BRIDGE THE GAP YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS BETWEEN EAST AND WEST

Self-assessment as part of the project

„BRIDGE THE GAP - YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS BETWEEN EAST AND WEST“

Data of the institution: University of Tartu / IdeaLab /Maret Ahonen, UT IdeaLab Manager

(maret.ahonen@ut.ee)

1 Brief description of the facility - please write in keywords -especially in terms of objectives, structures and activities in the field of start-up support

UT IdeaLab is a unit under the University of Tartu School of Economics and Business Administration with an goal to provide skills and knowledge about how to start a start-up to all students across disciplines and schools. IdeaLab is a collaboration and internship unit bringing together students, entrepreneurship experts and practitioners. The mission is the development of future skills including innovative ideas creation, their validation and implementation.

2 What special competence profiles does the institution have in the area of high technologies / STEM area?

University of Tartu (UT) is the largest and oldest university in Estonia, with 13 000 students. It is international research university and Estonia's leading centre of research, teaching and training, belonging to the top 1.2% of world's best universities. The university is an active member of international associations such as the Guild, LERU, and the Coimbra Group. The university has over 75 partnership agreements with universities around the world and participates in student exchange programmes and networks Erasmus+, ISEP, AEN etc. University of Tartu has 4 faculties (Arts and Humanities, Medicine, Science and Technology, Social Sciences). It is a multidisciplinary university covering wide spectrum of STEM subjects e.g. computer science, biochemistry, biology, mathematics, statistics, economy, psychology, genetic engineering, space technology, materials for sustainable development, etc

3 Experience profile: Which numbers / facts / activities can be highlighted as a success of your organization in the field of start-up support, for example, the number of start-ups per year?

Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU) www.aceeu.org awarded the University of Tartu international entrepreneurial university accreditation. https://www.ut.ee/en/news/university-tartu-recognised-entrepreneurial-university-international-accreditation-committee UT spin-off activities are monitored and advised by the Centre for Entrepreneruship and Innovation. More info here:

https://en.eik.ut.ee/for-business/our-spin-off-companies/ UT start-up activities included semester-long cornerstone pre-incubation programme STARTER are provided by the UT IdeaLab. Chair of Entrepreneurship runs degree courses designed to ge needs of various disciplines across the university. During 2016-2018(spring) 126 teams have graduated STARTER programme. STARTER programme is a pre-incubation programme of hands-on workshops supervised by practitioners, start-up founders and field experts of the start-up ecosystem. Three major events are: Idea Hackathon, Mentor Feedback Carousel and Business ideas and competition Kaleidoskoop. The best teams are awarded with tickets to pitching competitions, international incubation programmes and accelerators. Spring Kaleidoskoop winner team (Io-Developers) participated in IdeaLab international programme NGAL and won a 2nd prize in Charleston (USA). https://www.ut.ee/en/news/smart-glasses-developers-university-tartu-won-second-place-pitching-competition-usa University of Tartu is one of the initiators oft he foundation of the business festival sTARTUp Day created together with the TARTU City government and start-up community members. More info about sTARTUp Day here: https://www.startupday.ee/

4 How many start-ups / start-up ideas and in which high technology area could participate in the international network?

UT pre-incubation programme STARTER accepts ideas across disciplines and areas. Each semester ca 15-20 teams graduate the full programme. Annual estimation: ca 25 teams could participate in international network.

5 What kind of contacts does your institution have with the start-up scene in your region?

UT IdeaLab works closely with the all-Estonian start-up ecosystem institutions and has clear position in the pipeline as providers of pre-incubation programme STARTER. Strat-up founders and ecosystem experts function as mentors, judges and facilitators. More about Estonian start-up ecosystem here: https://www.startupestonia.ee/startup-ecosystem

6 Are there any contacts to German start-ups?

No

7 Are there any contacts to German universities in the field of startup support?

Erasmus Partnership programme with Bielefeld University https://www.chedteb.eu/

8 Are there any contacts to German networks of startup support?

No

9 Are there any contacts to the international start-up scene?

EIT Health Network. European Innovation Academy

10

What contacts exist with business and industry partners locally?

Exchange of mentors and field experts. Internship partners.

11 In which areas of cooperation in the network does the organization want to actively participate?

Joint programmes, exchange of experts, mentors, student teams and access to incubators, accelerators, start-up events incl pitching competitions, investors, etc.