# Vadym Melnyk

> Vadym Melnyk is a Ukrainian-born robotics engineer and founder who built Dronehub from a Polish student venture into an autonomous drone-in-a-box company, then extended his practical automation philosophy into VADYM.AI, KIERUNEK.AI and the U.S.-based Oswin AI. His career runs from a FLEX exchange year and Microsoft startup work to autonomous battery exchange, industrial inspection, European research programs and AI education.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Dronehub; founder of VADYM.AI and Oswin AI
- **Organizations:** Dronehub, Cervi Robotics, VADYM.AI, KIERUNEK.AI, Oswin AI, JFACTORY, Microsoft
- **From:** Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
- **Nationality:** Ukrainian
- **Education:** Computer engineering studies; did not graduate, University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów, U.S. high-school exchange scholarship, Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX)
- **Known for:** Three Forbes youth-list recognitions: Poland 25 Under 25 (2020), Poland 30 Under 30 (2021), and Ukraine 30 Under 30 (2023)., Led Dronehub to the GENIUS NY 2022 finals and a $500,000 award for U.S. expansion., Built an autonomous drone docking and battery-exchange system developed through European institutional and industrial projects.

## Career timeline

- **2010** — Won a FLEX scholarship and spent a school year in the United States, according to a 2016 interview.
- **2015** — Founded Cervi Robotics while studying in Rzeszów; the company worked across robotics and custom drone projects.
- **2015** — Placed third in the Microsoft Imagine Cup national finals with an autonomous-drone threat-monitoring project.
- **2017** — Cervi Robotics secured a European Space Agency contract and built an autonomous landing and battery-exchange prototype.
- **2019** — The team completed a working Dronehub product and deployed its first commercial system at PKN Orlen's Płock refinery.
- **2020** — Cervi Robotics narrowed its focus and rebranded as Dronehub.
- **2020** — Named to Forbes Poland's 25 Under 25 list.
- **2021** — Named to Forbes Poland's 30 Under 30 list.
- **2022** — Dronehub reached the GENIUS NY Cohort 6 finals and received $500,000 for U.S. expansion.
- **2023** — Dronehub appeared in the Financial Times FT1000 ranking; Melnyk was also recognized by Forbes Ukraine's 30 Under 30.
- **2024** — Received a U.S. EB-1A green card, according to his personal site.
- **2025** — Publicly expanded AI education through VADYM.AI and KIERUNEK.AI.
- **2026** — Founded Oswin AI in the United States, focused on AI and robotics.

## Achievements

- Three Forbes youth-list recognitions: Poland 25 Under 25 (2020), Poland 30 Under 30 (2021), and Ukraine 30 Under 30 (2023).
- Led Dronehub to the GENIUS NY 2022 finals and a $500,000 award for U.S. expansion.
- Built an autonomous drone docking and battery-exchange system developed through European institutional and industrial projects.
- Dronehub appeared in the 2023 Financial Times FT1000 ranking of fast-growing European companies.
- Named as inventor on a granted Polish patent for autonomous drone parcel handling, according to his personal site.
- Third place at the 2015 Microsoft Imagine Cup national finals.

## Latest updates

- **2026-06** — Published a practical essay on why durable AI skill comes from repeatable work rather than impressive demonstrations.
- **2026-04** — Publicly identified Oswin AI as a new U.S.-based company working at the intersection of AI and robotics.
- **2026-03** — Discussed agentic AI and automation strategy through VADYM.AI on LinkedIn.
- **2025-04** — Featured in a long-form video interview about his path from student to Dronehub founder and Forbes honoree.

## Links

- Website: https://vadmelnyk.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadmelnyk/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vad.Melnyk
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vad.melnyk/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/vadym-melnyk
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-25