On October 24-27, 2023 at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, the 12th edition of the Festival of Innovation Projects “Sikorsky Challenge” will be held.
The Festival of Innovation Projects “Sikorsky Challenge” is one of the core elements of the Innovation Ecosystem “Sikorsky Challenge Ukraine” (https://www.sikorskychallenge.com/english/). It is held annually at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute since 2012. Usually, it includes a number of events: an International Forum in the format of thematic panel discussions on the hottest topics of innovative development of Ukraine in the national and international context; an Exhibition of startup projects, breakthrough scientific and technical developments; the final of the Competition of Innovation Projects; negotiations between potential investors, high-tech companies, enterprises and teams of startup projects on further cooperation and signing of relevant agreements, and others.
The Program of the Festival-2023 will be rich and varied. The 4BIZ project makes the notable contribution to it. In particular, for the first time, the “blue economy” (Fisheries and Aquaculture, Coastal and Maritime Tourism, and Maritime Transport) is included to the subject areas of the Festival. A special section of the Festival will be dedicated to the 4BIZ project (preliminary on the second day of the Festival, October 25). The section’s work program will include the following:
- Presentation of the 4BIZ project,
- Thematic panel discussion(s) (topic(s) and participants t.b.d.),
- Competition of innovative startup projects aimed at the development of the “blue economy” in the Black see region.
Students, graduate students, entrepreneurs, scientists and employees of higher educational institutions and research institutions, as well as other people from all regions of Ukraine and foreign countries can submit applications for participation in the Competition.
We invite all interested people from the 4BIZ consortium countries to take part in the Competition of innovative startup projects “Sikorsky Challenge”-2023 and to present their projects at one of the most important annual events in the field of innovation in Ukraine.
The Regulations on the Competition of Innovative Startup Projects “Sikorsky Challenge”-2023 are available at the link https://www.sikorskychallenge.com/en/regulations/.
To apply please follow the link
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnunq8f2O7tX0nraOYUP4zUNceUgDwkNHdgQ1lV0zKWIK97w/viewform
Deadline for applying is September 10, 2023
During the application period, the International Expert Council will consider the submitted applications and select projects for participation in the finals of the Competition.
The International Expert Council includes experts and mentors from the “Sikorsky Challenge Ukraine” Innovation Ecosystem, experts from Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, investment funds, experts from Israel and the USA.
We invite interested highly qualified people from the 4BIZ consortium countries (researchers, entrepreneurs, managers, design engineers, etc. in various sectors of the “blue economy”) to join the Sikorsky Challenge expert community to participate in the evaluation and pre-selection of innovative projects and/or to evaluate the finalist projects in the blue economy section as a member of the International Jury (please register at https://www.sikorskychallenge.com/en/experts).
The finals of the competition will be held in a mixed format – in-person (pitch or poster presentation) or synchronous online.
Authors of the projects, which will have been selected for the final competition will be invited to join a specially designed series of trainings. These trainings will focus on preparatory activities towards developing presentations for the innovation/start-up projects that will later be demonstrated to potential investors and other stakeholders during the final competition. Trainers and mentors of the “Sikorsky Challenge Ukraine” Innovation Ecosystem will provide methodical and practical assistance to every team taking part in the finals competition.
After the Festival, authors of the winning projects will be given mentoring support regarding the further development of their projects. This support will be provided by the trainers, mentors and experts involved in the “Sikorsky Challenge Ukraine” Innovation Ecosystem. Those providing the support will take into account any remarks, recommendations, suggestions etc. received from the competition jury and the potential investors.
