{"id":12209,"date":"2026-02-09T11:51:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T11:51:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sbceurasia.com\/en\/?p=12209"},"modified":"2026-02-09T11:51:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T11:51:39","slug":"academy-for-heroes-ebbe-groes-initiative-to-support-ukrainian-war-veterans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sbceurasia.com\/en\/2026\/02\/09\/academy-for-heroes-ebbe-groes-initiative-to-support-ukrainian-war-veterans\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cAcademy for Heroes\u201d \u2014 Ebbe Groes\u2019 Initiative to Support Ukrainian War Veterans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

EveryMatrix<\/strong> Co-founder Ebbe Groes <\/strong>discusses why the company opened a major office in Lviv, how the Academy for Heroes <\/strong>NGO was founded to support Ukrainian veterans transitioning into IT careers, and why tech education is vital for the country\u2019s future workforce. \u2018Academy for Heroes\u2019 is the second NGO founded and funded by EveryMatrix, aimed at supporting veterans of the conflict in Ukraine. It provides training and support to former military personnel so they can forge new careers in technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since being founded 18 months ago, it has grown to five full-time teaching staff, has renovated and launched an \u2018Inclusive Training Centre for Veterans\u2019 and trained six cohorts of veterans. This includes several undergoing rehabilitation following amputations at the national rehabilitation center \u2018Anbroken\u2019. In addition, two groups of children of veterans have undergone a training course in \u201cArtificial Intelligence for a Future Career\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ebbe Groes, not only the Co-Founder of EveryMatrix but also one of the founders of Academy for Heroes, about his and the company\u2019s involvement so far, the progress he\u2019s witnessed and what the future holds for the NGO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SBC News: What inspired you to support Ukrainian veterans specifically?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ebbe Groes:<\/strong> When the war began, our first instinct was to support our own staff. Some needed to leave their homes immediately, so we helped with relocation, housing and urgent expenses. Once that immediate need was handled, we began providing monthly donations to various NGOs, especially those connected to people in our team who had personal ties to frontline units or local organisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time went on, we started to think more strategically. EveryMatrix has successfully run the \u2018Teach Stream\u2019 NGO in Romania for many years helping children from underprivileged backgrounds develop digital skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also knew from experience that education can break long-term cycles of disadvantage. That experience made us realise we could make a similar, and perhaps even more urgent, impact in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veterans returning from war often struggle to reintegrate into society. They might lose their job, their routine, their sense of direction. This is a pattern seen in conflicts worldwide and without structured support, entire generations of veterans can become disconnected from civilian life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We felt we had both the responsibility and the capability to help. With our expertise in IT, we could offer not just charity, but meaningful, sustainable career pathways. That\u2019s how Academy for Heroes was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SBC: Why did EveryMatrix choose Lviv for one of its major offices?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ebbe Groes: <\/strong>When EveryMatrix started, we were about 50 people. Today, we\u2019re more than 1,500 across 15 offices worldwide. Several years ago, a major phase of that growth required us to rebuild our entire software stack \u2014 from sportsbook to casino systems to payment solutions. We needed multiple new teams working simultaneously, and finding enough talent for fast-paced expansion in Bucharest alone became difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I began exploring various cities: Kyiv, Odessa, Lviv, Chi\u0219in\u0103u\u2026 The turning point was a recommendation from a colleague who had previously worked with Intellias in Lviv. I didn\u2019t know much about Lviv at the time, but I decided to visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I instantly loved the city. It had a vibrant atmosphere, strong tech culture and very capable engineers. I also met Vitalik, the CEO of Intellias, and immediately felt confident in the professionalism and ambition of the local IT community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We started small, initially working inside Intellias, and after a couple of years we transitioned the team into a standalone EveryMatrix office. That independence helped us to build our own culture, identity, and long-term presence in Lviv. It was one of the best expansion decisions we ever made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SBC: What motivated you to focus on education and knowledge sharing as the means of supporting veterans?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ebbe Groes: <\/strong>The war effort understandably gets a lot of attention, but what happens after service is equally important. Many soldiers face uncertainty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n