Members of the Department of Economics Scientific Club «SMART Ideas in Management, Economics, and Business» at Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design actively participate in the development of innovative projects and startups aimed at addressing current economic, social, environmental, and educational challenges. The club's activities foster the development of creative thinking, entrepreneurial competencies, teamwork skills, and project management abilities, while also providing opportunities for students to transform their ideas into practical solutions. As a result of these efforts, students successfully participated in the «Best KNUTD Startup 2025» competition, which took place on November 18, 2025, within the framework of the International Conference of Higher Education Students and Young Researchers «Innovation in Education, Science and Business: Challenges and Opportunities».

The competition featured promising startup projects developed by students of the Department of Economics, demonstrating a high level of innovation, creativity, and practical applicability.

The first startup presented was «SME Assistant UA», developed by Diana Pryharska under the academic supervision of Polina Puzyrova.

The project is aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ukraine through the creation of a modern digital platform for automating financial reporting processes. The primary objective of the startup is to provide entrepreneurs with simple and secure access to automated financial statement generation, enabling them to minimize reporting errors, significantly improve business process management efficiency, and save valuable time for the development of their businesses in today’s digital economy.

The second startup presented at the competition was «EcoPoints: Automated Recycling Collection Stations», developed by Anastasiia Tarasenko and Vladyslava Bobrovytska under the academic supervision of Yevheniia Khaustova.

The project focuses on the development of a network of automated collection and sorting stations for recyclable materials. Its main goal is to increase public environmental awareness, encourage waste sorting practices, and promote the principles of the circular economy. The implementation of the project will contribute to increasing recycling rates, improving environmental conditions, and fostering a culture of responsible consumption.

Particular interest was generated by the third startup, «KNUTD Connect», developed by a team of students consisting of Daryna Rohalchuk, Olena Bakhmatska, Mariia Zvierieva, Kateryna Kravchenko,  and Yelyzaveta Peretiatko under the academic supervision of Olha Bunda.

The project involves the development of a modern mobile application for KNUTD students that will integrate up-to-date information on educational, scientific, and professional opportunities into a single digital environment.

The application is designed to provide students with convenient access to information about grants, scholarship programs, academic mobility opportunities, internships, scientific events, conferences, workshops, training programs, and lectures delivered by leading Ukrainian and international scholars, experts, and business professionals. By centralizing these opportunities within a single platform, the application aims to increase student engagement in academic, scientific, and international activities while supporting their professional and personal development.

The proposed project has significant potential for enhancing the university’s digital ecosystem, increasing student involvement in educational and research initiatives, and creating a more effective communication environment between students and the university’s academic and administrative units.

The participation of the members of the Scientific Club “SMART Ideas in Management, Economics and Business” in the startup competition became a vivid example of the successful integration of research activities, innovative thinking, and the practical application of acquired knowledge. The presented startups demonstrated the commitment of young researchers to creating modern solutions capable of positively influencing business development, society, environmental sustainability, and the educational environment of Ukraine.

16.01.2026