Nov 28 2014

First CRASH-TEST at the START-UP CENTER of BNTU

In accordance with the implementation plan of the TEMPUS project SUCSID “Inter-university Start-up centers for students’ innovations development & promotion” (530349-TEMPUS-1-2012-1-FR-TEMPUS-JPHES) the Crash-test of the Start-up Center of BNTU has been conducted.

With the aim at participating in the above mentioned Crash-test, the following EU Expert Group visited the Start-up Centre of BNTU:

• Irina Kozhina – Coordinator of the project TEMPUS SUCSID from the European side, University Montpellier 2 (France);
• Svetlana Ghenova – Head of the Start-Up Centre at Comrat State University (ATU Gagauzia, Moldova);
• Sergei Znakhur – Head of the Start-Up Center at Kharkiv National University of Economics (Ukraine);
• Marcos Nogueira – Professor of the Instituto Superior de Gestão (Portugal).

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The meeting was opened and welcome speeches delivered by the representatives of the University administration:

• Heorhi Viarshyna, Vice Rector for Academic, Economic and Financial Activity, Manager of the project SUCSID at BNTU;
• Alexander Kalinichenko, Deputy Vice Rector for Research Division, Coordinator of the project SUCSID at BNTU;
• Viktar Trapachka, Scientific Secretary, Technical Coordinator of the project SUCSID at BNTU.

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The delegation got acquainted with the history of the Belarusian National Technical University, visited the Exhibition of Science and Technology Achievements of young researchers of BNTU, new building, where the Start-up Center and youth teams of entrepreneurs will be located in future.

Visit to the premises of the Start-up Centre of BNTU

BNTU students demonstrated laser cutting machine and technology to the members of the delegation. As a result of this demonstration the logos of the project SUCSID were made and presented to the delegation as souvenirs.

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It is also worth mentioning that representatives of business, investors, specialists from the government bodies of the Republic of Belarus were invited to participate in the Crash-test as the experts from the Belarusian side. These expert represented the organizations which are the main partners of the Start-up Center of BNTU:

• Vladimir Nedilko – Deputy Director of the Belarusian Innovation Fund.
• Denis Popov – chief specialist of information-analytical and organizational and personnel work of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union, Coordinator of the project “100 Ideas for Belarus”
• Yuri Aliakseyeu – General Director of the Republican Innovative Unitary Enterprise “Science and Technology Park of BNTU “Polytechnic”
• Alexey Logoyko – Director of “Kompliteh” LLC
• Tatiana Hvalko – leading economist of the Science and Innovation Development Department of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus
• Mikhail Tatur  – Director of “Intelligent Processors” LLC
• Dmitri Pisarenko – Head of Capital Construction Department of EPAM Systems
• Ludmila Maxiutenko – Chief Specialist of Science and Innovation Activities of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus.

Within the framework of the Crash-test, innovative projects and business ideas of BNTU students were presented. Those projects and business-ideas are based on the R&D of both the students and research teams of the departments, laboratories and innovation centers of the University. In case the project is based on the R&D of the University research teams, the students develop business models for project implementation and R&D market launch. The following projects were presented to the experts for assessment:

• Kirill Levkov, PhD student, Power Engineering Department, major “Industrial Thermal Power Engineering” – project “Turbosphere – innovative installation for utilization of natural gas  overpressure energy”;

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• Pavel Lushchyk, PhD student, Mechanical and Technological Department, major “Foundry Engineering” – project “Manufacturing of aluminum-based high-silicon silumins and composites with special properties ”;

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• Maksim Massalski, 3^rd-year student, Mechanical Engineering Department, major “Computer mechatronics” – project “Miniature multipurpose off-road robot MAXXLIFE ROBOT NeXT”;

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• Oksana Safronova, 4^th-year student, Instrumentation Engineering Department, major “Innovation management” – project “Pilot production of magnesium cement and by-products from carbonate raw-material”;

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• Anna Temicheva, Tatyana Stankus, 2nd-year students, Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship Department, major “Management of Innovative Projects” – project “Development of import-substituting manufacturing of builder’s levels in the Republic of Belarus”.

