St Petersburg University held an investment pitch session of the Union State of Russia and Belarus
As part of the work of the Belarusian-Russian Centre for Modern Educational Technologies at the International University "MITSO", an investment pitch session of the Union State of Russia and Belarus has been held. Students from eight Belarusian universities presented their projects to potential investors.
The pitch session was organised on the initiative of the International Accelerator at St Petersburg University, which serves as a platform for supporting and developing entrepreneurial initiatives among students.
The event was opened by Elena Karpinskaya-Sakovich, Vice-Rector for Educational Activities at the International University "MITSO", who focused on the importance of developing students’ project skills.
Aleksandr Kuleshov, a representative of St Petersburg University in Minsk, Consultant to the Vice-Rector for International Affairs at St Petersburg University, emphasised the importance of supporting joint start-up developments by students from Russia and Belarus. The University’s experience in transforming student start-ups into successful international projects was presented by Nikolai Parfenenok, Head of the International Accelerator, Deputy Dean of the School of International Relations at St Petersburg University. He spoke about the role of St Petersburg University in attracting investors to the developments of aspiring entrepreneurs. The participants in the pitch session were also greeted by Roman Chernyshev, a programme director of the International Accelerator, by videoconference.
During the pitch session, students from eight Belarusian universities presented their start-up projects. The topics ranged from healthcare and social entrepreneurship to energy, finance, and IT. Some teams offered social and public projects dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in World War II, aimed at preserving historical memory and patriotic education of the youth of the Union State. Most of the presented start-up projects are already MVPs.
The meeting brought together students from Belarusian State University, the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Belarus, the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, and the International University "MITSO". The projects were also presented by students at Belarusian National Technical University, the University of Civil Protection of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus, Saint Euphrosyne Polotsk State University, and the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno.
"The pitch session demonstrated a high level of integration between higher education institutions of the Union State. It also evidenced a keen interest and active engagement of young people in the development of innovative projects. Such events contribute to strengthening cooperation and make a real contribution to strengthening technological sovereignty," Aleksandr Kuleshov summed up the event.