TheOntario Association of Architects (OAA) has launched a call for proposals for speakers for its 2025 Continuing Education Webinar Series. This initiative aims to provide a platform for experts to share innovative ideas and critical topics to Ontarios architecture profession.The OAA is seeking proposals covering themes such as project delivery methods, accessibility, technological advancements, building codes, climate action, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI).The Continuing Education Program aims to reflect the Associations dedication to promoting and increasing the knowledge, skill, and proficiency of its members, and administering the Architects Actin order to serve and protect the public interest. The current two-year cycle ends on June 30, 2026.The call for submissions closes on April 24, 2025.To learn more about what is required, check out the Speaker Handbook.For all other information, click here.The post Speakers wanted for OAAs 2025 Continuing Education Webinar Series appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Unreal Fest Orlando 2025 is coming! Get your tickets and buckle up for over 190 inspiring sessions across ten industry tracks. This year, for the first time ever, the State of Unreal will take place from Unreal Fest toodont miss it.

After months of speculation following the Switch 2 reveal, Nintendo has shared a flurry of tech specs and explained the console has been "redesigned from the ground up."During a special Nintendo Switch 2 focused Nintendo Direct, the company confirmed its new handheld-hybrid will rock a bigger 7.9 inch screen with approximately double the pixels of the original Switch at the same thickness.The screen will support up to 120fps for smoother gameplay and is billed as a "vivid" 1080p LCD display with HDR support.New Joy-Con 2 controllers will attach magnetically to the console, which Nintendo says will keep them "firmly attached to the system," and feature larger SL / SR buttons and analog sticks.It will also be possible to use both Joy-Con 2 controllers as a mouse to play compatible games.Nintendo showed that feature in action with the reveal of a new title called Drag x Drive, which will require players to drag both controllers across a surface to move their wheelchair in-game.The inclusion of two USB-C ports will facilitate charging when in tabletop mode or let players connect peripherals.The Switch 2 will come with 256GB of internal storage out of the boxeight times more than the original Switch. Reading and writing data is also faster, while an upgraded Nintendo Switch 2 dock will enable up to 4K resolution and HDR support for compatible titles when in TV mode.Related:The dock features a built-in fan to keep the system "stable."Nintendo Switch 2 game cards will have much faster data-reading speeds than their predecessors and sport a bright red colour way. It's currently unclear how they will taste.'C' is for camaraderieA new Nintendo Switch 2 pro controller is also on the way with additional bells and whistles including an audio jack, 'C' button, and extra inputs.Speaking of the 'C' button, the mysterious nubbin will allow players to activate a new 'Game Chat' feature that leverages the Switch 2's built-in microphone.Nintendo says the mic will filter out background noise and dial in on a player's voice. It'll also be possible for users to share their game screen using the Game Chat featureeven while playing different titlesand pull up a chat menu by pressing the 'C' button. Nintendo reckons that'll be useful if people need to mute themselves in a cinch.The company also announced the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, which will let Game Chat users stream their reactions for other players.Nintendo Switch Online will be required to use Game Chatalthough it'll be possible to test the feature out during an open access period.Related:The company is also rolling out an expanded version of its online subscription service called Nintendo Switch Online + that will include access to classic GameCube titles such as The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and SoulCalibur II.A Switch 2 owner using Game Chat / Image via NintendoAnother new feature, GameShare, will let Switch and Switch 2 owners share and play compatible multiplayer titles locally on their individual systems.As you'd expect, Nintendo will be supporting its new console with a robust first-party software lineup.Mario Kart World, billed as a more expansive take on the racer, features themed regions with day-night cycles and changing weather conditions. Nintendo said the title will allow up to 24 players to "drive virtually anywhere" in the worldincluding asking them to drive to the next course as part of the competition.Kirby Air Riders, directed by Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai, was also announced alongside 3D platformer Donkey Kong: Banaza. Both are due out in 2025.A screenshot from Mario Kart World showing players racing across an expansive region / Image via NintendoSome existing titles, such as Super Mario Party Jamboree, will also receive premium updates to deliver 'Nintendo Switch 2 Edition' versions that take advantage of new hardware such as the microphone and camera.Enhanced versions of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild will also be rolled out with new features such as voice navigation, HDR support, and more.Related:Players who have already purchased Nintendo Switch 2 Edition compatible titles on the original Switch will be able to upgrade by purchasing an 'upgrade pack.'Upcoming titles such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokemon Legends Z-A will be launching on both the Switch and Switch 2but will deliver improved performance on the latter.Third-party support was similarly impressive, with Nintendo showcasing a roster including titles such as Elden Ring, Hades II, Street Fighter 6, Split Fiction, Madden NFL, Hogwarts Legacy, Hitman World of Assassination, Project 007, Deltarune (Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4), Borderlands 4, Enter The Gungeon 2, Civilization VII, Cyberpunk 2077, and more.The Switch 2 will launch on June 5, 2025. Consumers will be able to buy the standalone console or a bundle including a digital version of Mario Kart World.Pricing details remain a mystery.

