The latest edition of EUNICE Start Cup, a business idea competition between students from EUNICE universities, was held in Vaasa, Finland on 24-25 April 2025. PhD student Aleksandra Makiej from the Poznan University of Technology, Poland, presented the winning idea WoundWise, a next-generation hydrogel dressing that accelerates the healing of infected and chronic wounds.
– I’m happy to receive the feedback that my idea could actually become a product that people will see. I want to thank my friends for supporting me the whole way, Makiej says.
The team was awarded with a €1,000 prize.
– The most important thing for me is not winning but making new friends. Having new contacts in other countries will be benefiting from the point of view that you don’t know what the future will bring, and some day we can maybe help each other with projects.
In addition to pitching, students got valuable feedback from the jury and got to engage in an insightful workshop at the Vaasa Startup Factory.
– Start Cup is really great for networking and to get to know other students’ ideas that can be from different field than mine. You can have a broader perspective on innovative ideas of other people around your age, Makiej says.
This year, there were in total eight teams participating in the competition. SiCk detectors from the University of Cantabria, Spain, came in second place, and Moro Food Co. from the University of Vaasa, Finland, took the third place.
Held now for the third time, EUNICE Start Cup is designed to support students in the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey. Each university organises a local competition and selects a team to participate in the finals.
