THE LAUNCH-INNO-LAB OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES
The LAUNCH-INNO-LAB project officially started with an online kick-off meeting that brought together all international partners and marked the beginning of joint work over the next 24 months. The initiative connects education, innovation and artificial intelligence with a clear mission – to support students and young researchers in developing entrepreneurial, digital and AI skills essential for building sustainable start-ups.
During the kick-off meeting, partners presented their teams and expertise, discussed the overall project concept and confirmed the shared vision and structure of the planned activities. The discussion highlighted the project’s strong practical orientation and the active involvement of students, academics, business representatives and ESG experts in a collaborative learning and innovation process.
Focus on Design Thinking Seminars
The next key phase of the project is the organisation and delivery of Design Thinking Seminars, which will be implemented in parallel in the three partner countries. These seminars are at the core of the LAUNCH-INNO-LAB methodology, combining entrepreneurial thinking, sustainable business models and the practical use of AI and digital tools.
At least 27 students (9 from each country) will take part in the seminars, working on the development of innovative and sustainable business ideas. As a direct outcome, the project expects the creation of a minimum of 9 start-up concepts, which will be further developed in the following project stages.
Key thematic areas
Within the Design Thinking Seminars, at least six key thematic areas will be addressed, reflecting European priorities for sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship:
- Green solutions – developing business ideas with environmental and social impact
- ESG standards – integrating environmental, social and governance principles into entrepreneurial models
- Circular economy – promoting efficient resource use and sustainable business processes
- Business prototypes – designing and testing viable entrepreneurial concepts
- Marketing – market positioning and communication of innovative ideas
- Intellectual property – protection and management of innovative solutions
Business, academic and ESG experts will actively participate in the seminars as speakers, panelists and mentors, providing practical insights, guidance and real-world perspectives to support students throughout the process.
Through LAUNCH-INNO-LAB, the partners aim to establish a forward-looking educational model that prepares students for the future labour market, fosters innovation and supports the development of sustainable student entrepreneurship.
LAUNCH-INNO-LAB is implemented by an international consortium bringing together non-governmental organisations and higher education institutions. The project is coordinated by the Association of Young Scientists (Bulgaria), with partner institutions including Vilniaus Kolegija / Higher Education Institution (Lithuania), Trakia University (Bulgaria) and Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (Turkiye).
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This project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the