Oct 17 2014

Startups of BNTU conquered “Sikorsky Challenge 2014”!

Several years in a row National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” hosts all-Ukrainian festival of innovative projects “Sikorsky Challenge”.

Sikorsky Challenge 2014

Sikorsky Challenge 2014

The competition aims to identify the best innovative projects of young people, scientific and business communities, as well as to stimulate innovative entrepreneurship among the youth. Taking into account many years’ experience of cooperation between BNTU and Kiev Polytechnic Institute, youth teams from our University were invited to participate in the event as well.

Sikorsky Challenge 2014 - 1

Sikorsky Challenge 2014 – 1

Best BNTU innovative projects were chosen to participate in the contest. Each project can boast creative and talented young people working as the project team members. Here is the list of the projects from BNTU:

  1. Development and creation of high-tech production of multifunctional asphalt-concrete modifiers (project coordinator Svetlana Lira).
  2. Development and creation of high-tech manufacturing of medical products and equipment for cardiovascular surgery (project coordinator Natalia Prokofieva).

Aiming at preparing the applications to participate in the event, the coordinators of the projects together with the Start-up Centre specialists conducted serious technical and economic study of the proposed projects and, most importantly, prepared the projects thoroughly for further presentation to potential investors. In order to prepare the projects for the final, our participants took part in the business training within Sikorsky Challenge Start-up School on September 25-27, 2014.

Sikorsky Challenge 2014 - 2

Sikorsky Challenge 2014 – 2

The final of the competition was held on October 15-16, 2014. During the first day the participants presented their projects to the jury. Later on the jury assessed the presented projects. It is worth mentioning that after the jury’s voting the first place was given to BNTU project “Development and creation of high-tech production of multifunctional asphalt-concrete modifiers”. Another BNTU project “Development and creation of high-tech manufacturing of medical products and equipment for cardiovascular surgery” took the 11th place. Overall, 22 projects participated in the final.

Sikorsky Challenge 2014 - 3

Sikorsky Challenge 2014 – 3

During the second day, the finalists had the opportunity to present their projects to potential investors, business-angels, representatives of charity and venture organizations. The meeting with the investors was held in the BusinessBreakfast format and a number of participants signed the framework agreements on investment and cooperation. In particular, Association of Construction Workers of Ukraine got interested in the project “Development and creation of high-tech production of multifunctional asphalt-concrete modifiers” – the winner of the jury’s voting.

Now we are looking forward to new investment and agreements for our participants!