The Startup Lab spring semester kicks off with online Idea Hackathon.

On 18 February, every student in Estonia can participate in the Idea Hackathon by the University of Tartu Startup Lab, taking place online for the first time. The event marks the start of the new season of the business ideas development programme Starter Tartu. Everyone interested in presenting their idea or finding a team with whom to develop a new idea is welcome to the hackathon.

As the hackathon is held online, the participants have the opportunity to present their idea directly from their home. Those who do not have an idea can join a team. The formed teams can join the Starter Tartu programme to create a working business model from their idea with the help of professionals.

“The Idea Hackathon has for some time already been a place for creative thinking, sharing ideas and making contacts for many students of different faculties and curricula. This time, all enthusiasts can participate in the web-based Idea Hackathon, which is an exciting challenge in itself,” said Maret Ahonen, the Manager of Startup Lab. The Idea Hackathon is moderated by Harald Lepisk, a researcher and trainer of creative self-actualisation.

Teams participating in the Starter Tartu programme can develop their ideas with the help of mentors and experts of various fields during the entire spring semester. The work takes place online. In the workshops, the participants develop a suitable business model, create a marketing plan and become familiar with the legal aspects of start-ups, but also gain confidence in public speaking. The programme ends in May with the student idea competition Kaleidoskoop, where both the potential of the idea and its development are assessed. The best teams of Kaleidoskoop will get the opportunity to compete in Startup Day, the biggest business festival in the Baltics, where they will compete for award-winning places with teams from all over Estonia.

The Idea Hackathon will take place online on February 18 via Zoom and all those interested are welcome. Participants should make sure they have a stable internet connection and a webcam. More information can be found on the Startup Lab website and on Facebook.

The event is supported by the European Social Fund.

Further information: Martti Saarme, Marketing and Communications Specialist, Startup Lab, University of Tartu, 5909 4726, martti.saarme@ut.ee