Innovation Holding "Sikorsky Challenge" is a critical element of the Innovation Ecosystem “Sikorsky Challenge Ukraine” 

The company Innovation Holding "Sikorsky Challenge" (hereinafter the Holding), co-founded by Igor Sikorsky KPI, was registered in 2017 as the legal successor of Business Incubator "Sikorsky Challenge" LLC (founded in 2014).

The main purpose of the Holding was to participate in the process and obtain the results of commercialization of innovation projects by creating micro and small technological enterprises in various sectors of the economy in all regions of Ukraine.

At the initial stage, the Holding was engaged in projects that fell into the orbit of the Sikorsky Challenge KPI, while developing mechanisms for their commercialization in the Ukrainian realities: lack of investment, shortcomings in the legislative field, insufficient state support and, most importantly, the low level of relevant business education of scientists, engineers, inventors, students.

At current stage, the role of the Holding has significantly expanded, as the creation of the Network of Startup Schools and City/Region Innovation Clusters requires the solution of more problems and tasks. At the same time, it provides more business opportunities for the company.

Main tasks of the Innovation Holding "Sikorsky Challenge"

•  Participation in the creation and development of Startup Schools "Sikorsky Challenge" in developed (in the context of innovations) universities of all regions of Ukraine.
• Participation in the creation and management of Innovation Clusters of cities/regions.
• Selection of promising innovative projects of  scientific and technical developments and startups by organizing and conducting relevant competitions at the local, regional, national and international levels.
• Acceleration of selected projects, preparation of them in accordance with the requirements of investment companies, funds.
• Cooperation with state and international funds to attract grant financial support for Startup Schools, Innovation Clusters of Cities/Regions and Innovation Startup Companies.
• Attracting investments from Ukrainian and foreign companies, venture funds for the creation and development of a large number of micro and small innovative enterprises in all regions of Ukraine.
• Continuous improvement of mechanisms for commercialization of promising projects taking into account global trends, changes in the Ukrainian legislations, the peculiarities of cities/regions, and past lessons learned.
• Cooperation with large and medium-sized enterprises aimed at solving their technological problems by involving startup teams and research groups.
• Carrying out technological and business examination of existing and emerging in the market innovations of ideas, developments and projects.
• Participation in the opening, assistance and support (legal, mentoring, organizational) of micro and small innovative enterprises / startup companies.
• Establishing links between these companies and enterprises to launch mass production of innovative products.
• Opportunities provided by the Innovation Holding in the SCU:
• Influence the quantity and quality of training of startup teams in the Startup Schools "Sikorsky Challenge", aimed at opening innovative enterprises in different cities, regions and bringing their products to local, national and global markets.
• Select startup projects for scaling, acting as a co-founder of the created startup companies and receiving a share in them.

Receive orders from companies/foundations/cities on:

• acceleration of selected projects; 
• conducting technological and business expertise of startup projects and scientific and technological developments;
• search for innovative solutions to the problems of companies, cities, regions (R&D or ready-made startup projects);
• consulting services to increase the level of innovation of large and medium enterprises.
• Participate in grant programs/projects aimed at innovative development of universities, cities, regions that are part of the SCU ecosystem.
• Carry out a social mission, influencing the socio-economic development of the regions, creating new jobs, involving creative intellectual people in solving current problems of Ukrainian cities (primarily in mono-cities).

You can learn more about the open Innovation Ecosystem "Sikorsky Challenge Ukraine" at the link >>>