Student Innovation Grants

The goal of the project “Rīga Stradiņš University Student Innovation Grants” is to strengthen students’ innovation and entrepreneurial capacities by promoting hands-on learning and interdisciplinary collaboration between students from different fields, the university, and industry representatives.

The project implements a Student Innovation Programme that supports students in developing their ideas from concept to prototype. The programme covers every stage of the innovation journey, from idea validation to implementation, offering mentoring, expert consultations, and access to university infrastructure.

The programme includes several levels of support: Explore: Get to Know, Pre-incubation Programme, Incubation Programme, as well as thematic workshops, hackathons, and short-term training camps (bootcamps).

An Idea Bank is also developed in collaboration with industry partners, giving students the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges and design innovative solutions that meet the needs of key sectors such as healthcare, education, defense, and other industries important to the national economy.

Activities

1. Pre-incubation Programme – Offers students and aspiring innovators the chance to take their first steps in entrepreneurship: learning ideation techniques, exploring industry challenges, forming teams, and gaining the knowledge needed to develop an idea.
2. Incubation Programme – Open to teams of 3–5 people who have already defined their business idea. Within the programme, teams acquire specialised skills such as prototyping and intellectual property protection and work with mentors and experts to validate and develop their idea into a viable product.
3. Workshops and Hackathons – Innovation-focused events centered on specific topics such as solving healthcare challenges, learning 3D technologies, or practicing idea development techniques. During hackathons, students work in teams on short, intensive sprints to design and test their solutions.
4. Mentoring and Expert Support – Students gain access to professionals, researchers, and entrepreneurs who provide in-depth guidance and help them develop a strategic approach to applying innovation in practice.
5. Idea Bank and Industry Collaboration – A platform where companies and organisations can submit real-world challenges, offering students the opportunity to create solutions that meet market needs and promote commercialisation.
6. Public Events and Innovation Culture Development – Includes Demo Days, industry meetups, thematic events, and other public activities that enhance innovation visibility, networking, and students’ practical experience.

Target audience

The project targets students of Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) as well as students from other Latvian higher education institutions who wish to develop innovative ideas in fields related to healthcare, biomedicine, public health, education, defense, and other areas aligned with RSU’s strategic priorities.

Expected results

• Increased number of students with developed innovation and entrepreneurship skills
• Creation of innovative prototypes
• Strengthened collaboration between universities and businesses
• Promotion of innovation in thematic areas such as artificial intelligence, security, and educational technologies
• Formation of interdisciplinary teams addressing socially significant challenges

Related documents

•    RSU Student Innovation Grants Implementation Guidelines
•    Evaluation and Feedback Process Scheme
•    Application Form for Pre-incubation (PINK) Programme
•    Pre-incubation (PINK) Programme Evaluation Sheet
•    Application Form for Incubation (INK) Programme
•    Project Budget Template
•    Incubation (INK) Programme Evaluation Sheet
•    Budget Evaluation Sheet
•    Scholarship Application Form
•    Final Report Template
•    Final Report Evaluation Sheet

Planned activities

Explore Get to Know

Explore: Get to Know is the introductory phase of the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem at RSU. Its goal is to help students discover their potential, develop creative thinking, and understand the basic principles of how an idea becomes a real solution.

During this phase, students:

• learn about the innovation ecosystem and opportunities offered by B-Space, exploring industry challenges
• work on idea generation and initial validation
• learn to analyse problems and develop solutions together with industry experts

This phase is designed for those who are just starting to shape their ideas and want to understand how to move forward before applying for the Pre-incubation Programme or a grant.

Pre-incubation Programme (PINK)

The Pre-incubation Programme is intended for students and teams who want to clearly define their idea, identify next steps for development, and build the right team. Participants learn how to test the feasibility of an idea, build a business model, and prepare for the next stage – incubation.

During the programme, students:

• learn ideation and validation methods
• work with mentors and experts
• analyse their target audience and market needs
• learn to prepare budgets and grant applications

Pre-incubation provides a safe space for experimentation and practical learning, with opportunities for feedback from experienced entrepreneurs and lecturers.

Inkubācijas programma (INK)

The Incubation Programme is for teams with a clearly formulated business idea and a defined development plan. Its goal is to help student teams turn their projects into tangible outcomes – a prototype, pilot project, or market-ready product.

Within the programme, teams:

• develop specific skills such as intellectual property protection and legal basics
• continue refining their product or service with mentor support
• gain access to funding, materials, and expert consultations
• participate in thematic workshops and project presentations

This phase involves intensive work on bringing the idea to life – from technical development to communication and market strategy.

Bootcamp (short-term training camps)

Bootcamps are short but intensive workshops or training camps where students work hands-on with industry representatives on innovation topics.

Participants gain practical skills such as pitching, teamwork, design thinking, or prototype development. The bootcamp format allows students to quickly gain new knowledge, test their ideas in practice, and build valuable connections for future growth.