Author

Yana Prots photo

Yana Prots

Newsroom Intern

Yana Prots is an intern on the business desk of the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a journalist at the NGO Center of United Actions and as a social media editor at Hromadske media. Yana holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and completed a year as an exchange student at the University of Zurich. Now, she is pursuing a master’s degree in International Finance and Investment at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

Articles

A PayPal sign at the company’s headquarters in San Jose, California, U.S., on Jan. 30, 2024.

PayPal, WhatsApp, Grammarly — 10 global companies you didn't know have Ukrainian roots

by Yana Prots
It's a fact little known around the world: Some of the biggest names in tech were founded by Ukrainian-born entrepreneurs, including PayPal, WhatsApp, and Grammarly. These companies, now headquartered across the U.S. and Europe, owe part of their success to Ukrainian-born entrepreneurs whose innovations have shaped how millions communicate, pay, and work online. Here are 10 of the world's most recognizable tech companies founded or co-founded by Ukrainians. PayPal / Affirm Co-founder Max Le