When New Zealand studio Black Salt Games began work on Dredge in 2020, they didn't think it was going to have much of a narrative at all. The team was tinywith only an artist, programmer, and producerso they were planning for the Eldritch fishing horror to be story-light."We can't really make a narrative game," read a quote by Dredge programmer Joel Mason on an early slide in the Dredge and Yarn Spinner: Building Narrative with Open Source talk at the Game Developers Conference. Jon Manning, narrative technologies lead at Yarn Spinner, spoke about how the Dredge team used the program to develop what turned out to be one of the best narrative games of 2023.Dredge made use of Yarn Spinner, an open source dialogue tool used by a number of award-winning games, including A Short Hike, A Night In The Woods, and Little Kitty, Big City. It helped Black Salt Games develop the majority of their narrative structure once they discovered that players loved the creepy lore of Dredge.Islands of Grief"The original plan was that each of the islands in the archipelago that Dredge is set in represented the Kbler-Ross stages of grief," Manning said. "Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The characters at the islands represented these different stages of grief. The fishmonger on greater marrow represents depression."Related:While this idea was eventually abandoned midway through development, it helped solidify the structure of the story and shaped many of the characters found in the 10 hour base adventure. Black Salt Games began writing out their story in a word processor, but found that they would need to work directly within the engine once they created a massive amount of dialogue."Now, dialogue systems are deceptively complicated. I happen to think that they are probably the second most complex system in a game, and certainly the most complicated user facing system," Manning said. "[Many people] write out lines in a spreadsheet, but [don't realize] that if you do that, then you're kind of not quite seeing the larger collection of gotchas that exist."Manning brought up how writing the entirety of your game in something like Microsoft Excel or Word could lead to a number of issues with localization, asset management in relation to specific lines, and event synchronization. Yard Spinner is a tool meant to streamline and make those problems easier to resolve.Hook, Line, and SinkerDredge's gameplay revolves around the player as the protagonista new fisherman that has come to the archipelagosails to different fishing spots and islands, talks to the characters there, and completes tasks for them. The story is told primarily through the dialogue in these conversations. Other narrative vehicles exist in Dredgemessages in a bottle, quest descriptions, etcbut those were not hosted in Yarn Spinner.Related:Black Salt Games had specific guidelines for successful dialogue within Dredge. They didn't put more than 4 or 5 text boxes in front of the player in a row, they limited each text box to 3-4 lines, and set out that each bit of text should do one of three things:Tell the player what they're doingAdvance the story or worldBe creepyYarn Spinner helped the team take that text and integrate it with other systems within Dredge. Lines would have different prompts and commands that brought up a variety of features to pair with dialogue. Names prompted a specific character portrait to come up, colors would highlight certain words based on importance to the player, and while there was no voice over, a command would prompt characters to make a variety of noises."The whole idea behind Yarn Spinner is you write a screenplay and then the game reads and interprets it, and then sends content into the game," Manning said. The way that it does this is via a mechanism that we call the dialogue view."Related:Part of the beauty of Yarn Spinner is these prompts and commands are able to connect the dialogue with so many other narrative elements. It could track how long the player had gone without talking to a certain character, prompting a specific response when that character finally pops up on their screen again. It could trigger visual elementslike a lightning strikein the background for dramatic effect at exactly the right time. It also lets the developers add and remove other elements by editing text in Yarn Spinner, making iteration a simpler process."Seeing the dialogue happen inside the overall gameplay exposed a lot of issues, because seeing it happen live just made it reveal weird connections or janky expositions in a way that you simply don't see when you're reading a linear document," Manning said. "Which meant that iterating on that content was absolutely essential [and] having a tool that lets you iterate quickly and reduce iteration time was really important for the success of Dredge."

