On January 7, Andriy Shmyhelskyy, a Ukranian social-tech entrepreneur who advocates for children and climate education, passed away at the age of 36 due to respiratory arrest.
With a Master’s degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Shmyhelskyy dedicated his life to creating meaningful change through impactful projects, right from the initial days of his career.
With an intention to save polar bears from extinction, Shmyhelskyy co-founded Hyko in 2014. Hyko is a connected polar bear lamp with an app ecosystem that lets children learn colors, time, environment, and how to protect them.
In 2014, Rockstart, the global early-stage accelerator-VC, invested in Hyko as a part of the Rockstart Smart Energy programme.
“Andriy was one of the good guys. As a founder, we met at the first Rockstart Smart Energy program back in 2014. His mission was always to educate children, in a fun and interactive way,” says Remco Janssen Founder & CEO of Silicon Canals.
“As a mentor, we’d have regular check-ins years after the program ended. Those conversations were never merely professional. He displayed a genuine interest in how you really were, without judgment, in his own friendly yet stoic way,” adds Remco.
Rune Theill, CEO and Co-Founder of Rockstart calls Shmyhelskyy “a visionary and a truly-purpose driven entrepreneur.”
“In 2014, we proudly invested in Hyko.co, a project close to Andriy’s heart that taught children about climate change playfully and engagingly—empowering them to understand how our daily actions impact the world around us,” says Rune Theill.
Post Hyko’s acquisition in 2020, Shmyhelskyy co-owned Tangi Studio, where he led projects like an early learning platform for Montessori schools. They developed a product that turns physical books into read-along experiences.
“In 2020, Net2Grid acquired Hyko yet Andriy continued his quest to educate children. With his new venture Tangi Studio aimed at early education, and subsequently his non-profit Better Time Stories, he stayed true to his beliefs,” says Remco. “With his new venture Tangi Studio, he aimed at early education.”
In 2022, he also founded Better Time Stories in partnership with iKs (Interactive Kids Stories) and the Number 5 Foundation, established by Princess Laurentien and Prince Constantijn.
Shmyhelskyy, who lived in the Netherlands since 2014, wanted to help refugee families stay connected with men who stayed behind in Ukraine due to war.
The initiative supports Ukrainian refugee children by providing bilingual picture books and a secure app enabling family members to narrate the stories remotely, fostering connections despite displacement.
“He gifted five children’s books to displaced Ukrainian children so that they could stay in touch with their loved ones. That demonstrated how dedicated he genuinely was as a founder, offering his time to a project closest to his heart,” adds Remco.
When the first Ukrainian refugee stories hit the news, Andriy realised that this technology could have a much bigger impact on the lives of child refugees.
“Andriy carried this spirit forward with an initiative to support 1.8 million Ukrainian refugee children, designing interactive books to bring hope and joy during challenging times,” says Theill.
Andriy worked hard to create positive change and help others. He dedicated his life to inspiring the next generation to think differently and act meaningfully.
“The birth of his daughter and the activities they did in his spare time, though, made his eyes twinkle when he spoke of it,” concludes Remco.
We at Silicon Canals are deeply saddened by the passing of Andriy Shmyhelskyy, a visionary entrepreneur, whose work inspired countless lives.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. The cremation will take place on January 14th.
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