On April 20, 2026, at the Ukrainian-Danish Youth House “Youth Science and Innovation Day” took place – an event that brought together schoolchildren, students, young and leading scientists, innovators, and business representatives around a common goal: turning scientific ideas into practical solutions.
The event was organized by the Innovation Center of the Kyiv Academic University, the Council of Young Scientists of the NAS of Ukraine, and the Noosphere Engineering School.
Participants had the opportunity to join real projects, receive evaluations from business, find teams for startups, and determine the prospects for commercializing their developments.
The director of Kyiv Academic University, academician Oleksandr Kordyuk, in his speech, drew attention to the problem of the “valley of death” between science and business – a gap that complicates the implementation of research results. According to him, overcoming this barrier is possible through active interaction between scientists and the entrepreneurial environment, and such events create the necessary conditions for this.
The deputy director of the university, head of the Academ.City project, Oleksandra Antonyuk, emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue: participants had the opportunity not only to present their own research but also to find partners for collaboration and startup creation.
The head of the Council of Young Scientists of the NAS of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kovalchuk, stressed that communication between different fields opens new opportunities for applying the results of fundamental research.
During the event, young researchers presented a number of developments with applied potential.
Infrastructure Restoration.
Yevhen Kurov (Pryazovskyi State Technical University) proposed a technology for field repair of large-diameter pipes, which allows restoring damaged networks without complete replacement. The solution is based on controlling thermal welding cycles to increase the resistance of seams to impact loads.
A prototype of the mobile INFERNO system (Roman Kohutanych, Elina Tolochina) was separately presented, capable of neutralizing drones using high-power microwave radiation.
Biomedical Solutions.
Alyona Maziy presented a bioadhesive film based on hydroxyethyl cellulose with propolis, which can be used as a compact alternative to antiseptics. Laboratory studies confirmed its ability to inhibit the growth of microorganisms and destroy biofilms.
Energy and Recycling.
Oleksandr Potapenko (Interdepartmental Department of Electrochemical Energy of the NAS of Ukraine) proposed an approach to recycling lithium-ion batteries that allows obtaining cathode materials with improved characteristics. The technology involves partial replacement of iron with manganese and can be implemented on existing production facilities.
Space Technologies.
Vira Filatova (G.V. Kurdyumov Institute of Metal Physics of the NAS of Ukraine) presented the results of the Ukrainian team’s participation in the international hackathon ActInSpace 2026, where it ranked among the top five in the world. The development concerns smart antennas for nanosatellites based on high-entropy shape-memory alloys, which provide more reliable deployment of structures in space.
Environment and Risk Forecasting.
Viktor Nikoryak (Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and NAS of Ukraine) presented the GeoHydroAI platform for water resource analysis and flood zone forecasting. The use of machine learning algorithms increased calculation accuracy by 50-70%. The project is implemented with the support of German partners and aims to create an open national risk assessment tool.
In addition, developments in the fields of bioactive substance synthesis, satellite technologies, production process modeling, alternative energy, and artificial intelligence were presented.
As a result of the event, teams with the most promising ideas received the opportunity to continue working with experts and scientists. In particular, comprehensive support is provided for teams: training in innovation management and business modeling, mentoring by specialists from the KAU Innovation Center and NAS of Ukraine scientists, assistance in preparing pitch presentations and video materials, consultations on international grant opportunities, as well as scholarship support from the Noosphere Engineering School and financial incentives.
The event demonstrated the high potential of young researchers and at the same time the relevance of creating platforms where science, business, and society can work together on practical solutions for the country.
According to information from Kyiv Academic University