We knew a Mario Kart game was coming to the Switch 2, and now Nintendo has finally shared some real details in its latest Nintendo Direct. Its called Mario Kart World, and it will be a day-one Switch 2 exclusive when the console launches on June 5th. Mario Kart World features an open-world mode, in-game atmospheric effects that depend on the time of day and weather conditions, and up to 24 drivers per race. After the Direct, Nintendo announced a $499.99 launch day Switch 2 bundle that includes a download code for Mario Kart World. The company plans to share more about the game in a Nintendo Direct scheduled for April 17th at 6AM PT / 9AM ET.Mario Kart Worlds open-world mode is called Free Roam, and itll sound familiar to Forza Horizon 5 players, letting users drive on or off-road around the world, take scenic drives with friends, and take photos together at different locations. Theres also a Knock-out Tour mode that lets you do a cross-country Cannonball Run-style checkpoint race.Drive virtually everywhere in Mario Kart World, a brand-new Mario Kart game releasing exclusively on #NintendoSwitch2 as a launch title! #NintendoDirect pic.twitter.com/zvN4C6l3ft Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 2, 2025Nintendo showed off some new gameplay mechanics, like abilities to grind on rails and power lines or wall jump, as well as new vehicles like boats and snowmobiles. Other shots showed what looked like on-the-fly character customization. Characters that appeared in the trailer included standards like Mario and Wario, as well as new ones to the mainline series like the cow from Moo Moo Meadows in Mario Kart 64.Mario Kart was the one new game teased during the initial Switch 2 reveal event in January. And it makes a lot of sense as a debut title for the platform, as the kart racing series has arguably become Nintendos most popular franchise. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the bestselling Switch game to date, and its predecessor holds the same title for the Wii U. Meanwhile, Mario Kart 7 was the top-selling 3DS game, Mario Kart Wii was second only to Wii Sports on that platform, and Mario Kart DS sat just behind Nintendogs to claim third place on the handheld.Todays reveal was part of a Nintendo Direct event aimed at sharing more hard details about both the Switch 2 and its initial lineup of games.Developing

It wouldnt be a new Nintendo console without a big Zelda release, and the franchises next entry is sending the princess to war.During todays Switch 2 Direct, Nintendo announced the forthcoming arrival of Age of Imprisonment, a new installment of Koei Tecmos Zelda-inspired Hyrule Warriors series. Like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Age of Imprisonment is another prequel whose story connects directly with the larger tale unfolding in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. But this time around, the game looks even farther back into the past to focus on the battle Princess Zelda fought alongside King Rauru against Ganondorf.A brief trailer for the game highlighted how Age of Imprisonment will allow you to play as Zelda and Rauru as you fight against hordes of Hylian monsters. Nintendo didnt reveal much about the new games plot, but announced that its set for release this winter.Experience the untold story of the Imprisoning War when Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment releases exclusively on #NintendoSwitch2 this winter! #NintendoDirect pic.twitter.com/3ut5JqoVUe Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 2, 2025The Zelda franchise played a key role in the original Switchs success. Breath of the Wild, which was also one of the last Wii U titles, quickly became one of the handheld consoles bestselling games and a critical darling that kicked off a new era of open-world gaming. The Switch gave Nintendo a chance to double down on Zelda spinoffs like the Hyrule Warriors series and Cadence of Hyrule.The company kept its Zelda momentum going with updated versions of classics like Links Awakening and Skyward Sword. And even though the first Switch was nearing the end of its life cycle, Nintendo pushed the series even further into the future with Tears of the Kingdom and Echoes of Wisdom. The way Zelda flourished on the Switch is undoubtedly part of why the franchise is being adapted into a live-action movie and seemingly getting the theme park treatment. And now we know a bit more about how the princesss legend will continue with the Switch 2.

