriction of the entertainment and catering sector.
The total turnover of Budhouse Group’s shopping centers in 2021, taking into account the new Nikolsky shopping and entertainment center, amounted to about UAH 10.4 billion. The turnover of Budhouse Group’s shopping centers in hryvnia equivalent in 2021 increased by 22% compared to 2020 and by 13% compared to 2019. In euros/dollars, the turnover of the company’s facilities reached the level of 2019 and even slightly exceeded it. The largest growth in turnover was observed in the Forum Lviv shopping center (27%).
The average vacancy in Budhouse Group’s shopping centers in 2021 was about 0.8% (0.6% in 2020). The minimum vacancy was recorded in the Forum Lviv shopping center and the Lubava shopping center (0.4-0.5%).
The rotation of tenants has decreased compared to 2020. In just a year, 19 new lease agreements with a total area of 3,600 square meters were signed in the existing shopping centers. For comparison: in 2020, some 30 new contracts were signed for a total area of more than 6,500 square meters.
Budhouse Group is a full cycle company engaged in investment, development and management of sustainable real estate assets. Since 2009, the company has opened four shopping centers: Fabrika shopping center (Kherson), Lubava shopping center (Cherkasy), Forum shopping center (Lviv), Nikolsky shopping center (Kharkiv) and Khortitsa Palace hotel (Zaporizhia). There are two projects at the implementation stage – Yessa shopping center (Odesa) and Khortitsa Mall shopping center (Zaporizhia).
State-owned Ukrgasbank (Kyiv) issued mortgage loans totaling UAH 1.25 billion, which is 3.1 times more than in 2020 (UAH 401.8 million), the bank’s press service reported on Tuesday, January 18.
According to the report, the bank issued more than 1,500 mortgage loans, including 327 loans worth UAH 325 million for the purchase of housing in the primary market and 1,220 loans worth UAH 925 million for the purchase of housing in the secondary market.
It is indicated that under the Affordable Mortgage 7% program, since the beginning of its operation, the bank has issued 257 loans in the amount of UAH 250 million.
JSB Ukrgasbank was founded in 1993. The state, represented by the Ministry of Finance, owns 94.94% of the shares of the financial institution.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), as of October 1, 2021, Ukrgasbank ranked fifth (UAH 121.19 billion) in terms of total assets among 71 banks operating in the country.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has set an immigration quota for 2022 at 8,488 people.
The relevant decision was made at a government meeting on Wednesday.
In particular, a quota for relatives of Ukrainian citizens (siblings, grandparents, grandchildren and granddaughters) was 805 people; for persons who were previously citizens of the country – 406 people; for parents, spouses and minor children of immigrants – 2,345 people; and figures of science and culture, whose immigration meets the interests of Ukraine – 730 people.
For persons who have carried out foreign investment activities in the economy of Ukraine in foreign convertible currency in the amount of at least $100,000, immigration is established without restrictions.
In addition, this year, 4,101 highly qualified specialists or workers can immigrate to Ukraine under a quota, the urgent need for which is tangible for the country’s economy.
Among other things, a quota of 99 people has been established for persons who have served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine for three or more years.
For persons who have continuously lived in the territory of the state for three years from the date of establishing a status of victims of human trafficking for them, a quota of two people has been established.
As reported, in 2021, the immigration quota was 9,818 people.
