Enter the competition and get your startup going!
Have an idea? Enter it in ignio.
Do you have an idea for a new product, service or technology? You do not need a company or a finished business plan. You can come even if all you have so far is an idea. The ignio competition of innovative ideas is the place to present your idea, get feedback and compete for a place in the acceleration program of Startup center TUKE.
Who can enter?
What matters is the idea and the will to take it further. You can also enter a project that is still at the idea stage: you do not need a finished product or a registered company. Entry is open to projects from all over Slovakia and from abroad, provided they plan to develop their activities in Slovakia.
Next round
ignio round 21
Registration is open until 15. 11. 2026.
We will announce the date of the presentations to the registered teams once registration closes.
Have questions?
Answers to what we are asked most often are in the section Frequently asked questions
What happens after you apply?
Application
You fill in the registration form and submit your idea.
Assessment by the committee
Submitted ideas are first assessed by an expert committee.
Presentation to the jury
Selected teams are invited to a short presentation where they introduce their idea and answer the jury’s questions.
We will let the selected teams know the date and place of the presentation within two weeks of the application deadline.
If your project is already at a more advanced stage, the jury may recommend direct entry to Incubator TUKE.
What can you gain?
If your idea succeeds, you gain access to the support of Startup center TUKE:
Mentoring and consultations
Expert guidance throughout the program.
Business model development
Help with the next concrete steps for your startup.
Contacts
To partners and potential investors.
Space
The facilities of Startup center TUKE.
TUKE expertise
Access to experts, laboratories and technological capacities.
The best teams win a place in the six-month acceleration program of Startup center TUKE.
Good to know
- Once you are accepted into the program, you will read the Internal Rules of Startup center TUKE and confirm that you agree with them.
- During the program you will present regularly how your project is moving forward, and at the end you will present the progress and results you have achieved.
- After completing the program you can go further and apply for incubation at Incubator TUKE on the premises of USP TECHNICOM.
Frequently asked questions
I have an idea but no company and no team. Can I apply?
Yes, individuals or teams with an idea at an early stage of development can enter. In the registration form you need to answer basic questions about the innovation, what it brings and how it compares with existing competitors, in other words to know what already exists in the world. The idea should have the potential to succeed on the market in the future as a service or a product.
I already have a company. Can I still enter the startup competition?
Individuals, teams and legal entities can all enter, we set no limits here. If your idea or project were so far developed that Startup center TUKE had nothing to support it with, the expert committee that assesses the applications may recommend you directly to Incubator TUKE, which hosts innovative companies.
In any case, you have nothing to lose by applying.
Can I apply even if I am not a student?
Yes, the competition is open to the general public, not only to students.
There is no age limit. If applicants do not have legal capacity, that is they are under 18, their legal representatives act for them, for example when signing a contract.
How will my idea be protected after I submit the application?
Because we were asked this question often, we asked an expert for an opinion. You will find more in this interview.
What is the application process? What happens next?
The competition of innovative ideas has a deadline twice a year. You will find the details higher up on this page, together with a link to the registration form you fill in to enter. Once the expert committee has assessed the registered projects, the selected teams are invited to a final presentation held before a jury of representatives of the public and the private sector. Teams are told the place and the date within two weeks of the deadline.
What can I gain?
Startup center TUKE offers promising startups:
- free space at Startup center TUKE,
- the chance to use the capacity of unique specialist workplaces, laboratories and other facilities of TUKE,
- help with building a business plan, finding partners and potential investors, and other benefits such as media support,
- expert and mentoring support.
What will it cost me?
Entering the competition and the stay of the selected startups at Startup center TUKE during the six-month acceleration program, including all educational activities, are free of charge. Members of the winning teams sign a contract in which they give up no share of their company. The contract sets out the terms of their presence at Startup center TUKE and the terms of cooperation.
What happens after the six-month stay at Startup center TUKE?
On the recommendation of the committee, startups can:
- extend their stay at Startup center TUKE by another six months,
- end their time at the center,
- move on to Incubator TUKE, but only if they are already a legal entity.
What is the difference between Startup center TUKE and Incubator TUKE?
Startup center TUKE focuses mainly on developing innovative ideas and supporting startups in the so-called pre-incubation, or preparatory, stage. Individuals and teams without legal personality can apply to Startup center TUKE.
Incubator TUKE is a space for developed innovative companies with legal personality. Individuals and teams without legal personality cannot operate there.
Success stories of participants
★★★★★
The acceleration program of USP TECHNICOM opened the door to a lively community of innovators and let us learn from more experienced leaders. With its support we took part in inspiring events, presented our startup at a conference, formed new partnerships and got valuable advice from experts at the workshops.
Miroslav Hennel, CEO OWASmooth
★★★★★
I recommend that young entrepreneurs apply to the acceleration program of USP TECHNICOM, because the know-how, experience and contacts they gain there are priceless.
Dávid Gurbáľ, CEO aarviken
★★★★★
The support of the Startup center was key to the success of my project. I recommend it to anyone with an innovative idea.
Martin Horváth