UniLab is expanding its support ecosystem by launching a collaboration with the RTU Student Innovation Grant Program (SIG III) to provide student teams with broader opportunities to develop technology-based solutions and move toward launching businesses.
The collaboration will be implemented through UniLab’s pre-acceleration program Elevate, which supports early-stage technology startup teams on their journey toward company formation and investment attraction. The program combines flexible online learning of business development and entrepreneurship fundamentals with hands-on experience, offering access to expert-led workshops, individual business development support, investor meetings, demo days, and the innovation ecosystem. The next Elevate program call will open in September.
Thanks to the collaboration with SIG III, teams participating in the Elevate program will also gain access to the “Future Boost Development Voucher” (FBDV), worth up to EUR 13,899, for prototype development, testing, and technical advancement, including preparation for piloting or commercialization.
The aim of the FBDV is to support student initiatives with an initially validated or evidence-based innovation concept by helping develop solutions from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5–6 to TRL 6–7, while providing financial, expert, and infrastructure support.
SIG III is a support system that helps students develop ideas from an early concept to a prototype and potentially a startup by providing mentoring, expert involvement, access to RTU Design Factory infrastructure, and various development programs.
The new collaboration will strengthen the connection between academia, innovation development, and entrepreneurship, creating broader opportunities for student teams to develop competitive and market-ready solutions.
The collaboration will be implemented through UniLab’s pre-acceleration program Elevate, which supports early-stage technology startup teams on their journey toward company formation and investment attraction. The program combines flexible online learning of business development and entrepreneurship fundamentals with hands-on experience, offering access to expert-led workshops, individual business development support, investor meetings, demo days, and the innovation ecosystem. The next Elevate program call will open in September.
Thanks to the collaboration with SIG III, teams participating in the Elevate program will also gain access to the “Future Boost Development Voucher” (FBDV), worth up to EUR 13,899, for prototype development, testing, and technical advancement, including preparation for piloting or commercialization.
The aim of the FBDV is to support student initiatives with an initially validated or evidence-based innovation concept by helping develop solutions from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5–6 to TRL 6–7, while providing financial, expert, and infrastructure support.
SIG III is a support system that helps students develop ideas from an early concept to a prototype and potentially a startup by providing mentoring, expert involvement, access to RTU Design Factory infrastructure, and various development programs.
The new collaboration will strengthen the connection between academia, innovation development, and entrepreneurship, creating broader opportunities for student teams to develop competitive and market-ready solutions.