Belarusian Startup Hub Founders Face Exile and Statelessness After Political Crackdown

In 2013, Tatyana Marynich and Anastasiya Khamiankova founded Imaguru, Belarus’s first startup hub, in Minsk. Over a decade, it became the epicenter of the country’s tech ecosystem, launching over 300 startups and raising more than $100 million in investments. Notable successes like MSQRD and Prisma trace their origins to Imaguru’s early programs and hackathons.

Imaguru’s founders championed entrepreneurship in a country dominated by state-owned industries, promoting independent business and democratic values. This stance conflicted with the Lukashenko regime’s authoritarian control, which viewed their work as a threat to state power.

Following the disputed 2020 Belarusian elections and subsequent mass protests, Imaguru extended support beyond startups to civil society groups and opposition figures. Marynich joined the Coordination Council advocating for free elections, intensifying government scrutiny and repression.

By 2021, the government forcibly terminated Imaguru’s lease, raided its offices, and designated it an extremist organization. The founders were sentenced in absentia to a combined 23 years in prison, their assets seized, and their activities criminalized. Marynich’s passport was revoked, leaving her stateless in Spain.

Despite exile and repression, the founders continue their mission from hubs in Warsaw and Madrid, supported by European institutions. They have launched campaigns to declare entrepreneurship a human right, rallying global support for independent innovation under authoritarian regimes.

Imaguru’s story highlights the intersection of technology, politics, and human rights. It underscores the risks faced by entrepreneurs in authoritarian contexts and the importance of international solidarity in preserving innovation ecosystems. Their resilience exemplifies how technology communities can sustain hope and progress despite political adversity.