14.04.2026
Maria Tokhtamysh, a third-year student in the Department of Software Engineering at NURE, is representing Ukraine at CES 2026—one of the world’s largest technology exhibitions, currently taking place in the U.S.
The company organized a student trip to the exhibition to support a new generation of inventors and the development of engineering education in Ukraine.
Maria is learning from global tech leaders, building bridges between Kharkiv and Silicon Valley, and shaping the future of innovation with the support of Ajax Next.
“A special moment was the opportunity to ask a question to Gary Shapiro—President and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), and Executive Producer of CES—during the opening of the Ukrainian booth.
I asked about his own experience: how to make the most of the opportunities offered by conferences like CES, where Las Vegas literally transforms 180 degrees, and received valuable advice for those interested in launching their own startups. In particular, I learned that a 20-second pitch is exactly the tool each of us should have.
As a student at Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, I also had the honor of discussing a potential partnership between Kharkiv and Silicon Valley with the incredible Art Cohen, who works on establishing international ties, and we talked about building real bridges between startups and education in our regions,” Maria shares her impressions of participating in the exhibition.
