Supporting Talent, Entrepreneurship and Innovation among Young People
Within the project, student teams work on their own projects throughout the school year under the guidance of university mentors and industry experts. The program is based on the principles of project-based learning, teamwork, and connecting education with a real technological environment.
The project involves high schools from the Košice region, mentors from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics at the Technical University of Košice, technology companies operating in the region, and organizations supporting the regional innovation ecosystem.
Lab IT Creativity 2.0 – Developing Entrepreneurial and Soft Skills
The current edition of the project, Lab IT Creativity 2.0, focuses primarily on developing entrepreneurial thinking and competencies among young people. Its goal is to support students in identifying problems and opportunities, developing innovative solutions, working in teams, and presenting their ideas effectively.
The program combines technological education with the development of key skills for the 21st century — creativity, initiative, collaboration, critical thinking, and the ability to respond constructively to feedback.
Main Project Activities
Mid-term Presentations of Student Projects
One of the key activities of the project are mid-term presentations of student projects, during which teams present their solutions to an expert jury. Through this process, students gain experience in presenting their ideas, defending their solutions, and receiving feedback from industry professionals.
The presentations also include project evaluations in several categories, such as technological solution, innovation, and community impact.
Workshop Day – Developing Entrepreneurial Thinking
During the workshop day, students focus on topics such as:
- identifying problems and opportunities
- developing entrepreneurial ideas
- creating business models
- presentation and pitching skills
The goal is to help students understand how an idea can evolve into a real solution or product and how to communicate it effectively.
Workshops and Company Visits
The program also includes workshops hosted directly by IT companies, giving students the opportunity to experience real working environments within technology companies.
During these workshops, students learn about the process of developing digital products, modern tools, and working methods used in IT companies. They also have the opportunity to consult their own projects with industry experts and receive valuable feedback.
Visits to the Technical University of Košice
The program is complemented by visits to laboratories at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics of the Technical University of Košice, where students explore research environments and modern technological facilities.
These visits help students better understand opportunities for further studies and how technologies are applied in research and development.
Project Support
The activities carried out within Lab IT Creativity 2.0 were supported by the Slovak Business Agency under the call Entrepreneurship Development.
Thanks to this support, the project was able to bring even more valuable content to students and schools, focusing on the development of entrepreneurial competencies, creativity, collaboration, and the ability to transform ideas into concrete solutions while helping communities become more attractive environments for people and employers.
Project Partners
The Lab IT Creativity project is implemented in cooperation with partners from the regional technological and innovation ecosystem:
- Košice IT Valley
- Technical University of Košice – Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics
- Košice Self-Governing Region
- Innovation Centre of the Košice Region (ICKK)
- partner IT companies involved in mentoring and workshops
