Last night marked the conclusion of a five-day Startup Camp for students, attended by 17 students from four faculties of the University of Montenegro. Over five intensive days, participants, with guidance from mentors across various fields, enhanced their entrepreneurial skills, worked on developing innovative ideas, and received guidance for their first steps in the business world.
On the final day, Demo Day, six teams presented their ideas. These teams were formed to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and networking among academic units. The teams presented their ideas to a panel of experts from Montenegro’s innovation and technology sectors: Djordjije Malovic, Executive Director of IEC Tehnopolis; Valentina Radulovic, Executive Director of the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro; and Bojana Femic Radosavovic, Executive Director of the Innovation Fund of Montenegro.
During the presentations, students showcased ideas covering a range of fields, and the jury, based on the quality and creativity of the ideas, awarded valuable prizes to three teams.
First Place went to team DCD (DIGITAL CUSTOM DESIGN) for an app that addresses the issue of custom floating and helps people find better quality clothing at lower prices, while also addressing the problem of “fast fashion” that contributes to global pollution. Team member Janko Kankaras commented that Startup Camp was an opportunity to learn something new and useful, directing young people’s thinking in a way not possible in classes, as well as to meet students from other faculties. “The colleagues we met here are amazing, and we will certainly collaborate with them in the future,” he said.
Jelena Misnic, a member of the second-place team OMORFI, highlighted the camp as highly useful and interesting: “I learned how to apply the knowledge I gained at university, and through a series of training sessions, I learned how to create and present my idea properly.” Her team presented a medical sock designed for varicose veins, for those who want to combine modern design with a medically reliable aid.
In third place was the team LET’S BORROW. Their representative, Aleksandar Draskovic, expressed satisfaction with participating in the Camp: “We are glad to have taken part in such a competition and unique experience. I can say we learned a lot, and we will apply that knowledge in our near and distant future.” Aleksandar and his team worked on an app that allows people to rent high-end clothing for special occasions instead of purchasing it, helping them save significantly.
This year’s Camp was organized by IEC Tehnopolis in cooperation with the Faculty of Economics, and included students from the co-organizing faculty along with those from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
The Camp was supported by the Municipality of Nikšić, the University of Montenegro, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, and the Government of Montenegro.
