RISE START CUP 2026

Introduction

The RISE Project (Reinforcing Integration of Skills for Employability and Internationalisation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq) is pleased to launch the 1st edition of RISE Start Cup Competition 2026.

The competition aims to:

• Promote innovation, entrepreneurship, employability, and international cooperation among students from the partner universities of the RISE Project (Italy, Spain and Kurdistan region of Iraq)
• Provide students with an opportunity to transform innovative ideas into practical solutions addressing current societal, economic, environmental, and educational challenges
• Designed to drive sustainable development, the RISE Start Cup challenges students to launch entrepreneurial projects that enhance job skills, global reach, and university-business cooperation

Theme of the Competition

Participants are invited to submit innovative project ideas related to the following topic:

“From Local Ideas to Global Impact: Cross-Border Innovation for Sustainable Communities and Regional Development”

Objectives

The main objectives of the RISE Start Cup are the following:

• To promote an entrepreneurial culture among students
• To enhance employability opportunities and future skills
• To encourage innovative solutions to address societal and economic challenges
• To foster cooperation between partner universities
• To strengthen international networking and partnership opportunities

Eligibility

In order to participate in the RISE Start Cup, the following are the main eligibility criteria that university partners will have to fulfill:

1. Each RISE partner university may nominate one students’ team to participate in the RISE Start Cup Competition;
2. Each team must consist of minimum two students up to four students (being aware that the project budget can cover up to two students’ participation during the days of the competition);
3. Students shall be enrolled in a Bachelor degree;
4. Each partner university will select one academic mentor (professor or lecturer);
5. Participants must be enrolled at a RISE partner university during the project lifetime (academic year 2025-2026);
6. The participation is open to every faculty interested;
7. Teams will present an innovative business idea;
8. The overall activity is conducted in English.

Event Dates and Venue

Competition Requirements for the Selection by the University

Each team willing to participate shall submit by August 31st:

• One-page CV
• Executive Summary about the innovative project idea (maximum 2 pages)
• One-page motivation letter
• To fill in the application form here
• Selected university’s teams will follow a training/engagement path starting from mid-September until the Start Cup Competition Day

Each university team will have to submit the following materials to the RISE jury by October 29th:

• Business Model Canvas
• Pitch Deck Presentation (maximum 8-10 slides)
• Short video presentation (maximum 3 minutes) or project poster
• For all these materials, the university will share the project templates to be used

Requirements for the final selection during the day of the Start Cup Competition: Business project ideas must demonstrate:

• Innovation and originality
• Relevance to the competition theme
• Potential impact
• Sustainability
• Feasibility and scalability

START CUP Phases and Selection Process

Evaluation Criteria

The business ideas are evaluated according to the following criteria:

RISE Start Cup Awards

• Certificates of Excellence
• Mentorship opportunities
• Visibility through RISE and UNIMED networks
• Opportunities for future collaboration and project development

Proposed Agenda for Start Cup and Networking Event

Confidentiality

All application materials will be treated confidentially and used exclusively for evaluation and dissemination purposes related to the RISE Project. Intellectual property rights remain with the participants.

Participation in the Networking Event

The same student teams selected for the RISE 2026 Start Cup, together with their academic mentors, will participate in the Networking Event. Each partner university is entitled to send three students and one professor to attend both events.

Contact Information

For further information, participants are encouraged to contact their university focal points: