Dear students,

We hereby inform you that the Startup School “Vinnytsia Challenge” of VNTU, which is part of the All-Ukrainian innovation ecosystem Sikorsky Challenge Ukraine, announces a student startup ideas competition: “IT Idea Battle 2026: Your Idea – a Future Startup.”

The competition is dedicated to the 66th anniversary of Vinnytsia National Technical University, where for 11 years the startup school has been actively developing as an important center of innovation and entrepreneurship in the region and across Ukraine. The event is held within the framework of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine project aimed at supporting innovation activities and the development of startup schools in Ukraine.

Purpose of the Competition:

• to foster the development of the innovation ecosystem in Ukraine;
• to identify innovative solutions within the student community that contribute to preserving human capital;
• to engage students in startup projects that open global opportunities through the use of advanced IT technologies;
• to provide teams with promising ideas access to mentorship support and communication with investors for obtaining grants for implementation.

Application start date: April 22, 2026.

Format: online.

Eligibility: Students of higher education institutions in Ukraine who have innovative ideas in the IT field. Teams of 1 to 5 participants are allowed. Ideas without a developed prototype are accepted, provided they demonstrate strong potential.

Competition topics:

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Web / Mobile Development
• AR / VR / XR
• Cybersecurity
• EdTech / MedTech
• GreenTech / Environmental IT solutions
• CivicTech, e-Government
• Digital Defense / IT solutions for the Armed Forces of Ukraine
• Gamification
• Smart technologies
• Computer vision, image processing and generation

Application deadline: May 30, 2026.

Competition stages:

Selection stage (online): until May 30 – jury selects the top 10 ideas

Final (June 18): finalists present their ideas to the jury in a short pitch format (additional details will be provided to finalists)

Evaluation criteria: innovation, feasibility, social or economic impact, team availability.

Awards:

1st place: cash prize, mentorship program, participation in the startup school.

2nd place: cash prize, mentorship program, participation in the startup school.

3rd place: cash prize, mentorship program, participation in the startup school.

All participants will receive electronic certificates and invitations to join the startup community.

Partners and sponsors: R&D Company “Spilna Sprava” (Ukraine), Transfosoft Ltd. (Israel).

APPLY FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE COMPETITION

Contact information:

kabachij.v.v@vntu.edu.ua

Tel.: +380-67-739-10-21

05.05.2026