Tatyana and Anastasiya co-founded the startup hub Imaguru in Minsk, Belarus. They have become formidable bastions of opposition and hope in the face of political repression. Since the opening of Imaguru in 2013, they have been front and center in building Eastern Europe’s tech ecosystem. They have seeded more than 300 startups and helped generate over $100 million in investments. The recent political turmoil in Belarus has left them stateless and in exile, highlighting the severe consequences of dissent against President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime.
Imaguru quickly became the most visible and powerful force for Belarus’s entrepreneurs, serving as the hub of the nation’s venture community. The hub fostered a rich environment for creativity and enterprise, drawing in emerging technology talent and big business from around the country. Tatyana Marynich’s path to entrepreneurship was profoundly influenced by her late husband, Michael Marynich. He courageously opposed Lukashenko in the 2004 elections and suffered imprisonment for his convictions. His sacrifices inspired her love for democratic ideals. Prompted by this, she left her comfortable job at the International Finance Corporation under the World Bank to start a new platform where innovation could take root.
In the aftermath of these rigged 2020 elections, massive protests swept across Belarus. As opposition figures such as Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya organized Belarus’ struggle for democracy, Tatyana Marynich helped found the Coordination Council to lead and unify the movement. Come 2021, the political pressure on Imaguru dramatically increased. This wave of pressure reached a peak in 2023, when the KGB labeled Imaguru an “extremist formation.” This label not only criminalized the organization’s operations, but rendered any communication with the organization itself punishable by law.
With her passport revocation turned into her not having any nationality/documentation at all, Tatyana Marynich is now stuck and stateless in Spain. In absentia, she and Khamiankova were each given sentences totaling 23 years of imprisonment by Belarusian authorities. This 2023 executive order from Lukashenko further complicates the picture. It prevents Belarusian embassies from issuing or renewing documents for Belarusian citizens residing outside of Belarus. This serves to entrap a great many dissidents, making them undocumented and exceedingly vulnerable.
Though these challenges weigh heavy on her mind, Marynich is personally undeterred, convinced that entrepreneurs represent the essence of freedom. She stated, “If politics fail, then you have to create your own future.” Her point of view is a testament to how a lot of entrepreneurs think — those who believe that freedom of thought is critical to innovation.
Marvin Liao, an early supporter and current member of Diaspora.vc, characterized Marynich and Khamiankova’s commitment to their country as well as their work as entrepreneurs. He remarked on their contributions to the startup ecosystem: “Imaguru was the first central place where startup founders and aspiring tech entrepreneurs came together in Belarus.” Liao further emphasized their integrity and commitment to justice: “These are good people, and this is unjust.”
In a moving tribute to her journey, Marynich articulated that her purpose was bigger than, and more than, economic sustainability. “Not just to survive economically, but because I believed in the same democratic values my husband had sacrificed his health for,” she stated. This commitment is a testament to the powerful connection between entrepreneurship and civic responsibility that so many Belarusians are taking up right now.
The story of Tatyana Marynich and Anastasiya Khamiankova serves as a stark reminder of the risks faced by those who challenge oppressive regimes. As their experiences show, political repression won’t just criminalize innovation—it can put out the spirit of entrepreneurship.
Marynich observed that the first attack on innovation has been upped in ante. It has devolved into something much worse — the blanket ideological attack on independent businesses. “Entrepreneurs are free thinkers—and free people question power,” she asserted, emphasizing that the fight for democracy is intertwined with the pursuit of economic freedom.
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