JOIN THE 5TH EDITION - WHO IS THE COMPETITION FOR?
The 5th edition of the 'EkSoc startUP! Competition' has already started!
Send your application using the registration form.
Are you a university student from Lodz or the Lodz region? A creative one? Are you thinking about your future and considering setting up a company? This competition is for you!
We would like to invite Polish or foreign students/doctoral students from any university from the region of Lodz, from any faculty, year and mode of studies, individually or in a group of max. 5 people. The student team may include people from different universities and faculties. The student team may include people from different universities and faculties (we value interdisciplinarity!). Foreign students must communicate in English.
The aim of the competition is to promote and support innovative business ventures among students at Lodz Province universities through collaboration with practitioners, experts and academics.
The competition task is to develop detailed business concepts and designs in the form of prototypes, exhibits, visualisations, posters.
The framework schedule of the 5th edition of the EkSoc startUP! Competition assumes:
- Participant applications: 1-18.02.2024 r.
- Selection of 10 Finalists by a panel of experts (four representatives of the Business Council operating at the Faculty of Economics and Sociology of the University of Łódź and one representative of the Faculty of Economics and Sociology of the University of Łódź): 26.02.2024 r.
- Workshops and trainings for Finalists: March - May 2024.
- Development of detailed business concepts and designs by Finalists in the form of prototypes, exhibits, visualisations, posters and presentations with individual support from mentors: March - May 2024.
- Presentation of the projects and selection of the Winners from among the Finalists of the competition at the final gala: 25.05.2024 r.
Read the Rules of the 5th edition of the EkSoc startUP!
Rules of the EkSoc startUP! competition (all the editions):
More information
![[Translate to English:] dziewczyna w biurze](/fileadmin/_processed_/f/b/csm_AdobeStock_316777839_948bbc4732.jpeg)
The competition is a form of support for students to open their own business, but taking part or winning the competition does not formally oblige you to set up a company.
All you need to do is submit a description of your business / startup idea in the application form. The description must be divided into three parts answering the following questions:
- Please describe your startup or business idea, as precisely as possible (maximum 700 words)
- What revenue streams do you anticipate? What key upfront expenses and ongoing costs do you expect? (maximum 700 words)
- What similar solutions do you know in Poland and around the world? What would make your project stand out? (maximum 700 words
A panel of experts will select the finalists based on project descriptions. Among other things, the business potential of the project, its uniqueness or the degree of advancement or refinement of the concept will be assessed. Due to the creative nature of the competition, the experts will be guided by their subjective feelings about the projects.
The expert panel may apply additional award criteria for projects:
- responding to environmental and climate challenges;
- responding to societal challenges;
- in line with the smart city concept.
Those who make it to the finals of the competition will receive substantive support to clarify these ideas and create a professional presentation of their project. During the Final Gala in May, the competition jury will evaluate all presentations and select the winners.
We give preference to new ideas that have not been submitted to other competitions.
The 5th edition of the competition is open to anyone who has participated in previous editions, provided that they submit a new project.
ORGANISERS
The Faculty of Economics and Sociology at the University of Łódź, in cooperation with the Faculty Business Council and experts and practitioners from leading organisations from the region, are joining forces to offer university students the opportunity to realise their business ideas. Your business idea!
PRIZES
The 10 student teams that make it to the final of the competition will receive:
- Mentorship from mentors - business leaders,
- A package of professional training and business workshops,
- Project evaluation by the competition jury, consisting of experts from the world of business and science,
- An opportunity to present their idea at a ceremonial Final Gala, during which the Jury will select the best project.
The authors of the winning project will receive the main prize - in the previous edition it was PLN 25,000!
During the final gala of the competition, the jury may decide to award additional financial awards (in addition to the main prize) (e.g. in the 4th edition, four such awards were given for a total amount of PLN 9,500). The competition jury may also award non-monetary prizes. There is something to fight for!
COOPERATION
We are looking to cooperate with companies that are willing to the the following roles:
- Sponsors, with a request to support the venture financially, including, above all, funding prizes for the best teams. Become a Diamond, Gold or Silver Sponsor of the EkSoc StartUp Programme! Contact: tomasz.dorozynski@uni.lodz.pl ; tel. (+48) 504 270 777.
- Partners who will conduct trainings and workshops and provide mentoring support;
- Media partners who will provide coverage and promotion of the event.
Dr hab. Tomasz Dorożyński, prof. UŁ
EkSoc StartUP! Project Manager
tel. (+48) 504 270 777
Katarzyna Skierniewska
Competition Promotion
Faculty of Economics and Sociology
katarzyna.skierniewska@uni.lodz.pl
