The RISE Project (Reinforcing Integration of Skills for Employability and Internationalisation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq) is pleased to launch the 1st edition of RISE Start Cup Competition 2026. The competition aims to:
· Promote innovation, entrepreneurship, employability, and international cooperation among students from the partner universities of the RISE Project (Italy, Spain and Kurdistan region of Iraq)
· It provides students with an opportunity to transform innovative ideas into practical solutions addressing current societal, economic, environmental, and educational challenges.
· Designed to drive sustainable development, the RISE Start Cup challenges students to launch entrepreneurial projects that enhance job skills, global reach, and university-business cooperation.
Theme of the Competition
Participants are invited to submit innovative project ideas related to the following topic:
“From Local Ideas to Global Impact: Cross-Border Innovation for Sustainable Communities and Regional Development”
Objectives
The main objectives of the RISE Start Cup are the following:
- To promote an entrepreneurial culture among students
- To enhance employability opportunities and future skills
- To encourage innovative solutions to address societal and economic challenges
- To foster cooperation between partner universities
- To strengthen international networking and partnership opportunities
Eligibility
In order to participate in the RISE Start Cup, the following are the main eligibility criteria that university partners will have to fulfill:
- Each RISE partner university may nominate one students’ team to participate in the RISE Start Cup Competition;
- Each team must consist of minimum two students up to four students (being aware that the project budget can cover up to two students’ participation during the days of the competition);
- Students shall be enrolled in a Bachelor degree;
- Each partner university will select one academic mentor (professor or lecturer);
- Participants must be enrolled at a RISE partner university during the project lifetime (academic year 2025-2026);
- The participation is open to every faculty interested;
- Teams will present an innovative business idea;
- The overall activity is conducted in English.
Event Dates and Venue
RISE Start Cup 2026: 9-10 November 2026 at Duhok Polytechnic University, Duhok.
RISE Networking Event: 11 November 2026 at University of Zakho, Zakho
Competition requirements for the selection by the university
Each team willing to participate shall submit by August 3rd:
- One-page CV
- Executive Summary about the innovative project idea (maximum 2 pages)
- One-page motivation letter
- Please send the above documents to [email protected]
Selected university’s teams will follow a training/engagement path starting from mid-September until the Start Cup Competition Day.
Each university team will have to submit the following materials to the RISE jury by October 29th:
- Business Model Canvas
- Pitch Deck Presentation (maximum 8-10 slides)
- Short video presentation (maximum 3 minutes) or project poster
- For all these materials, the university will share the project templates to be used.
Requirements for the final selection during the day of the Start Cup Competition:
Business project ideas must demonstrate:
- Innovation and originality
- Relevance to the competition theme
- Potential impact
- Sustainability
- Feasibility and scalability
START CUP phases and Selection Process
Phase 1 – Publication of the Call for the Start Cup and Internal University Selection
- Application by the students teams shall be submitted by August 31st, 2026
- Each partner university will organize a local selection process and nominate one best team by September 15th, 2026
Phase 2 – Preparation/online cross-cultural mentorship between mid-September and end of October
- All the students teams selected will participate in at least 4 webinars of preparation (organised with UNIMED Start Cup, UMU and UNINT and local stakeholders)
Phase 3 – Start Cup competition, evaluation of the Jury and award
- The jury, composed of 1 representative of the HE Ministry + 1 from NGOs and civil society + 1 from local authorities + 1 Alumni + 1 from industry, will evaluate the above-mentioned materials and the pitch on the day of the Start Cup Competition according to predefined criteria in order to select the best innovative business idea.
- Three finalists will be selected and will present their projects during the Networking Event in Zakho University; all the teams will attend the Networking Event
Evaluation criteria
The business ideas are evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Innovation and creativity (25%)
- Feasibility and implementation potential (20%)
- Social and economic impact (20%)
- Contribution to employability and internationalisation (15%)
- Sustainability and scalability (10%)
- Quality of presentation and pitching (10%)
RISE Start Cup Awards
- Certificates of Excellence
- Mentorship opportunities
- Visibility through RISE and UNIMED networks
- Opportunities for future collaboration and project development
Proposed agenda for Start Cup and Networking Event
Day 1: Arrival of the partners (students and faculty members) in Duhok during the day. An intercultural activity for the students as an ice-breaking activity will be organised, followed by a welcome social dinner
Day 2: Start Cup Competition at DPU + social dinner
Day 3: Transfer from Duhok to Zakho in early morning around 8 am for the Networking Event, which will last the entire day. The morning would be dedicated to roundtables with stakeholders, while the afternoon would focus on networking activities, followed by a dinner in Zakho.
Participation in the Networking Event
The same student teams selected for the RISE 2026 Start Cup, together with their academic mentors, will participate in the Networking Event. Each partner university is entitled to send three students and one professor to attend both events.
Contact Information
For further information, participants are encouraged to contact their university focal points:
RISE Local Coordination Team
Abdullah Omar Yassen, Erbil Polytechnic University
Email: [email protected]
Project website: https://www.risekrdproject.eu/