Serhiy Tokarev on Empowering Ukrainian Girls in STEM

Serhiy Tokarev, an IT entrepreneur and the initiator of STEM is FEM, has announced the launch of Ukraine’s first dedicated STEM ecosystem — a landmark development for the country’s educational landscape. Built on the foundation of the STEM is FEM initiative, which has been empowering Ukrainian girls in science and technology since 2019, this new ecosystem is designed to create a comprehensive, supportive network that champions education, mentorship, and long-term career advancement in STEM fields.

The Origins of STEM is FEM

To understand what makes this ecosystem significant, it helps to look at where it came from. Since its inception in 2019, STEM is FEM has worked steadily and deliberately to break down the barriers that prevent Ukrainian girls from accessing and excelling in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The initiative was founded on a straightforward but powerful belief: that equal opportunity in STEM is not just an educational issue — it is a social and economic one.

Over the past five years, Serhiy Tokarev and the project’s team have organized a wide range of initiatives designed to make STEM more visible, accessible, and appealing to young women across Ukraine. Among the most notable is the innovative art project SHE is SCIENCE, which merged the worlds of creative expression and scientific achievement to highlight the contributions of Ukrainian women in STEM. The team also developed educational series such as “Urbanism,” which brought interdisciplinary thinking into the conversation around science and technology.

These efforts have done more than raise awareness — they have actively inspired a new generation of young women to see STEM careers as viable, exciting, and within reach. With over 500 girls already engaged through STEM is FEM’s activities, the initiative has demonstrated real impact. But for Tokarev and his team, this was always meant to be a stepping stone toward something larger.

Launching Ukraine’s First STEM Ecosystem

The newly announced STEM ecosystem represents a significant scaling of that original mission. Rather than operating as a single program or series of events, the ecosystem is designed to function as a true hub for collaboration — bringing together organizations, experienced mentors, educators, institutions, and aspiring young women who share a passion for STEM.

The range of activities planned within the ecosystem is broad and intentional. Participants will have access to webinars, both online and offline workshops, lectures, and structured courses. This variety is deliberate: different learners engage differently, and the ecosystem is built to meet young women where they are, whether they are complete beginners or already pursuing studies in a STEM-related field. The goal is to give participants the tools to expand their knowledge, develop practical skills, and explore the full range of career paths available in science and technology.

What sets this ecosystem apart from a simple training program is its systemic approach. It is not designed to offer a one-time boost of motivation or a single course and send participants on their way. Instead, it is structured to provide ongoing, layered support — the kind that accompanies a young woman from her first introduction to STEM all the way through to professional development and career entry.

The Central Role of Mentorship

At the heart of the ecosystem’s philosophy is a strong commitment to mentorship. Serhiy Tokarev has been clear that mentorship is not an add-on feature — it is central to the entire vision. The reasoning is grounded in experience: having access to someone who has already navigated the challenges of a STEM career can be transformative for a young woman who is still finding her footing.

To formalize this commitment, the STEM is FEM team is launching a dedicated mentoring program that will connect participants with experienced professionals working across various STEM disciplines. The program is designed to offer personalized support, helping each participant work through her specific challenges, interests, and goals. Rather than a one-size-fits-all model, the mentoring component is built to be responsive and human — fostering genuine relationships between mentors and mentees that can have a lasting impact on career trajectories.

This kind of individualized guidance is particularly valuable in a country where, despite growing interest in STEM fields, many young women still face cultural expectations and systemic obstacles that can make these career paths feel out of reach. By pairing aspiring professionals with role models who have already succeeded in these spaces, the ecosystem aims to make the path forward feel both visible and achievable.

Ambitious Goals and Community Building

Elizaveta Korenko, the head of STEM is FEM, has articulated a clear and ambitious vision for what the ecosystem can achieve. Having already engaged more than 500 girls over five years of work, the team is now setting its sights considerably higher. The goal for the current year is to unite 1,000 young Ukrainian women through the ecosystem’s programs and community structures. Looking further ahead, the initiative has set an aspirational target of reaching 10,000 participants by 2030.

These numbers reflect more than optimism — they reflect a structured plan. The ecosystem will operate through several distinct but interconnected channels, each designed to serve participants at different stages of their journey:

• STEM is FEM Community — a broad, inclusive space for young women interested in exploring STEM, regardless of their current level of knowledge or experience.
• Alumni STEM is FEM Club — a network for those who have already participated in the initiative’s programs, giving them a way to stay connected, support one another, and give back to the community.
• STEM is FEM Teachers Platform — a resource hub aimed at educators, equipping teachers with the tools and knowledge to bring STEM engagement into classrooms and inspire girls at an even earlier stage.

Together, these three pillars are designed to create a self-reinforcing community — one where today’s participants become tomorrow’s mentors and advocates, and where teachers serve as multipliers who extend the ecosystem’s reach far beyond what any single program could achieve alone.

Building for Sustainability and Long-Term Impact

Launching an ecosystem is one thing; sustaining it is another. Serhiy Tokarev and his team are well aware of this distinction and have built sustainability into the ecosystem’s design from the beginning. Regular meetings, structured educational programs, internship opportunities, and ongoing collaborations with experts and institutions will form the operational backbone of the initiative.

By maintaining these consistent touchpoints, the ecosystem aims to avoid the pitfall that undermines many educational initiatives: a strong launch followed by a gradual loss of momentum. Instead, the focus is on building habits, relationships, and institutional connections that compound over time.

The broader context also matters. Ukraine is a country with an extraordinary pool of technical talent, and its technology sector has continued to demonstrate resilience and creativity even under extraordinary pressure. Investing in the STEM education of young Ukrainian women is not just the right thing to do — it is a strategic priority for the country’s long-term development and competitiveness.

By fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and mentorship, the STEM ecosystem initiated by Serhiy Tokarev is positioned to make a genuine and lasting difference — not only in the careers of individual young women, but in the broader trajectory of science and technology in Ukraine.