Finals of the TechnoIdea competition held at Lobachevsky University
On April 22, Lobachevsky University hosted the award ceremony for the TechnoIdea technological ideas competition. The contest is organised by Lobachevsky University within the framework of the Priority 2030 programme to engage students of higher education institutions in working on relevant technological projects and to foster a creative environment for encouraging their participation in student technological entrepreneurship.
The competition lasted for nearly two months. The final programme featured 35 projects from top universities in the Volga region, doubling the number from the previous year, which was 17 projects. The participating institutions included Lobachevsky University, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Alekseev Technical University of Nizhny Novgorod and its branch (Arzamas Polytechnic Institute), as well as Kazan Federal University.
The competition focuses on areas that are relevant to the economy and science, such as new materials and chemistry, information technology, microelectronics, and other technology-intensive fields. Among the final programme projects, the following stand out: "Wound-healing materials based on natural polymers,""Conversion of plant-based cellulose into high-purity ether for key industrial sectors,""Software complex for training forensic experts using augmented reality technologies,""Design of thin aluminium cable with high resistance to stress failure and torsional resistance,""Development of a PAM fluorometer supporting the OJIP test for evaluating plant photosynthetic activity," and others.
This year, there was a notable increase in interest on the part of students and young researchers at Lobachevsky University. The proportion of UNN projects in the finals grew significantly, demonstrating the university's systematic efforts to foster technological entrepreneurship and a project-based culture among its students.
"The TechnoIdea interuniversity student startup competition was established to serve as a stepping stone for aspiring tech entrepreneurs on their path to greater achievements. By supporting young technology startups, we are contributing to the goal of achieving Russia's technological leadership. At UNN, all the necessary infrastructure has been put in place: we have a successful Startup Studio and an Accelerator for technological projects within the framework of the National Technology Initiative, and a mentoring system has been established. Each strong TechnoIdea project will receive expert support and the opportunity to scale up, gaining access to federal support programmes," noted Oleg Trofimov, Rector of Lobachevsky University.
All the winners of the competition were awarded money prizes, and they also have the opportunity to receive support from experts and trackers to continue participating in federal programmes for innovation support, such as Student Startup, UMNIK, and Start.
The TechnoIdea competition serves as an important tool for the Nizhny Novgorod region in developing a human and project core for high-tech sectors. For Lobachevsky University, it acts as a platform that connects the university's scientific schools, regional tech businesses, and federal development institutions.
