09 October 2025
A new course “Management for Deep Tech Startups” is launching at the Kyiv Academic University (KAU) — designed to help scientists and innovators turn breakthrough ideas into successful businesses.
Over the past four years of war, Ukrainians have mastered an essential skill — the ability to adapt, find new ideas, and build technologies that solve real problems. Among them are deep tech startups — ventures based on cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, new materials, energy, quantum solutions, and climate innovations. Their mission is not just to create products, but to tackle global challenges through science and technology.
The course, developed by Maksym Marchenko, Associate Professor at KAU’s Department of Innovation Management, is part of the Knowledge Rise project supported by the EIT HEI Initiative.
It consists of six interconnected lectures that guide participants through all stages of deep tech startup development — from idea to business scaling. Students will learn:
– what makes deep tech startups different from traditional IT ventures;
– how to move “from lab to market” and overcome the “valley of death”;
– how to develop business models, identify first customers, and build strong teams;
– how to work with intellectual property, funding, and market strategies.
The course bridges science and business, combining academic depth with practical tools for innovation management, business modeling, and financing. Participants will work with real-life cases and gain mentorship opportunities.
“This course is for researchers, engineers, PhD students, and scientific teams who already have a technology, prototype, or idea but don’t yet know how to bring it to market,” says Marchenko. “It will also be useful for innovation managers and technology transfer professionals working in universities and research institutions.”
Upon completion, participants will be able to assess the commercial potential of scientific developments, design business models, understand IP strategies, choose optimal funding sources, and effectively present their technologies to investors and partners.
“I see how many talented researchers in Ukraine and Europe create groundbreaking technologies that remain within lab walls,” says Marchenko. “If we help them develop entrepreneurial thinking and confidence, they can transform discoveries into real-world impact. The future of European innovation lies in deep tech — and this course is a step toward that future.”
Registration via Referral Link
Prepared by Svitlana Halata
