Sikorsky Challenge Startup Competition 2020 Winners Announced

Nov. 3-13, 2020

Held annually since 2012, the Sikorsky Challenge Startup Competition has been a leading platform for showcasing innovations in Ukraine. Although the coronavirus pandemic meant the event could not be held in person at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, the online format did allow for a more international audience.

A committee reviewed nearly 200 projects submitted from across Ukraine and selected 56 to participate in the finals.  The presentations were then judged by an international jury of experts from Ukraine, China, Australia, Israel and the US that included friends of the US-Ukraine Foundation Biotech Initiative: John DesRosier, USUF Biotech Initiative Advisor; Derek Eberhart, Executive Director of UGA Innovation Gateway; and Sergiy Minko, Professor of Polymer Science at the University of Georgia.

The winners were announced on November 13:

Best idea

  •  №61. Mosquito. Kyiv
  •  №136. "Virtual Class" education platform. Kramatorsk

Best technology

  •  №58. MIOTRACER™. Kyiv
  •  №161. Technology of obtaining diffusion coatings on tool alloys for processing high hardness materials. Kyiv

Best solution to a customer problem

  • №44. E-field Radial Charger. Kyiv
  • №77. Utilization of sewage sludge from municipal water treatment plants with generation of thermal and electric energy. Kyiv

Best business model

  • №38. MedLED LED flexible blanket for the treatment of jaundice in newborns. Mykolaiv
  • №89. Atmosphere - weather data processor. Kyiv

The winners in each category will receive certificates and sign agreements with Sikorsky Challenge for the development and promotion of their projects.

Overall winners:

  • 1 place - №61. Mosquito. Kyiv
  • 2 place - №38. MedLED LED flexible blanket for the treatment of jaundice in newborns. Mykolaiv
  • 3 place - №136. "Virtual Class" education platform. Kramatorsk

These teams will receive certificates and financial support from the Sikorsky Challenge Innovation Holding.

The full list of projects can be found in the STARTUP CATALOGUE.

Competition partners Golden Egg Technology (China), DTEK (Ukraine), Mykhailevych Fund for the Scientific-Technical Development of Ukraine (Ukraine), Transfortech (Israel), Delfast (Ukraine) and Genius Next Generation (Israel) also selected projects that they will support.

The US-Ukraine Foundation Biotech Initiative was one of the sponsors of this year's Sikorsky Challenge Startup Competition.

Read more about Sikorsky Challenge: https://kpi.ua/en/2020-sc-start