The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has announced the launch of a new network of startup schools, which will function as incubators and accelerators. This initiative is based on collaboration with higher education institutions and research organizations.

"Participants in this network will be able to receive financial, consulting, marketing, educational, legal, and information-communication support to implement their scientific ideas and create innovative products in Ukraine", said the ministry.

The network is aimed at students, researchers, and young entrepreneurs who wish to bring their scientific ideas to life.

Startup schools will offer:

• expert and mentoring support;
• access to necessary infrastructure;
• tools for attracting investment;
• opportunities for developing business skills.

The main goal of this initiative is to foster science-related entrepreneurship, commercialize scientific achievements, and support technological progress in Ukraine.

To date, 23 higher education institutions have joined the network, including:

• Kyiv Aviation Institute;
• Kyiv Academic University;
• Vinnytsia National Technical University;
• Sumy State University;
• Odesa Polytechnic;
• Dniprovskyi Polytechnic;
• Ukrainian Catholic University;
• Kyiv School of Economics;
• Lviv Polytechnic;
• Zhytomyr Polytechnic;
• SET University;
• Odesa National Economic University;
• Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv;
• Chernivtsi National University;
• Prikarpatsky National University;
• Vadym Hetman National Economic University;
• Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic;
• Krivyi Rih National University;
• Vinnytsia National Agrarian University;
• Dnipropetrovsk National University named after Oles Honchar;
• Poltava Polytechnic named after Yurii Kondratyuk;
• Mykolaiv National Agrarian University;
• Paton Electric Welding Institute of the NAS of Ukraine.

The Ministry adds that other universities and research institutions can also join this initiative by filling out an application form.

The application will be reviewed by the Ministry's Council for Innovation Development, after which the institution will receive a decision regarding its membership at the specified email address.

Earlier, we reported that the government allocated 500 million hryvnias for the renovation of classrooms in natural sciences as part of the reform of specialized high schools.