Startups respond very well to changes in trends and are especially relevant today, in times of war. Tech StartUp School managed not to stop working on projects and quickly refocus on external sources of funding. Its head, Nazarii Podolchak, tells about it.
«If we talk about the financing of startups, this year, despite the war, it continues. For example, one of our startupers won a grant from the Poland Prize and is now opening his own company in Poland. We also received four grants from Lviv Regional Military Administration, within the framework of the innovative development program, for a total amount of about 2 million hryvnias. They were used to develop four startups that are currently actively working. In addition, we signed an agreement between the Science Park and an American investor. This company has also financed the development of several startups for us for a fairly significant amount, and now this process is only gaining momentum», said Nazarii Podolchak.
Cooperation also continues with Polytechnic graduates and students, and in the near future the launch of a large project for youth on the development of youth entrepreneurship is planned.
«On average, a team of five people is working on a startup. We are especially glad when Polytechnic students or graduates join us. We also cooperate with various Departments. In particular, some of them are responsible for certain stages of manufacturing one or another product. Soon we plan to present the big USAID project «Hoverla» – in fact the largest project in the region for the development of youth entrepreneurship and invention under the well-known brand «Startup Batiary» together with Lviv Regional Military Administration.
Its purpose is to develop entrepreneurial skills in young people. The target audience is 12–20 years old. We want to develop communication and entrepreneurial skills among young people, to teach them not to be afraid of risk, and to be resistant to criticism – all these are very important traits that we often lack. Within the scope of the project, we are also opening four biotechnological laboratories, one IT laboratory, robotics laboratory (together with SoftServe, the Lviv Polytechnic benefactor of the year), and electronics laboratory. Therefore, there are lots of (more than ten) programs and projects that are being worked on, and all of them are supported by specific donors and funding», said Nazarii Podolchak.