Newsoft Builds Apps for Global Sports Giants — What Makes This Ukrainian Tech Company Stand Out?
A conversation with Volodymyr Tkach, founder and CEO of Newsoft, is filled with one recurring emotion — constant surprise. «Wait, you worked with them?» I find myself repeating as he casually drops the names of famous sports brands, top-tier leagues, and elite football clubs from France and the UK. Due to strict NDAs, we can’t name them, but if you’ve seen the Netflix docuseries Full Swing, you’ve already heard of one of Newsoft’s major clients.
Tkach founded the company in what now feels like the distant past — 2019. Three years later, Newsoft pivoted into a new niche: building digital products for the sports and wellness industry. Today, their client list includes European sports networks, influencers, major clubs, and even entire leagues. It might sound simple — just another app, right? But as Volodymyr points out, this space has its own unique constraints and complexities. His team understands them well, and the word is getting out: many clients now come through referrals. How did Newsoft manage to do it?
Breaking into Sports & Wellness
As is often the case, Newsoft’s entry into the Sports & Wellness industry began with just a couple of early wins. «We started working on one large project in the sports sector, and it went really well. Then, another client from the same segment came along. That’s when we realized we already had two solid case studies to showcase,» recalls Volodymyr.
Armed with these Western market successes, the Lviv-based team started to scale. It’s worth noting that while many Ukrainian tech companies dominate sectors like fintech, automotive, or e-commerce, few venture into sports — at least not as service providers. More often, they build their own products. Newsoft, however, carved out a different path.
And it’s a promising one. The UK’s sports market alone is worth over $40 billion, while the broader wellness industry is estimated at $170 billion. Sports clubs across the UK have more than 11.5 million members, spending over $7 billion annually.
Newsoft is targeting just a fraction of this massive pie — but when the pie is this big, even a small slice is substantial.
«The sports and fitness industry in the UK and US is all about scale. Cities like London and New York are packed with fitness clubs, each with its own format, branding, and audience,» says Volodymyr. «Online fitness is booming, too — whether it’s celebrity trainers or full-fledged tech platforms.»
These clubs, chains, and influencers are all potential clients. The market in Ukraine isn’t comparable: influencers usually stick to Instagram, while in the UK and US, it’s common to have a dedicated app selling classes, programs, merch, or even subscriptions.
One example: EvolveYou, an online fitness platform created by a London-based influencer. Newsoft built the mobile app — complete with video workouts, training programs, and scheduling tools. It now has over one million users.
Another core segment is sports clubs. While Ukraine has football, basketball, and hockey leagues, the scale is vastly different. «Just London alone has multiple top-tier football clubs with huge infrastructure, digital teams, and big tech budgets,» says Volodymyr. The US market, he notes, is an even bigger playground — especially in underrepresented sports in Ukraine like golf, tennis, and baseball.
Today, Newsoft’s client base includes major clubs across Britain, France, and beyond.
Winning Over the Big Leagues
During our conversation, Volodymyr emphasized that a big brand is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it brings image, status, and the chance to work with an industry giant. On the other hand, it involves bureaucracy and longer timelines — approvals can take far too much time. That’s why there’s no exclusive focus on large clients.
«I’m just as enthusiastic about working with a major football club as I am with a small chain of fitness studios in, say, Liverpool,» he says.
So, how did a Lviv-based company break into such elite circles? The answer is simple: quality work. The initial two case studies led to more contracts, and once the client list hit double digits, word-of-mouth kicked in. Today, about 40% of their business comes through referrals.
Sometimes, clients won’t actively promote Newsoft, but they’ll vouch for the team or make introductions when asked. The company also maintains a steady presence in the US and Europe, traveling at least quarterly for meetings, exhibitions, and conferences.
While LinkedIn used to be a key acquisition channel, things shifted post-COVID. «Too much online, not enough human interaction,» Volodymyr says. Face-to-face networking proved far more effective.
Looks Easy? It’s Not.
So what’s hard about building an app for a fitness influencer? As it turns out — almost everything.
«The team needs to understand every sport we work with. You can’t expect the client to explain football rules or how golf is scored,» Volodymyr explains. In other words, sports literacy is part of the job.
Then there’s the product complexity. Sports & Wellness apps are usually media-heavy — think videos, workout animations, and dynamic schedules. And not every user has the latest iPhone. One of the engineering challenges is making everything run smoothly even on older devices.
Security is another major concern. These apps often require personal data: age, weight, health conditions, menstrual cycles, allergies, and payment info. Keeping that data safe is critical.
And finally — communication. «People recommend us because we deliver quality,» says Volodymyr. «But quality isn’t just clean code. It’s about building the right product.»
Before any project starts, Newsoft conducts a business analysis: What’s the goal? Who’s the audience? Will this product actually succeed? «If a client insists on building something we believe will fail, we try to change their mind. If not — we’d rather walk away than compromise.»
It’s an honest approach that works. Dozens of well-known brands now trust this tight-knit team of just 40 people in Lviv. «It’s both a challenge and a source of pride to build a world-class product from Ukraine,» says Volodymyr.
And they’re not slowing down. In 2025, Newsoft aims to sign several more partnerships with major US sports teams.
