Incubation Programme

Are you ready to develop your idea?

The incubation programme is designed for student teams that already have a formulated business or innovation idea and a clear direction in which to develop it. During the programme, the team works on the practical implementation of their idea – testing the solution, improving the product or service, and acquiring the skills necessary for entrepreneurship.

Each team is also assigned a project manager to discuss the development of the idea, challenges, and next steps. He or she will help the team stay focused and move from idea to practical result. For additional support and practical experience, teams can turn to the programme's mentors and industry experts.

What you will gain from the programme

Key facts

Application period	30 October – 30 November
Programme dates	19 January – 10 June
Classes	Thursdays 6:00–8:00 pm
Format	In-person
Location	16 Dzirciema iela, Rīga Stradiņš University (Senate Hall)
Language	English
Participation	Free of charge
Funding for idea development	Up to 3,506 EUR upon the programme’s start (RSU will make the purchases). The timeframe for utilizing the funding is four months. At the end of the programme, the top three teams will receive cash prizes of up to 3,200 euros.

Application Process

Develop a business idea or choose a ready-made idea from the idea bank and find a team
Review the information on this page and make sure that your team and idea meet the programme’s requirements
Fill out the programme application, attach copies of your student IDs, and include any other required attachments
Submit the application form

Documents

Application for participation in the Incubation (INK) Programme
Budget project form
Budget project evalutation sheet
Final report form
Final report evaluation sheet

This might help you

What should and should not be included in the Budget Form
Purchase handling in the RSU Incubation Programme
Sample Budget Form
Sample Application Form

Who is eligible to apply?

You may apply if:

you are a team of 2–5 members;
your team includes at least 2 students;
at least one team member is affiliated with RSU - either as a student or an employee;
you have a business or innovation idea that you want to develop and test in practice.

Detailed terms and conditions

Limited spots available.

Please fill in the application form by 30 November.apply

The path to participation in the programme

Idea Bank

In the Idea Bank, you will find real-world industry challenges submitted by companies and other organizations. Choose a problem that interests you and, together with your team and mentors, work to find an innovative solution.SEE THE IDEA BANK

Frequently Asked Questions

Registration and Team Requirements

What kinds of business ideas can I submit?
The business incubator excludes the following areas of activity: alcoholic beverages; narcotic, psychotropic, and other intoxicating substances; adult products and services; tobacco products; and gambling.
All ideas not related to these ineligible topics are welcome in the Business incubator programmes, regardless of their field or complexity.

Who is considered an RSU representative?
The team must include at least one student enrolled in a bachelor’s, professional, master’s, doctoral, or residency programme, or a student at a vocational or general education institution, and one participant affiliated with RSU, RSU SA, or RSU RCMC. These may include students, academic staff, and general staff at RSU, RSU SA, and RSU RCMC.

How can I prove that I am a student if I do not yet have a student ID card, since I will not begin my studies until February?
If your student ID has not yet been issued at the time of application but you plan to begin your studies soon, you can confirm your student status with a letter from the Student Services Office or by submitting a copy of your Study Agreement (the agreement signed with the university before beginning your studies).

Can a team include people from other universities or professionals in the field?
We invite teams of 2–5 students with a shared business idea to apply. The team must include at least two students enrolled in bachelor’s, professional, master’s, doctoral, or residency programs, or students from vocational and general education institutions, and one student from RSU, RSU SA, or RSU RCMC.

Do participants have to be enrolled in a specific course or major?
No. Any RSU student can participate in the incubation programme, regardless of their course, level, or major. This also applies to students from other universities or vocational schools who are part of a team.

Can one person participate in multiple teams at the same time?
No. Within the incubation programme, one person may be part of only one team at a time. However, during the programme, we encourage participants to network with one another and share their experiences; therefore, if your friends have submitted their idea, there’s nothing stopping you from offering your advice and supporting them.

May I participate if I already have my own business?
Students participating in the incubation programme who are already engaged in business activities may participate in the programme with a new idea that is unrelated to their existing business activities. You must inform the Business Incubator staff of this when applying to the programme.

Can I choose my own supervisor?
Each team accepted into the incubation programme will be assigned a supervisor (an industry professional) who will assist the team throughout the programme by providing advice and practical support. Mentors are assigned based on an evaluation of the team’s idea and stage of development.
Teams may also bring in their own mentor; they should notify the Business Incubator team of this after being accepted into the programme (by emailing inkubatorsrsu[pnkts]lv).

Do pre-incubation participants have any advantages?
The pre-incubation programme helps participants prepare for the incubation programme, refine their idea, test it in its early stages, build a team, and understand the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Previous participation in pre-incubation programmes earns student teams an additional 1 point when evaluating their admission to the programme.

Programme and Content

Is everyone who applies accepted into the programme?
No, participation in the Incubation Programme is by competition. This means that all teams first submit applications and present their ideas to a jury, which evaluates them based on specific criteria, including the level of innovation, market potential, and the team’s capabilities. The best teams are selected to participate in the programme. Review the application evaluation sheet and the budget proposal evaluation sheet.

What will I need to do during the programme?
During the programme, the team will need to attend in-person sessions and work with a student advisor and mentors to acquire entrepreneurial skills and develop their idea. When submitting an application for the incubation programme, teams also prepare an individual activity plan, which they should follow as much as possible while developing their solution.

Will the recordings of the classes be available?
Yes, the classes that you are unable to attend in person will also be available as recordings.

Funding and material aspects

Does the business idea belong to me after the programme?
The business idea belongs to the team of participants. However, the incubation programme is a sandbox for testing and validating your idea, so the materials purchased with initial funding, as well as the prototypes and designs developed, remain the property of the RSU Business Incubator.

How does the procurement of materials work?
Upon signing the contract, the team will have the opportunity to consult with the Business Incubator’s administrative project manager, who will explain the procurement process and help the team understand when they will receive the necessary materials or services to develop their idea.

Will I receive the funding in my bank account?
The initial funding of up to 3,506 EUR, which the team receives upon being accepted into the incubation programme, is not paid out to participants in cash. Instead, RSU purchases the necessary consulting services, other services, and raw materials in accordance with the budget form submitted with the programme application. However, the cash prize, which the top three teams receive at the end of the programme, is awarded in cash.