Peter Chugunov, "Innovative Activity Reboots Consciousness"

10:00, May 2, 2024

Graduates of innovative programs met at the university

UrFU hosted a meeting of members of the Alumni Association of Innovative Programs. The event included a story about the opportunities for graduates of the UrFU Innovation Infrastructure, April "Innovation Diving", a business game "InnoBattle" and, of course, communication on the same wavelength, as is always the case with innovators.

"The graduates of the Ural Project Shifts approached the UrFU Innovation Infrastructure with a request: the shifts have already ended, but they want to meet and maintain communication in this environment. This is how the idea of creating an Alumni Association of Innovation Programs appeared," said Alexey Repkin, Head of the Alumni Association of Innovative Programs.

According to the participants of the association, the Ural Project Shifts gave them friends with a similar type of thinking. Darya Nesterova, a student of UrFU, has been a participant in the Ural Project Shifts twice.

"I enjoyed the Ural Project Shifts. I always came back from there delighted and I want to go back there again. I liked working in teams under the guidance of mentors. The students have always been great. I've never had a shift where I didn't learn anything, whether it was educational, product, or teamwork. I was mostly involved in science projects. I want to be a technology entrepreneur, too. The creation of the association is a good step that gives impetus to the development of both the students and the projects," said Daria Nesterova.

Peter Chugunov, a participant in the association, has experienced all forms of self-actualization of a real innovator. Today he works at the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He confirms that the experience of mentoring within the framework of the Ural Project Shifts comes in handy for him as a manager.

"I have been involved in the activities of the innovation infrastructure from the very beginning, since 2017. I went through the Ural project shifts, went to business intensives in 'Gagarinsky', and participated in the program 'Startup as a Diploma'. Innovative activity reboots the mind, the world is perceived differently, and problem-solving is seen differently. As a mentor, I worked on the projects of a software and hardware complex for forest monitoring and a module for automatic control of electric scooters," Peter Chugunov shared his experience.

However, the meeting of the Innovative Programs Alumni Association was by no means a sentimental "evening of memories" as its participants learned about the opportunities of the UrFU startup studio.

"We are building a seamless system of technological entrepreneurship, which includes Ural Project Shifts, and accelerator programs and is designed to develop technological leaders-directors of startup companies, participants of project teams, and potential managers. We are ready to strengthen the teams of 12 startup projects of the UrFU Startup Studio with smart, bold, and experienced students who have participated in accelerator programs," Elena Bespamyatnykh, Director of the UrFU Center for Educational Technologies and Staffing Support for Innovative Activities, opened new horizons for innovators.

What will be the answer to this tempting offer, only time will tell, or the next meeting of graduates.

Reference

The Innovation Infrastructure of UrFU has been working since 2010. It initiates, supports, and develops innovative projects, brings technological startups to the market, creates effective innovative production; promotes the development of talented young people with project thinking and entrepreneurial skills, and forms the ecological environment of technological entrepreneurship.

Anna Matyukhina

The news article was translated by UrFU International Marketing Office.
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