On Tuesday, January 28, the Kyiv Aviation Institute (formerly NAU) presented the concept of a science park, the development of which is planned in the near future. The project is planned to be launched together with businesses and is looking for future partners who can become co-founders of the park.
On Tuesday, January 28, the Kyiv Aviation Institute (formerly NAU) presented the concept of a science park, the development of which is planned in the near future. The project is planned to be launched together with businesses and is looking for future partners who can become co-founders of the park.
The science park, initiated by KAI, should become a structure that, according to university representatives, will create space for the development of innovations on the basis of a higher education institution together with business.
«We are the only university in the format of a state non-profit enterprise, which gives us a lot of financial freedom and a lot of freedom in the formats of interaction with you,» said the acting president of the Kyiv Aviation Institute, Ksenia Semenova, to representatives of companies invited to the presentation of the project.
As of 2024, 41 science parks have already been registered in Ukraine, but only 5 are fully functioning and in the declared format.
Referring to world experience, the KAI noted that the successful development of science parks contributes to the economic development of the country. In confirmation of this, they mentioned the example of the United Kingdom, where science parks annually add 3 billion pounds to the country’s GDP. In addition, the speakers emphasized that world practice demonstrates that the development of science parks is an indispensable tool for innovation.
From companies, according to the theses voiced at the presentation, the project will require, in turn, primarily funding for the science park. In return, businesses will receive access to the development of innovations and access to unique infrastructure and equipment that most companies do not have the opportunity to use. In addition, students within the science park have the opportunity to work on real projects. Thus, businesses can gain access to entire scientific teams with certain skills and abilities.
Also, developers within the science park will be able to begin the path of a startup based on the science park, receiving mentoring support from representatives of working businesses on the one hand, and from experienced scientists who can share their expertise and knowledge on the other.
The space is planned to be organized on the territory of KAI. According to Ksenia Semenova, the university has the capacity for this, including a huge territory almost in the city center for 12 buildings, 12 dormitories, the only large campus and the largest training hangar in Europe, a wind tunnel, as well as a unique infrastructure for Ukrainian universities.
The KAI notes that the main risk that all science parks face is often insufficient and irregular funding. This is why the university is turning to businesses that can co-found the project and support it with money.
According to the statement, KAI plans to have a registered legal entity in March and the university has ambitious plans to launch the project no later than April. It is planned that the creation of a science park based on KAI will not only be a project based on one university, but the beginning of the development of a large and powerful innovation ecosystem.
The expected amount of contributions from all participants of the KAI is announced at 1 million euros. The funds will be used to finance the activities of the science park in the first year of the project’s existence and will become the basis for development.
