Open

Bring a challenge to our hackathons

We are collecting problem briefs from companies, municipalities and public institutions for the first INNO-STEM BRIDGE co-creation cycle. Selected challenges become the tasks of our challenge-based hackathons in spring 2027.

Deadline
28 February 2027
For
Companies, public bodies, NGOs
Format
Problem brief + 2 mentor days
Cost
Free of charge

About the call

Each hackathon cycle is built around real challenges. You describe a problem your organisation faces, our team helps turn it into a clear brief, and mixed teams of STEM students and researchers from partner universities work on it with mentors.

You get validated concepts and prototypes, direct contact with motivated STEM talent and a first look at teams that may continue into the acceleration programme.

Who can apply

  • Companies of any size, including start-ups and industrial enterprises
  • Municipalities, public agencies and utilities
  • NGOs and clusters with a technical or data-driven challenge
  • Organisations from Ukraine and EU countries

What you get

  • A structured problem brief prepared together with the co-creation team
  • Solutions and prototypes from interdisciplinary STEM teams
  • Visibility as a challenge owner on the project channels
  • Priority access to teams that receive a Golden Ticket to acceleration

Key dates

  1. Challenge intake and brief preparation
  2. Challenge selection and team matching
  3. Hackathon cycle #1
  4. Final pitches and Golden Tickets

Selection criteria

  • Relevance to STEM and deep tech fields
  • A clear problem that a student-researcher team can work on in 6-8 weeks
  • Readiness to give feedback and, ideally, one mentor

FAQ

Do we need to share confidential data?

No. Briefs are written for an open hackathon setting. If data is needed, we agree the format with you in advance.

Who owns the results?

Ownership of results is agreed in the hackathon rules before the cycle starts. Our technology transfer team helps both sides.

Can we submit more than one challenge?

Yes, submit each challenge as a separate application.

Application

Submit a challenge

Tell us about your organisation and the problem. The co-creation team will contact you within 10 working days to shape the brief together.

Questions about this call: innostembridge@ztu.edu.ua

What can you offer the teams?