Best Ideas at Kaleidoskoop aim to Improve the Environment

Green mindset was the common feature of the winning teams S-Kub and Sorter at the Finals of the 14th business ideas competition Kaleidoskoop. Both teams have a bigger goal of saving the planet and promoting environmentally friendly behavior. 

 Tartu University team Sorter was not only the best STARTER programme team winning the possibility to pitch at the all-Estonian STARTER pitching but they also won the monetary award from the Tartu City Government. Team Sorter is developing an application that uses barcode to enable people to sort waste correctly. Idea started from the common concern that waste sorters are often facing the issue of not being sure of what waste goes to what bin. International team has already got much feedback from potential users telling that this app should have been long time ago on the market. Also garbage companies have showed interest since this app brings them cleaner waste stream. Team has succeeded to involve into the development process companies that are willing to provide financial support to accelerate the launch of the solution.

Anneli Ohvril, the leader of the team Sorter commented the victory: „ Cleaner planet ja environmental protection is our bigger goal and our application helps to achieve it. We are happy that our idea got attention and award from Tartu City. It shows that Tartu cares for clean environment and we have a partner to cooperate with “.  

Member of the judges’ panel Alo Lilles, Head of Business Development at the Tartu City Government told that. „Sorter team has an awesome idea. Their solution helps to save our environment and it matches Tartu’s values of being a more environmentally friendly and greener city. Such teams are welcome to share their thoughts with us. We will soon meet with team Sorter to think about how to successfully implement the idea and pilot it here in Tartu.

Anneli Ohvril from team Sorter presenting their idea. 
 

Main prize at Kaleidoskoop and tickets to Latitude59 was given to the team S-Kub who is producing solid shampoo cubes. According to the students’ team from Estonian Business School their product helps to spare billiards of litres of water and production of plastic bottles. Today first products are ready and they are actively preparing for sales. Team lead Caty Vivien Vahi told that: „ We applied for Kaleidoskoop to test the idea and get feedback. Winning it was a great surprise for us and pitching online was also a new experience. Our team is sharing the common concern that is also our slogan – save the planet from plastic “.

Team S-kub presenting their idea via Zoom

The best health care idea at the Kaleidoskoop was given by Smart-up Lab to the team SoulCare who won the tickets to EIT Health 2021 Summit held in Sweden. SoulCare is developing a platform that connects mental health help seekers with field experts. Team leader Karl Oliver Tomson told: “We are honored to receive this award. The whole STARTER programme was a great opportunity to develop the idea, get new experience and learn. “

Team SoulCare member Oliver Tomson presenting the idea via Zoom

sTARTUp  Lab recognized the team Where’s the Food with the book „The Startup Owner’s Manual “. They are creating a contact-free ordering system for restaurants.  High school students team SNÆKK was awarded with visitor tickets to the business festival sTARTUp Day. SNÆKK is producing healthy and nutritious snacks in tubes. “

sTARTUp Lab manager Maret Ahonen commented the Kaleidoskoop Finals:  „All finalists were well prepared and of we are happy for winner. Being awarded at Kaleidoskoop gives confidence and inspires teams to work more on bringing ideas live.  We are grateful for the judges who were sincerely interested in teams’ work done and during the short time given for questions and answers that managed to give recommendations. It is pure happiness to collaborate with entrepreneurial people “.  

Event is funded by the European Social, programme Edu & Tegu and EIT Health.

Further information: Andres Vaher, Marketing and Communications Specialist, sTARTUp Lab, University of Tartu, +372 5558 7359, andres.vaher@ut.ee