Tymofieiev Ruslan gave a speech at the official opening of the smart shelter CLUST SPACE

During the official opening of the first smart shelter for students in Ukraine, Smart Shelter CLUST SPACE, project initiator Ruslan Tymofieiev shared his thoughts on what prompted him to implement this idea. According to the entrepreneur and investor, he wanted to provide targeted assistance to his country during the war, ensuring it was not chaotic or selective.

As a result, he chose an educational direction. Ruslan Tymofieiev identified a problem whereby many students couldn't fully participate in the educational process due to constant shelling during the war, which endangered their safety. The smart shelter CLUST SPACE project was precisely intended to address this issue by providing students with a safe space for learning and implementing creative ideas.

Tymofieiev Ruslan is a Ukrainian entrepreneur and founder of the venture builder CLUST and the venture fund Adventures Lab. Under Ruslan's leadership, the construction of the smart shelter CLUST SPACE began at the base of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, which will operate not only during wartime but also after the cessation of hostilities.

The smart shelter at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute officially opened on January 25th. Representatives of the venture builder CLUST SPACE, government officials, representatives of the Ministry of Education, the State Emergency Service, and others attended the event. As part of the official opening, Ruslan Tymofieiev delivered a speech. He talked about why he decided to invest in developing and implementing such a bold idea, as well as about the future of the CLUST SPACE project.

Also, several speakers took part in the event, including the Rector of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Mykhailo Zgurovsky; Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Denys Kurbatov; Head of Sikorsky Challenge, Inna Maliukova; Head of the DEFENCE-TECH cluster at Brave1, Natalia Kushner, and others. The speakers participated in a panel discussion on how Ukraine can achieve economic and technological leaps. Also, they discussed restraining factors and prospects, the impact of projects such as Smart Shelter CLUST SPACE on the development of innovations, and the emergence of new products needed by Ukrainian society.

Ruslan Tymofieiev noted that the decision to invest in education took time. Initially, he and his team were helping volunteers, refugees, military personnel, and territorial defense — everyone who requested assistance. However, the assistance was more chaotic, lacking any systematic approach. When the situation stabilized, he realized that the conflict would be prolonged. Then, Ruslan Tymofieiev decided to analyze the country's current problems and choose a vital direction that required investment.

Ruslan Tymofieiev commented that CLUST SPACE is not just a selective solution to the education problem during wartime but a systematic effort to develop student life. This project addresses a wide range of current societal demands and represents a unique security solution that can be adapted to other regions of Ukraine and beyond.

Ruslan Tymofieiev emphasizes that he didn't randomly choose the educational sector for further investment. According to him, Ukrainian specialists are highly valued worldwide. Having worked in the international market for many years, he noticed that Ukrainian professionals often surpass their counterparts in terms of education level, responsibility, and initiative. However, the war has introduced challenges to the educational process, prompting the need for solutions to ensure that future young professionals can rely on a high level of education even now.

Tymofieiev Ruslan notes that the CLUST SPACE project continues beyond opening the first space at the KPI. We should also spread effective security solutions to other regions of the country. It is already known that the implementation of a similar project will soon begin in Dnipro. Ruslan Tymofieiev announced that the project's working group plans to build the next shelter in Oles Honchar Dnipro National University.

The project has already attracted initial investments – $100,000 for future construction.