Published on: 2026-07-28
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The summer school of science and entrepreneurship “Growth Point” has concluded at the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University named after the first President of the Russian Federation B. N. Yeltsin (KRSU). The program took place at the educational base “Zhashtyk” as part of the entrepreneurial project competition “StartUP!”. The school was attended by 85 students and graduate students of KRSU, who presented 45 projects.
For the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, participation in the school became a continuation of systematic work on developing project and entrepreneurial culture in universities participating in the “Slavic Universities” project. Polytechnic passes on to KRSU practical experience in supporting student initiatives — from idea validation and team formation to preparing an application, an investment presentation, and expert pitching.
During the week, participants refined their entrepreneurial ideas, attended master classes, workshops, consultations, and expert sessions. Special attention was paid to idea validation, value proposition development, market analysis, business model construction, financial planning, and the preparation of project documentation.
The key educational block was conducted by representatives of SPbPU: acting director of the Higher School of Technological Entrepreneurship Artur Kireev and associate professor of the Higher School of Technological Entrepreneurship, executive director of the Innovation Support and Development Fund “Polytech” Alexey Efimov. The topics of their master classes were devoted to turning an idea into a sustainable project, preparing a strong project application, social impact and project indicators, legal aspects of startups, intellectual property, and creating an investment presentation. The teams also received individual expert consultations.
Alexey Efimov explained the choice of the event format: “The main task of such a school is to help students see their idea not as an academic exercise, but as a possible solution to a real problem. To do this, it is important to learn how to test hypotheses, understand user needs, calculate the project’s economics, and competently present it to experts. It is precisely these skills that allow the initiative to transition into a startup format that can be developed further.”
Some events of the school were held jointly with Sechenov University and the organizing committee of the “StartUP!” program. This interuniversity format allowed participants to receive various expert perspectives on project development — technological, entrepreneurial, organizational, and applied.
The summer school concluded with an investment pitching session. The final presentation featured 16 projects in the fields of medical and educational technologies, AgriTech, urban environment, digital services, ecology, and social assistance. The jury, including experts from SPbPU and representatives of Sechenov University, selected three projects that demonstrated the most progress during the school: the digital platform “Dyikan,” which helps establish direct interaction between farmers and processing enterprises in Kyrgyzstan; the educational IT platform EDUMED for medical students; and the project “Issyk-Kul Taza Dem,” aimed at producing a nasal saline spray from the water of Issyk-Kul Lake. Some of the competition initiatives are linked to the scientific activities of KRSU laboratories or are implemented with the participation of scientific supervisors. The jury also gave special recognition to two social projects—TouchMap and ÜN AI—focused on addressing inclusivity issues and domestic violence.
“Entrepreneurial competencies cannot be developed solely through lectures. They arise when a team works on their own idea, receives honest feedback, changes hypotheses, and learns to present the result. For us, it is important that KRSU fosters an environment where student projects can go from idea to prototype, application, and further support,” emphasized Artur Kireev.
Experts from SPbPU invited teams to use the opportunities of the Polytechnic technology entrepreneurship ecosystem: accelerator, expert meetings, consulting and mentoring support. This format will allow participants to continue working on projects after the school ends and gain access to tools already used at SPbPU for developing student startups.
The work of the Polytech experts was noted by the Vice-Rector for Scientific and Innovative Activities of KRSU, Evgeny Shekunov: “The Summer School for Entrepreneurship Development for KRSU students is an important step in shaping a new culture of initiative, leadership, and practical thinking. Thanks to the support of the Polytechnic University, our students have the opportunity not only to get acquainted with modern approaches to creating and developing projects but also to take the first confident steps toward their own technological and social initiatives.”.
The “Growth Point” summer school became another practical step in the development of cooperation between SPbPU and KRSU. Alongside network educational programs, academic mobility, professional development, and joint laboratories, the partnership roadmap strengthens the direction of technological entrepreneurship. This is especially important for the “Slavic Universities” project: modern universities should not only train specialists but also create an environment where student ideas can become projects, products, and future startups.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.