The student pitching competition Kaleidoskoop competition took place this autumn for the 17th time, and 23 teams participated in the pre-selection round, 5 of which received amazing prizes in the finals.

The Kaleidoskoop pre-selection took place on December 16, where the teams had 3-minutes for a video pitch. The jury evaluated the teams according to the idea development, the existence of the problem, and its suitability for the market, and selected 5 teams who were able to present their business ideas in the final on December 20. The pre-selection jury included Trit co-founder Ants-Oskar Mäesalu, Tartu City Government representative Kertu Tombak, Delta business community coordinator Kristi Vabamäe, Edu and Tegu project specialist Piret Arusaar, Startup Day ecosystem strategist Ermo Tikk and MyGames CMO Taavi Tamm.

The finalists:

• Harbour-In - a booking platform for harbors;
• Join - an application that helps users achieve their goals by supporting each other;
• Urumarja Saunalaager - sauna center that promotes Estonian sauna culture;
• UV Link - door handle with disinfectant properties;
• Vinyl Lovers - an application that helps those interested in vinyl records to find a suitable record in stores.

The final jury consisted of Vaido Mikheim, project manager of Tartu Science Park, Ants-Oskar Mäesalu, co-founder of Trit, and Triinu Hansen, COO at Bercman Technologies. Urumarja Saunalaager and Join received tickets and an opportunity to present their ideas at the Startup Day business festival. Harbour-In and Vinyl Lovers received tickets to the technology festival Latitude59 and the Tartu City Government award went to the UV Link team.

According to Vaido Mikheim, a member of the final jury, Kaleidoskoop is a worthwhile endeavor for student teams. According to Mikheim, it helps to create and maintain entrepreneurial interest, shares practical knowledge and experience, and also helps to create a network of contacts at an early stage, from which there may be many benefits in the future. "This year's pre-Christmas Kaleidoskoop finals highlighted diverse teams and ideas, many of which have good potential to reach the market and customers," added Mikheim.

According to the team leader of Join, Hasan, the Starter program was a valuable experience for him. He now feels motivated and better able to start his own business in the future. In addition, he made very good contacts in the startup ecosystem. "I think this practical program is for anyone who wants to start their own business. Especially for those who have no previous experience," added Hasan.

Kaleidoskoop is funded by the European Social Fund.

Further information: Martti Saarme, Communications and Marketing Specialist, Startup Lab, University of Tartu, +372 5909 4726, martti.saarme@ut.ee