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Summer began with the competition of projects of the startup school «Sikorsky Challenge Kramatorsk»

As part of the project "Sikorsky Challenge Startup School: Promoting Innovative Development and Entrepreneurship of Startups in Target Universities of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts", supported by the USAID Economic Support of Eastern Ukraine Project, at the Sikorsky Challenge Kramatorsk Startup School in February -May 2021, two groups of startups (43 people) were trained, who took the course "Fundamentals of Innovative Entrepreneurship and Startup Practice", as well as two groups of DSEA employees (12 people), who underwent advanced training in the course "Fundamentals of Small Innovative Business"

The training resulted in the preparation of 10 diverse startup projects (at the level of implementation from idea to finished product), as well as the development of a concept for the Center for IT Solutions in Donetsk region, opened at the DSEA in April 2021 (project "Free educational space - IT Center -decisions "team from the Department of Management).

On June 4, 2021, the projects developed by the students of the startup school "Sikorsky Challenge Kramatorsk" were presented at the competition of startup projects at the Donbass State Engineering Academy.

The jury included: the head of the All-Ukrainian Innovation Ecosystem "Sikorsky Challenge Ukraine" Inna Malyukova, co-founder of the innovation ecosystem Igor Peer, Secretary of Kramatorsk City Council Igor Stashkevych, Director of the Center for Small and Medium Business of Donetsk Chamber of Commerce Oleg Bedzai, Chairman of the East Mykhailo Turchanin, Senior Manager of USAID Economic Support to Eastern Ukraine Project Snizhana Leu-Severinenko, Sikorsky Challenge Startup School Coach Maryna Ivchenko and Sikorsky Challenge Startup School Mentor Sikorsky Challenge Natalia Mikhailichenko.

10 teams of our startups have prepared projects of various orientations:

• half of the presented projects relate to the IT sector: mobile application for financial literacy development "Dreamer's Wallet", PharmsThermoControl drug storage temperature monitoring system, logistics system for small and medium business Address-Logistics, mobile application for eco-active community "Eco Volunteer", intelligent busyBeaver debugging agent;
• four projects - commercialization of technological developments: production of TechOil greases, 3D-printing with metal filament 3D-M, improving the stability of the cutting edges of medical instruments PMP - long-lasting stable cut, modernization of gas boilers of government agencies Project Warm;
• one project - in the field of education: HIT ("Hub of innovative technologies") - educational and innovative space for the youth of our city.

The choice of the second prize-winner, the PharmsThermoControl project, which has already been implemented at the Kramatorsk City Blood Transfusion Station, was not a surprise. The direction of modernization of equipment for storage of medicines, vaccines, blood components is extremely relevant in modern conditions. The project was implemented by students in the framework of technological practice in the educational program "Computer Science in Medicine", which was developed under the project ERASMUS + BioArt. In addition, students participating in the startup Alexander Fomenko and Sergei Khryakov completed a comprehensive diploma project: Alexander developed the hardware, and Sergei software for the project. The head of the startup team, Andriy Kovalenko, consulted and assisted the students in performing the tasks.

But for the third place there was a fierce struggle among the BusyBeaver and HIT projects. The speakers of these two projects were our students - Andriy Kapeleshchuk and Daria Sydyuk. Daria's bright speech captivated not only the jury, but also everyone who was present in the hall: the current problem, the bright speaker, the full conceptual justification developed by the head, who has been working on this issue for many years - Professor Serhiy Kovalevsky. Andrew's performance may not have been so vivid, but the subtle simplicity of the solution proposed by his supervisor (Associate Professor Benjamin Gitis, who specializes in neural networks), won the jury's favor and one point more.

The finalists also included the projects "Eco-volunteer" and "Dreamer's Wallet" - we hope that by October they will go from the idea to the prototype of the application, which will make the fight even more interesting!

However, regardless of who won which place, who made it to the finals of the regional competition, and who did not, all participants are winners, as the international class coach Igor Peer aptly noted: during this time all designers have grown over themselves, mastered new skills. in the field of launching startups and commercialization of scientific developments, certifying the certificates awarded to each of them.

In addition, regardless of the place in our competition, each team can apply to participate in the X anniversary festival Sikorsky Challenge, which will take place in August 2021 in Kyiv! Some teams are already registered, and others still have time until June 15, 2021. We hope to see all our projects among the participants of the X Sikorsky Challenge startup competition!

Natalia Mikhailichenko