In 2013, Tatyana Marynich and Anastasiya Khamiankova established Imaguru, Belarus’s pioneering startup hub in Minsk. Over the next decade, Imaguru grew to become the vibrant epicenter of Belarus’ entrepreneurial ecosystem, catalyzing the emergence of some of Eastern Europe’s most celebrated tech companies. Among the hub’s high-profile alumni were standout projects like MSQRD, eventually acquired by Facebook, and Prisma, reportedly acquired by Snapchat. Through intense mentorship, training programs, and investor connections, Imaguru helped launch over 300 startups, raising more than $100 million in funding.
Today, however, these tech entrepreneurs find themselves living in forced exile—a painful reward for their commitment to fostering independent innovation in a regime hostile to anything beyond its rigid control. Last year, Belarusian authorities sentenced Marynich and Khamiankova in absentia to a total of 23 years in prison, declaring their entrepreneurial endeavors “extremist.” The government confiscated their assets, labeled Imaguru an extremist formation, and made communication with the organization or any person affiliated with it punishable by law.
The political persecution reached a new extreme when Marynich’s Belarusian passport expired and was subsequently revoked by authorities. Due to a recent executive order from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the country’s diplomatic missions abroad are no longer allowed to renew travel and identification documents for dissidents and refugees, effectively rendering targets like Marynich stateless. Currently residing in Spain, Marynich faces bureaucratic limbo, unable to travel internationally, open bank accounts, or pursue naturalization without valid identification.
Imaguru had long been viewed by Lukashenko’s authoritarian regime as a threat precisely because of its central role in fostering a lively community of free-thinking, ambitious entrepreneurs. The hub’s reach extended beyond technology—it symbolized a powerful belief in democratic values and independence. After rigged elections in 2020 sparked widespread protests, Imaguru opened its doors not only to fledgling startups but also to NGOs, activists, and members of civil society. Marynich herself became involved with the Coordination Council—a Belarusian opposition group advocating for fair and open elections—a stance swiftly interpreted by the regime as seditious.
Retaliation was swift and harsh. Belarusian security forces forcibly terminated Imaguru’s lease in 2021, violently raided their offices, and began systematically targeting friends and associates of the hub. By 2023, the state security agency publicly branded Imaguru as extremist, fully criminalizing all association with it. Family members of Imaguru staff working abroad experienced intimidation, their website was blocked, and assets tied to the startup community were frozen.
Despite these crushing circumstances, the founders remain defiant. Imaguru now operates spaces in Warsaw and Madrid, benefiting from institutional backing within the EU. The founders have initiated an advocacy campaign to promote recognition of entrepreneurship as a fundamental human right. Supported by colleagues, investors, and allies, they press ahead, hoping that increased international awareness may encourage foreign governments to extend practical support. While countries like Poland and Lithuania have offered official assistance, Marynich has received no formal response from Spanish authorities, leaving her stranded and stateless within Europe.
The broader startup community recognizes how deeply unjust their situation is, reflecting how starkly Belarus has turned against innovation. Industry observers underscore not just individual injustices, but the long-lasting impact of a regime seemingly determined to crush the very fabric of independent entrepreneurial culture.
Even as they continue their fight from exile, Marynich, Khamiankova, and their partners remain buoyed by the ideals that inspired Imaguru’s founding. Convinced that innovation and freedom are inherently interconnected, they reaffirm their commitment to keeping the vision alive—even at significant personal cost.
“We built something beautiful, something meaningful,” Marynich affirms. “Now, that beauty is precisely what we’re punished for. But it is also why we won’t ever abandon our cause.”