Ever since the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal, fans have been wildly speculating on a tiny detail from the trailer: the Joy-Cons. Specifically, their seeming use as mouse controllers, like on a PC, and the way they moved in the trailer. Now, we finally have official confirmation as to what they do: The Joy-Cons can operate in "mouse mode," which will allow players to slide the Joy-Cons across flat surfaces and use the analog sticks to simulate a left-click and right-click similar to a standard mouse. Additionally, two Joy-Cons can even be used in mouse mode simultaneously with one in each hand, or one in standard mode with the other in mouse mode. In other words, the game is your oyster. Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 Console SlideshowThe Nintendo stream demonstrated the capabilities of the Joy-Con in mouse mode via a sports game in the style of Rocket League featuring robot characters that use wheelchair-style vehicles to get around. The game is called Drag and Drive, and is styled as a three-on-three basketball game. In order to play, gamers have to use two Joy-Con controllers in mouse mode to wheel your character around the levels in an attempt to sink the ball into the basket. Fans have been theorizing about the Joy-Con mouse since we saw the reveal trailer, which had the Joy-Cons sliding around just like PC mice. In an effort to get more information, we tried to ask Firaxis, developer of Civilization 7, about it, and got a very cryptic answer in response. Features like this and the new C button fueled conversation about the console over the last month, especially as a rebuttal to criticisms that the Nintendo Switch 2 was playing things "safe" compared to Nintendo's usual adventurous spirit.You can catch up on everything announced at today's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct right here.Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.

Nintendo Switch 2 features new game cards that come with a sleek new red look and faster data reading speeds.Nintendo dived into the details on how physical game cards will work for its upcoming console during todays special Switch 2 Direct. In addition to a first look at these updated game cards, the company detailed how additional storage will work. The Switch 2 will only be compatible with microSD Express Cards, meaning you wont be able to bring your old storage cards over when you pick up the console this summer. SanDisk has its 128GB ($44.99), and 256GB MicroSD Express Cards ($59.99) already available on Amazon.For a better look at everything else Nintendo had to show during todays Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, you can click here.DevelopingMichael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Its time to confront some magical creatures (or maybe just your backlog) with these games coming soon! Some surprise benefits and announcements you might have missed, day one games (with some amazing music; looking at you South of Midnight), and more. Lets get to it!Coming SoonBorderlands 3 Ultimate Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC) April 3Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass StandardBorderlands 3 Ultimate Edition packs bazillions of guns and is a mayhem-fueled adventure, featuring the base game plus all four campaign add-ons, Directors Cut content, and all cosmetic packs! Blast through worlds and enemies as one of four Vault Hunters, each with deep skill trees, abilities, and customization. Play solo or join with friends to take on insane enemies, score loads of loot, and save your home from the most ruthless cult leaders in the galaxy.All You Need is Help (Console) April 3Now with Game Pass StandardDive into a quirky multiplayer co-op puzzle game where adorable, fluffy cube-shaped creatures collaborate to reach their goals. This cooperative-centric game is designed for enjoyment across generations from children to grandparents making it perfect for family and friends.Still Wakes the Deep (Xbox Series X|S) April 3Now with Game Pass StandardFrom the award-winning developers at The Chinese Room comes a terrifying tale of isolation. You are trapped on an oil rig in the North Sea, running from an unknowable horror that has come aboard. With no escape and no way to fight back, all you can do is survive.Wargroove 2 (Console) April 3Now with Game Pass StandardEmbark on an all-new adventure filled with unlikely friendships, unknown adversaries, and ugly revenge plots. Wage war against your foes with a cast of new Commanders. Design and share maps, cut-scenes, and campaigns with easy-to-use editors and in-depth customization tools.Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Ultimate Evil Edition (Console and PC) April 8Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass StandardThis Ultimate Evil Edition contains both Diablo III and the Reaper of Souls expansion set, together in one definitive volume. Rise as one of humanitys last defenders crusader, barbarian, witch doctor, demon hunter, monk, or wizard and collect legendary loot while mastering devastating new powers and abilities.South of Midnight (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) April 8Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassAvailable on day one with Game Pass! South of Midnight is a new action-adventure from Compulsion Games. Explore the mythos and confront mysterious creatures of the Deep South in this modern folktale while learning to weave an ancient power to surmount obstacles and face the pain haunting your hometown. Game Pass members can save 10% on the Premium Edition Upgrade to unlock up to 5 days early access, plus digital access to the South of Midnight Artbook, the original soundtrack, and more.Commandos: Origins (Cloud, PC and Xbox Series X|S) April 9Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassAvailable on day one with Game Pass! Commandos: Origins revisits the six iconic commandos from the original series. Witness elite stealth-tactics gameplay, use your teams unique abilities to execute complex strategies, and combine your forces in 2-player co-op multiplayer. The battlefield is calling. Do you have what it takes?Blue Prince (Cloud, PC and Xbox Series X|S) April 10Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassAvailable on day one with Game Pass! Welcome to Mt. Holly, the mysterious manor with shifting rooms. Blue Prince is a genre-bending, atmospheric, architectural adventure where you explore an ever-changing manor of 45 shifting rooms. Discover secrets and mysteries in a house you build one room at a time. As you discover more with each passing day, the question asked is can you find the rumored Room 46?Hunt Showdown 1896 (PC) April 15Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassAvailable now on PC and coming soon to Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) and Xbox consoles! Hunt: Showdown 1896 is a new era of the addictively unforgiving extraction shooter. In corrupted backwaters lost to history, fight back alone or with friends against timeless evil. Twisted monsters and other ruthless Hunters stand between you and your Bounty. Risk everything as Hunt consumes you.In Case You Missed ItEA Sports College Football 25 (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) Available nowGame Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassStep into iconic stadiums with unforgettable traditions and get unlimited access to EA Sports College Football 25. Members can chase college greatness with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta), PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate via EA Play. Plus, score a Supercharge Pack by April 24.More In-Game Benefits for Free-to-Play GamesFor Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members, we announced were bringing even more benefits for select free-to-play games. You can expect in-game benefits like cosmetics, characters, in-game currency, and more with seasonal content drops. Starting today, members will get access to the following in-game benefits for Asphalt Legends Unite:Asphalt Legends Unite (Console and PC) link your Gameloft Club accountSpeed into action with the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, 10 St. Patricks Card Packs, and 500,000 credits to upgrade, enhance, and dominate the track.DLC / Game UpdatesDead by Daylight: Tokyo Ghoul Available nowFrom anime to the horrific realm of video game horror, Tokyo Ghouls Ken Kaneki has come to Dead by Daylight. Feel the tear as your gruesome Kagunes spring from your back-flesh to propel you forward, teeth gnashing in anticipation. Sea of Thieves: 2025 Edition Update Available nowTo celebrate Sea of Thieves Seventh Anniversary, fresh 2025 Editions are now available. These new options contain the latest version of the full game and offer a range of choices at different price points, packed to bursting with bonuses including some of the games most popular items!Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 03 Starting todaySeason 03 Multiplayer and Zombies content kicks off today! Players can jump in and get locked and loaded prior to Verdansk officially launching in Call of Duty: Warzone tomorrow April 3rd. Game Pass members can save 10% and maximize their gameplay with Season 03 BlackCell which includes the standard Battle Pass with an added BlackCell Page Unlock with bonus unlockable content, 20 tier skips, 1,100 Call of Duty Points, and more. Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members, stay tuned for in-game benefits dropping soon.Age of Empires IV: Knights of Cross and Rose Expansion April 8Pre-order and save 15% on Age of Empires IV: Knights of Cross and Rose today and prepare to experience the stories and strategic warfare of the Knights Templar and House of Lancaster. These variant civilizations innovate upon the French and English, bringing new weapons, units, buildings, and technologies to the battlefield.Xbox Game Pass Ultimate PerksNew Perks are here! Check the Game Pass section on your console, Xbox mobile app, or Xbox app on Windows PC to find new in-game content, consumables, and offers included with your Game Pass Ultimate membership. Perks vary by region, platform, and over time.The First Descendant: Beyond the Void Bundle Available nowEnter Beyond the Void, the next chapter of Season 2 in The First Descendant! Claim the Episode 2 Bundle to gear up in style, customize your loadout, and join your fellow Descendants on new missions in the uncharted Sigma Sector!Candy Crush Solitaire (Mobile): Sweet Starter Pack Available nowThe Sweet Starter Pack gives you the perfect edge to sharpen your strategy and sweeten every move. It includes 5,000 coins, 4 undo moves, 3 Color Bomb boosters, and 1 Wild Card.Sea of Thieves: Seventh Serving Emote Available nowFor a limited time, celebrate seven years on the Sea of Thieves with this Emote and carve a slice of delicious dessert!Leaving April 15The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon, which means it is time to re-shuffle your play list and check these out before they go. Remember to use your 20% membership discount on your purchase if you would like to keep them in your library.Botany ManorCoral IslandHarold HalibutHomestead ArcanaKonaOrcs Must Die! 3Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive EditionTurbo Golf RacingWere adding more games over time to the Stream your own game collection for Game Pass Ultimate members. Go to Xbox.com/Play to see the list of available cloud playable games to stream on supported devices if you own them.As always, love to chat with you about what games youre playing and what youre downloading next! Catch us at Game Pass, PC Game Pass, or Xbox, and well remind you when these coming soon games turn into available today. Cheers!

Every entrepreneur has to overcome obstacles, but few have faced the challenges of Oleksandr Kosovan. As the founder and CEO of Ukrainian scaleup MacPaw, Kosovan runs his business in a country under invasion. The company has even been hit by missile barrages.As relentless Russian bombing and shelling pummel Ukraine, his team presses on with their work. In October, they released a new version of CleanMyMac, MacPaws flagship maintenance and optimisation product.It was completely developed during the war, Kosovan tells TNW on a video call from his home in Kyiv.The software earned rave reviews. But two months later, the horrors of war arrived at MacPaws doorstep.Get TicketsOn a cold December morning, another devastating Russian ballistic missile attack struck Kyiv. The explosion hit MacPaws headquarters, shattering the buildings facade, windows, and engineering equipment. According to the rescue services, one person was killed in the attack.Kosovan was en route to an event when a message about the strike appeared on his phone.The only thing we could do is initiate our emergency procedures, Kosovan says. We had plans for this risk and they helped us to organise actions because people were panicked. They didnt know what to do.Safety measures were swiftly implemented, emergency checks conducted, and recovery steps taken. The next day, MacPaw gained access to the office building. Staff worked alongside emergency services to salvage equipment and prevent further damage.The companys office spans three floors of the building. The hardest hit of them is still not operational, but the others have reopened. Staff are already working in them again.MacPaws wartime adaptations had given the business a head start on the recovery. Many team members were already working remotely. Processes had become highly automated. Staff were spread out geographically and shifts were scheduled to cover all critical roles during emergencies and military call-ups.While the missile strike was traumatic, MacPaw had been prepared.Preparing for warNumerous buildings were damaged by the missile strike. Credit: MacPawAs Russian troops amassed on the border with Ukraine in late 2021, MacPaw began disaster planning.The company devised mitigation measures for various threats, from cyber attacks to Russian forces taking control of the office. An emergency team was formed from each product and service unit, with members based either outside Ukraine or in the countrys safer western regions.Communications security was beefed up, with Signal adopted as a new messaging service. Office infrastructure was moved entirely to the cloud. Satellite internet was set up to cover the risk of internet loss. The company then waited for reports on Russias military moves.On day one of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, MacPaw activated its risk mitigation plan.We had to refocus our priorities, Kosovan says. The first of them was, of course, the safety of our people, and