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All the projects were favorably assessed, though not without some criticism. The students received valuable comments and advice which are so useful in the very beginning of creative ideas implementation.

It should also be noted that the presented projects are currently on different stages of realization from the technical point of view (table 1).

Table 1

Some of the presented projects are on the closing stage of their implementation: when the needed R&D conducted and prototype models manufactured. But in the implementation of such projects specialists of the Start-up Centre of BNTU play the key role. They provide organizational, methodological, information and marketing support of the projects with the participation of the experts and specialists from partner organizations. In particular, Kirill Levkov and Pavel Lushchik with the help of the Start-up Centre specialists prepared the necessary documents for funding of the following projects: “Turbosphere – innovative installation for utilization of natural gas overpressure energy” and “Manufacturing of aluminum-based high-silicon silumins and composites with special properties”.

Financial support of the projects is provided through cooperation of the Start-up Centre with the Republican Innovative Unitary Enterprise “Science and Technology Park of BNTU “Polytechnic”, Belarusian Innovative Fund and private investors, representatives of which participated in the Crash-test. According to the Belarusian legislation, Republican Innovative Unitary Enterprise “Science and Technology Park of BNTU “Polytechnic” is the platform for realization of innovative projects and attraction of funding from the government funds for business plans development, patenting, marketing research and other activities.

Within the project Crash-test the experts admitted that from the economic point of view the projects are on different stages of their implementation due to the following factors.

Firstly, development of the business model of the project implementation and their economic working out are conducted mainly within the Piloting IDP courses and business training which have not been conducted yet in BNTU (IDP courses Piloting are scheduled for February 2014).

Secondly, presentation of some of the projects were delivered by the students of technical specialties, who emphasized technical characteristics of the project at the expense of the economic parameters. That is why the experts might have thought that the economic component of the projects have not been worked out though the business plans were presented as well. This circumstance only confirms that it is much more efficient to have the team members – students with major in business, economics, marketing – prepare the business plans presentations for investors.

Within the Crash-test the experts proposed some recommendations for the Start-up Center clients.

Firstly, aiming at the successful implementation of the projects the students are recommended to give more attention to the formation and development of the project teams with due regard to the maximum diversification of specialists: engineers, economists, marketing specialists. According to the experts, it is not rational for the same members of the project team to conduct engineering works simultaneously with project promotion. Besides, all the students were recommended to complete the Piloting IDP courses, developed within the TEMPUS project SUCSID on the following subjects: innovation management, business-planning, intellectual property law, entrepreneurship, leadership and team building. According to the experts, the next Start-up Centre of BNTU Crash-test with the participation of the EU experts is desirable to be conducted in May, 2015 when the project SUCSID delegation will be visiting BNTU and after the Piloting IDP courses. That will help the project SUCSID experts to assess the dynamics of the business concepts and efficiency of the Piloting.

It is worth mentioning that the Piloting of IDP courses in the Start-up Centre of BNTU is planned to be conducted with maximum diversification of trainers. Each course is planned to be delivered by the representatives of science, business and government bodies. This will help to study each subject from different points of view and provide practical orientation of these courses.

All the Belarusian experts highly assessed the concept of conducting the event in the form of the Crash-test. Within the framework of the event a suggestion was made to conduct such events at least once a month with the participation of the experts and specialists according to the topics of the projects to be presented.

The authors of the projects were very concerned with the suggestions and advice made by the project SUCSID experts. The presented projects are to be corrected in accordance with those suggestions. It should also be noted that the meeting was held in the friendly atmosphere. Everyone could express their opinion, praise and criticize projects, but finally everybody left the conference hall with the feeling of satisfaction of the work done.

Due to the project SUCSID the authors of the projects had the opportunity to implement their ideas, professionals – exchange experience and help talented students – future of our country. Next meeting is scheduled for May, 2015. Aim of the meeting – to assess the progress in implementation of the projects that underwent the Crash-test and learn about new projects able to change our world. We wish our young students implementation of their creative ideas and continuous progress!