If there is a way to do something better, the founders of the platform Go To-U will find it.
Lyubov Artemenko and her partners are on a mission to advance greener road transport: their Go To-U platform makes charging electric vehicles a smooth and effortless experience.
In Ukraine, Go To-U is one of the winners of Climate Innovation Vouchers – an initiative funded by the European Union and implemented by EBRD to help agents of change, at the early stages of their development, to bring their innovative climate technologies to fruition.
When technology meets green
When Lyubov and her business partners Lena Artemenko and Nazar Shymone-Davyda founded Go To-U in 2017, their mission was straightforward: to accelerate transport decarbonisation by making the experience of driving and charging electric vehicles (EVs) simpler, more convenient and more accessible.
“Road transport is one of the biggest sources of pollution and the sector represents almost a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. The Go To-U platform aims to help millions of people to unlock the potential of low-carbon mobility,” says Lyubov.
The platform goes beyond just connecting plugs, the founders claim: Go To-U connects drivers to destinations by providing unique booking features for charging stations at the most convenient time and place, with easy payment options.
‘’The charging infrastructure has to keep pace both quantitatively and qualitatively. EV drivers’ demand shifts from just finding a place to plug in to finding a charging destination that meets their needs and preferences, allows them to reserve charging time and involves a simple payment method,” explains Lyubov.
More and more people are driving electric vehicles in Ukraine. Market growth is reported to be among the highest in Europe, with the number of EVs quadrupling since 2018, according to Ukraine Invest. But Go To-U goes beyond borders, connecting more than 300,000 EV charging spots around the world.
“We see that the future is all about the driver’s experience. That is why we put drivers at the centre of our software solutions to deliver a seamless EV-charging experience,” notes Lyubov.
Together with the EBRD, the European Union and in cooperation with the non-governmental organisation Greencubator supported the company’s app development but also helped the firm grow beyond Ukraine.
Now Go To-U operates in 47 countries, employs 22 people, and has an office in the United States of America. Women make up half of the workforce, as the founders firmly believe in the power of women in technology. The company has successfully attracted investors from Techstars, ABB EL Ventures and ABB Technology Ventures.
‘’I recommend that Ukrainian innovators foster partnerships and international collaboration. The Climate Innovation Vouchers are a fantastic opportunity to grow a business,” comments Lyubov, sharing the recipe of her success with like-minded innovators.
Innovating for a better, greener future
Go To-U is just one example of industrious firms in Ukraine that are leading by example with emerging initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and promote green thinking.
Since 2017, the European Union and the EBRD have been helping companies bring their ideas to life. Climate Innovation Vouchers offer grant funding of up to €50,000 for each idea and have enabled dozens of companies to invest in research and development, certification, testing, information technology and more. Smart housing, solar blinds, green packaging – the list of funded initiatives is long and inspiring.
To date, the EU and the EBRD have provided €1 million in Climate Innovation Vouchers in Ukraine. The programme is part of the EBRD’s Finance and Technology Transfer Centre for Climate Change (FINTECC), supported by the EU under its EU4Climate initiative and EU4Business initiative.