then the continuity of our business.A code freeze regime was implemented for all products and infrastructure, with no changes permitted without prior approval from the emergency team.Hardware management strategies also shifted. With supply chains disrupted, new laptops now had to be sourced from abroad. At times, system administrators had to drive to remote locations and personally deliver laptops to team members.As wartime conditions became routine, the team adapted to their new reality. Nowadays, their biggest challenge is Russias relentless attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.The strikes cause frequent and protracted power outages. In MacPaws home town of Kyiv, daily blackouts of eight hours have become commonplace, leading more team members to work from the office. To keep operations running, the company has installed extra power and internet access lines. A backup generator has also been acquired, alongside an uninterrupted internet access point via Starlink.Starlink helps a lot, Kosovan says. It is one of the saving factors for Ukraine.The new measures have kept MacPaws systems running throughout Russias attacks on Ukraines power grid. But the human impacts have been harder to resolve.The recovery processWindows have been covered in wooden panels to protect what remained inside MacPaws office. Credit: MacPawAlthough no MacPaw staff were physically harmed in the missile attack, the psychological toll has been profound.The greatest challenge we and many other companies are facing here right now is not the destruction of the offices, but the exhaustion of these people, says Kosovan. Mentally, this is very hard to process. People are breaking sometimes, and it is very hard to predict and help them.For months, staff in Kyiv have endured air strikes day and night. People cannot sleep normally because they always hear these explosions in the airThey dont know whether the next night a drone will hit their house or not.The brutality of the December missile attack was a stark contrast to the previous day at MacPaw. Staff had been preparing holiday gifts for Children of Heroes, an organisation that supports Ukrainian children who have lost parents in the war.Through the MacPaw Foundation, the company also provides Ukrainians with non-lethal aid, including protective gear, IT equipment, and medical supplies. Since 2022, the non-profit has distributed over $12mn in total supportAlongside the humanitarian projects, Kosovan is helping to sustain the countrys IT sector. Hes personally invested in almost 20 Ukrainian businesses, including Osavul, a Kyiv-based AI startup that analyses information threats.Formed to counter Russian propaganda, Osavul now offers services to governments and businesses alike. Our goal is to review the narratives, show which of them are dangerous, and then give you all the intelligence to understand what you can do, Dmytro Bilash, the startups co-founder, told TNW last year.In combat zones, Ukrainian tech also has a powerful impact. Innovations range from a growing fleet of domestic drones to Delta, a battlefield management system. Developed by the military, the software combines a variety of tools, from digital maps to secure communications.Ukrainian Army Lieutenant Colonel Yelyzaveta Boiko describes the system as Google for the military. Google helps to organise your workspace, DELTA helps to organise your war space, she said last year.Beyond the theatre of war, MacPaw has sought to preserve Ukraines tech heritage. The latest result is Innovation in Isolation a book that chronicles the countrys IT history.The past and future of Ukrainian techOleksandr Kosovan remains optimistic about the future of Ukrainian IT. Credit: MacPawReleased in Europe and the US last month, Innovation in Isolation explores Ukrainian tech from the 1940s to today.Through archival research, interviews with IT luminaries, and vivid photography, the book unravels the countrys digital evolution. The stories span from cybernetics pioneers to modern innovators such as Grammarly and Reface.All proceeds from the book will go to humanitarian relief efforts through the MacPaw Foundation. Yet the project is not solely a charitable endeavour.Its also important to talk about the history, because we all see how Russia tries to change the past by rewriting the history and claiming a lot of things as their own, says Kosovan.Many things that were considered to be built in Russia or USSR were actually created by Ukrainians and Ukraine. This partially explains why there are so many great tech companies from Ukraine. We have a very rich heritage.Even after missile strikes, that heritage continues to flourish.There are many companies that emerge in these hard times, Kosovan says. Hard times produce strong people. If companies can survive, despite the war and all its challenges, the company has a long-term future. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with