Further Development of Kharkiv City Municipal Chatbot

For Sigma Software Group, Kharkiv is more than just a city – it’s our birthplace. So, when the Kharkiv City Council contacted the company with a request to assist in building a digital tool to keep residents informed, we knew we had to step in.

Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city with a population of 1.5 million, lies just 30 kilometers from the border with russia. Since February 2022, the city suffers from constant attacks disrupting regular activities and interfering with utility services. Many Kharkiv residents have moved to safer regions, while people from the occupied territories came to Kharkiv as a center of the area’s business activity. Timely access to reliable information in the changing conditions has become essential for residents to make informed decisions and ensure their safety.

From Pro Bono Initiative to Essential City Service

At the start of the project, a volunteer team from Sigma Software worked pro bono to create a chatbot that allowed Kharkiv residents to quickly access information about the status and availability of electricity and water supply in their homes.

The chatbot soon proved its efficiency and usefulness, becoming a reliable tool for residents. Encouraged by the positive feedback, the city and Sigma Software continued cooperation to expand the service.

Expanding Features for Residents’ Needs

As Kharkiv faces new challenges, so do its residents. To support them, the Kharkiv City Council decided to add a series of new features to the chatbot, each addressing a specific need. To help implement new features, they attracted Sigma Software via a public tender as an IT partner that proved its expertise.

New functionality added to the chatbot:

• Compensation application tracking – Many homes in Kharkiv were damaged or destroyed. Residents can now track the status of their applications for compensation, reducing stress and uncertainty during the rebuilding process.
• Life support – The chatbot now helps people find the nearest points of resilience, shelters, food distribution centers, and drinking fountains. In a city often facing infrastructure and utility services disruptions, this means residents can quickly locate safe places, basic resources, and support.
• Subway train schedules – With the Kharkiv subway serving as both public transport and shelter during attacks, access to it is now free for everybody. At the same time, the train schedules have changed in response to lower residents’ activities. So, having real-time access to schedules makes daily mobility safer and more predictable.
• Services for veterans – Tailored information and assistance for veterans recognize their contributions and help them navigate available municipal services.
• Support for internally displaced persons (IDPs) – Thousands of people have relocated to Kharkiv. The chatbot helps newcomers integrate by providing information on housing, services, and everyday needs, easing their transition into the community.

Impact and Adoption

The chatbot has already become an integral part of city life. Residents have used its convenient services more than 530,000 times. Its simplicity, accessibility, and reliability have made it a go-to digital service for citizens, showing high demand for digital municipal tools that save time and provide reliable information at any moment.

Valery Krasovsky, CEO and Co-Founder of Sigma Software Group, commented:

“For us, this project is very personal. Kharkiv is our home, and supporting its residents with technology that makes their daily lives safer and easier is both a responsibility and a privilege.The municipal chatbot shows how innovation can serve people directly, especially in difficult times. We will continue to expand its features together with the city to ensure that Kharkiv remains resilient and connected.”

Halyna Lytvinets, Director of the Digital Transformation Department of the Kharkiv City Council, says:

“The Kharkiv Municipal Chatbot has become an important step in the city’s digital transformation. It allows us to provide residents with reliable information and vital services quickly and conveniently, even under challenging circumstances. The solution receives a lot of positive feedback from citizens and has already proven its efficiency in practice.
Sigma Software has shown itself to be a highly reliable IT service provider — combining deep technical expertise, experience with GovTech solutions, innovative thinking, and strong project management. Thanks to our cooperation, we have turned an idea into a practical tool that serves hundreds of thousands of Kharkiv residents.We see this project as a strong example of how technology and partnership can make urban services more accessible and resilient.”

The overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding the chatbot has sparked interest from other Ukrainian cities, which are now considering implementing similar solutions for their communities.

Beyond the Chatbot: Other Projects with Kharkiv

The chatbot is not the first time Sigma Software has joined forces with Kharkiv authorities. Over the years, we have partnered with the city on multiple initiatives that combine technology and social impact, such as:

• Smart City initiatives – contributing to the development of digital platforms that improve municipal services and urban planning.
• Educational projects – through Sigma Software University and partnerships with local universities, we support IT education in Kharkiv and all Ukraine, preparing future generations of engineers and innovators.
• Innovation ecosystem – our laboratories and classes in Kharkiv provide a platform for startups, entrepreneurs, and students to grow their ideas, strengthening the city’s role as an IT innovation center.
• Community support programs – engaging in pro bono and CSR projects, from digital literacy training to initiatives supporting vulnerable groups in the city.

Together, these efforts underline our long-term commitment to social welfare. Our team contributes to the improvement and development of society through solutions we deliver for everyday life, sports, science, education, and industry.

Looking Ahead

For Sigma Software, this project is more than just another digital product. It is a testament to our roots in Kharkiv, our commitment to supporting the community, and our belief that technology can improve resilience and quality of life even in the most difficult circumstances.

“This project reflects the essence of our approach—combining deep technical expertise with a strong sense of responsibility to the communities we’re part of. We believe that technology should serve people, especially in times of crisis, and we’re proud to contribute to Kharkiv’s resilience through meaningful digital solutions,” says Anatoliy Kochetov, Chief Operating Officer at Sigma Software.

The development of the Kharkiv City Municipal Chatbot shows how public-private partnerships and innovative IT solutions can bring real value to citizens, setting an example for other cities in Ukraine and beyond.