Development of Innovation Potential of VNTU on the Basis of the Startup School “Vinnytsia Challenge” (to the Tenth Anniversary of the School)

The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the innovation potential of Vinnytsia National Technical University (VNTU), focusing on the ten-year experience of the University`s startup school “Vinnytsia Challenge”— a regional center of the nationwide innovation ecosystem “Sikorsky Challenge Ukraine.” The study investigates the integration of practical entrepreneurial experience into higher education and research activities. A structured model for effective interaction between academia, science, and business within the University`s innovation ecosystem is proposed, emphasizing the strategic role of startups in enhancing institutional innovation capacity. The development of the startup school is traced across four key stages: initial formation (2015—2017), rapid expansion (2018—2020), international recognition (2021—2023), and sustainable integration (2024–present). The school has incubated dozens of high-impact projects in critical domains such as defense, healthcare, ecology, and information technology. Its educational framework includes over 130 hours of training in innovation management, startup marketing, artificial intelligence applications, financial planning, and pitching, supported by both local and international experts and mentors. Prominent outcomes include award-winning startups such as SolarInt (renewable energy storage), BrightBrille (AI-powered accessibility tools), and Escadron (remote-operated battlefield transport). The study outlines the financial architecture supporting the school, including state grants, municipal funding, and strategic investments from private Israeli firms. Key institutional challenges—such as limited early-stage funding, weak commercialization pipelines, and insufficient faculty engagement — are critically analyzed, and evidence-based solutions are offered. These include the establishment of university-level venture funds, incentivization frameworks for faculty, and enhanced access to global startup networks. The findings underscore the replicability of the “Vinnytsia Challenge” model across other Ukrainian universities, advocating the formation of regional startup hubs and methodical dissemination of best practices. The experience accumulated by VNTU demonstrates a scalable approach to cultivating innovation-driven human capital and strengthening the national ecosystem during post-war reconstruction and digital transformation. The study's insights offer a strategic foundation for aligning academic institutions with market-oriented innovation processes, thereby enabling universities to act as engines of economic resilience and technological advancement.