JU students pitched ideas at Impact Demo Day

On 3 June, students from Jönköping University (JU) presented business ideas with the potential to create real social change to a jury and audience in the final of Science Park's start-up programme. The first prize went to Mate Horvath, a student at Jönköping International Business School (JIBS) at JU, who has overcome cancer himself and has now developed the digital companion Oncoly, to help cancer patients and their loved ones.

“I am so grateful to have taken my first step towards achieving my goal of helping as many patients in need as possible,” says Mate Horvath.

The Science Park Start-up Programme is an intensive course for anyone who has a business idea and wants to develop it into a start-up. The programme is held twice a year and lasts for nine weeks.

Each programme has a different focus, and the spring´s programme, which just ended with the finalists presenting their ideas, focused on sustainable technology. Initially, 17 teams took part in the programme and during the pitch evening,six finalist teams were selected for the final,”says Simon Hagedorn, Business Developer at Science Park and one of the people working with the start-up programme.

“In addition to joint meetings with other participants, the participants receive help with individual business development and learn how to pitch their ideas to potential investors,” he says.

The jury included Måns Svensson, President at JU, investors, tech experts and business developers from Science Park.

“Anyone with a connection to Jönköping County can apply for the programme, but in the spring´s programme, most of the participants were students from JU, and the finalist teams included students from both the School of Engineering (JTH) and JIBS,” says Simon Hagedorn.

One of the students who participated in the programme was Rashad Rafa, who is studying for a Master's degree in Engineering Management at JIBS, and won several awards during the evening together with his team ‘Ophelia’.

“It has been very rewarding to participate. It's a fantastic programme and I think everyone who has an idea should take the opportunity to apply,” he says.

During the evening, there was also a summer party at Science Park, which gave the pitching students the opportunity to network directly with companies and make new contacts.

Creative ideas drive development forward

Simon Hagedorn explains that the start-up programmes always aim to develop challenge-driven innovations that contribute to solutions to real societal challenges.

One of the teams that had developed a creative solution to a serious societal challenge was Team Ophelia, consisting of students Elvis Hasanaj, Ali Koravand, Arya Pour Eisa, who all just graduated from the Software Development and Mobile Platforms programme at JTH, and Rashad Rafa, who is about to complete his master's degree at JIBS.

The team has developed the AI tool Ophelia, which is designed to provide accurate risk assessments and recommendations for action when it comes to domestic violence, based on real cases and social services guidelines. For their invention, they received both the audience award and one of the jury's awards during the evening.

“It's great to see that all our hard work has paid off. We are all passionate about this issue. Participating in the start-up programme has shaped us and it is an experience we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. It has also been a great learning experience to be inspired by the other participants,” says Rashad Rafa.

Arya Pour Eisa has previously worked in psychiatry and as a security guard on Stockholm's public transport system.

“I saw with my own eyes what domestic violence can mean. I realized that many of the victims had sought help but did not receive it in time, and we saw a potential for development there. Right now, we have two pilot projects underway. One with the Jönköping municipality and one with the Linköping municipality, and there are several interested parties,” says Arya Pour Eisa.

Simon Hagedorn thinks it is impressive that the students participate in the start-up programme alongside their studies.

“Over nine weeks, it becomes clear who is really passionate about working on their ideas and willing to put in a lot of effort. That also contributed to the fact that these six finalists being on stage today,” he says.