Newsoft Builds Apps for Global Sports Giants — What Makes This Ukrainian Tech Company Stand Out?
A conversation with Volodymyr Tkach, founder and CEO of Newsoft, is filled with one recurring emotion — constant surprise. «Wait, you worked with them?» I find myself repeating as he casually drops the names of famous sports brands, top-tier leagues, and elite football clubs from France and the UK. Due to strict NDAs, we can’t name them, but if you’ve seen the Netflix docuseries Full Swing, you’ve already heard of one of Newsoft’s major clients.
Tkach founded the company in what now feels like the distant past — 2019. Three years later, Newsoft pivoted into a new niche: building digital products for the sports and wellness industry. Today, their client list includes European sports networks, influencers, major clubs, and even entire leagues. It might sound simple — just another app, right? But as Volodymyr points out, this space has its own unique constraints and complexities. His team understands them well, and the word is getting out: many clients now come through referrals. How did Newsoft manage to do it?
Breaking into Sports & Wellness
As is often the case, Newsoft’s entry into the Sports & Wellness industry began with just a couple of early wins. «We started working on one large project in the sports sector, and it went really well. Then, another client from the same segment came along. That’s when we realized we already had two solid case studies to showcase,» recalls Volodymyr.
Armed with these Western market successes, the Lviv-based team started to scale. It’s worth noting that while many Ukrainian tech companies dominate sectors like fintech, automotive, or e-commerce, few venture into sports — at least not as service providers. More often, they build their own products. Newsoft, however, carved out a different path.
And it’s a promising one. The UK’s sports market alone is worth over $40 billion, while the broader wellness industry is estimated at $170 billion. Sports clubs across the UK have more than 11.5 million members, spending over $7 billion annually.
Newsoft is targeting just a fraction of this massive pie — but when the pie is this big, even a small slice is substantial.
«The sports and fitness industry in the UK and US is all about scale. Cities like London and New York are packed with fitness clubs, each with its own format, branding, and audience,» says Volodymyr. «Online fitness is booming, too — whether it’s celebrity trainers or full-fledged tech platforms.»
These clubs, chains, and influencers are all potential clients. The market in Ukraine isn’t comparable: influencers usually stick to Instagram, while in the UK and US, it’s common to have a dedicated app selling classes, programs, merch, or even subscriptions.
One example: EvolveYou, an online fitness platform created by a London-based influencer. Newsoft built the mobile app — complete with video workouts, training programs, and scheduling tools. It now has over one million users.
Another core segment is sports clubs. While Ukraine has football, basketball, and hockey leagues, the scale is vastly different. «Just London alone has multiple top-tier football clubs with huge infrastructure, digital teams, and big tech budgets,» says Volodymyr. The US market, he notes, is an even bigger playground — especially in underrepresented sports in Ukraine like golf, tennis, and baseball.
Today, Newsoft’s client base includes major clubs across Britain, France, and beyond.
Winning Over the Big Leagues
During our conversation, Volodymyr emphasized that a big brand is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it brings image, status, and the chance to work with an industry giant. On the other hand, it involves bureaucracy and longer timelines — approvals can take far too much time. That’s why there’s no exclusive focus on large clients.
«I’m just as enthusiastic about working with a major football club as I am with a small chain of fitness studios in, say, Liverpool,» he says.
So, how did a Lviv-based company break into such elite circles? The answer is simple: quality work. The initial two case studies led to more contracts, and once the client list hit double digits, word-of-mouth kicked in. Today, about 40% of their business comes through referrals.
Sometimes, clients won’t actively promote Newsoft, but they’ll vouch for the team or make introductions when asked. The company also maintains a steady presence in the US and Europe, traveling at least quarterly for meetings, exhibitions, and conferences.
While LinkedIn used to be a key acquisition channel, things shifted post-COVID. «Too much online, not enough human interaction,» Volodymyr says. Face-to-face networking proved far more effective.
Looks Easy? It’s Not.
So what’s hard about building an app for a fitness influencer? As it turns out — almost everything.
«The team needs to understand every sport we work with. You can’t expect the client to explain football rules or how golf is scored,» Volodymyr explains. In other words, sports literacy is part of the job.
Then there’s the product complexity. Sports & Wellness apps are usually media-heavy — think videos, workout animations, and dynamic schedules. And not every user has the latest iPhone. One of the engineering challenges is making everything run smoothly even on older devices.
Security is another major concern. These apps often require personal data: age, weight, health conditions, menstrual cycles, allergies, and payment info. Keeping that data safe is critical.
And finally — communication. «People recommend us because we deliver quality,» says Volodymyr. «But quality isn’t just clean code. It’s about building the right product.»
Before any project starts, Newsoft conducts a business analysis: What’s the goal? Who’s the audience? Will this product actually succeed? «If a client insists on building something we believe will fail, we try to change their mind. If not — we’d rather walk away than compromise.»
It’s an honest approach that works. Dozens of well-known brands now trust this tight-knit team of just 40 people in Lviv. «It’s both a challenge and a source of pride to build a world-class product from Ukraine,» says Volodymyr.
And they’re not slowing down. In 2025, Newsoft aims to sign several more partnerships with major US sports teams.
