Helsi co-founder bets €8M on Ukrainian smart meter maker Gridwe

What's the deal? Samvel Akobyan, co-founder of Ukrainian medical services Helsi and Lilo, has invested nearly €8 million in Gridwe — a Ukrainian company that manufactures smart gas meters and IoT-based data transmission modems.

Gridwe was founded in 2024 and counts state-owned enterprises, including regional gas distribution companies, among its main customers. In 2026, it has already won tenders worth around UAH 792 million.

Why now? Ukraine has virtually no local manufacturers of smart gas meters, according to Akobyan, creating significant room for a domestic player to scale. The country's ongoing push to modernise energy infrastructure — accelerated by wartime damage and reconstruction needs — makes the timing especially relevant.

What could go wrong? Gridwe's revenue depends heavily on public-sector tenders, which can be unpredictable and slow-moving. Operating manufacturing in a war zone adds supply-chain and security risks that no amount of market opportunity can fully offset.

The signal: The deal reflects a broader pattern of successful Ukrainian tech founders recycling capital into hardware and deep-tech ventures at home rather than parking it abroad. It also signals growing investor confidence in Ukraine's industrial rebuilding, particularly in energy and IoT infrastructure — sectors where domestic production reduces reliance on imports and strengthens long-term resilience.

Read more: inventure.com.ua