The StartMEup competition took place at the University of Miskolc on November 30, 2023, with the participation of 10 teams. The first StartMEup idea competition was held in 2018 at the university, and it has been an annual event since then.
This year's event was organized by the FIEK KFI Management Department and the Grants Directorate in the themes of EIT Raw Materials, supported by NKFIH. It marked the first occasion where international students (7 teams) could participate, making English the official communication language. EIT Raw Materials primarily focuses on contemporary environmental issues such as raw material research, circular economy, and waste utilization, providing the thematic framework for student submissions.
Before the competition, students attended two preparatory workshops and individual consultations coordinated by István Zsolt, the head of the department. The invested effort during preparation paid off, as each team presented their ideas in high-quality pitches lasting a maximum of 7 minutes in front of the professional jury.
Professional jury members:
- Dr. Dobó Zsolt, scientific researcher (University of Miskolc)
- Lukács Edit, innovation expert (University of Miskolc)
- Galla Zoltán, CEO (Startup Campus Kft)
- Horánszky Árpád, international project manager (Bay Zoltán Research Institute)
The jury awarded three winning teams:
- 1st place: HydroGen Team - Developed a new tool for easy determination of underground hydrogen fields. Team members are all hydrogeologist M.Sc students: Török Krisztofer, Babos Gábor, and Mátyás Péter.
- 2nd place: ByprodEx Team (Ph.D. geophysics students: Moataz Mohamed Gomaa Abdelrahman and Hadeer Ahmed Ali Hassan) - Developing an application supporting the utilization of industrial waste generated by companies through an electronic marketplace.
- 3rd place: Grassroots Team (geology students: Rayhan Aldızan Farrenzo, Zeynep Kezer, and Makhosi) - Producing valuable soap and candles from used cooking oil.
Special award: Pickapp Team (led by law student Gál Zoltán Péter and colleagues) - Supporting the collection of PET and aluminum cans through a doorstep collection service in the compulsory deposit system starting in 2024.
For startup competitors, FIEK will organize monthly mentoring sessions in 2024 and plan further competitions in this field in April 2024.
