SFedU Exponent, the largest design and investment session in the South of Russia, was held at the SFedU Academy of Engineering and Technology - a traditional event where everyone can present their project, get feedback or find an investor. Since 2021, the organizer is the Institute of Computer Technology and Information Security of the Southern Federal University. This time SFedU Exponent was held with the support of the Taganrog City Administration.

In this event, the partners of the event were also ANO "Fearon", INOSTUDIO, Agency for Strategic Initiatives, Agency for Innovation Development of the Rostov region, Umbrella IT, computer Academy "TOP".

The demo day was opened by a round table dedicated to presenting the best practices in the field of project implementation. Teachers of the Southern Federal University, the National Research Nuclear University "MEPhI", and the South Russian State Polytechnic University presented their methods and developments. Platov, North Caucasus Federal University, Pyatigorsk State University.

This time, the project and investment session brought together 17 young innovators from Taganrog, Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar. The performances were divided into three types: funding pitch, elevator pitch and idea pitch. Previously, a master class "Pump up your pitching" was held for the participants, where an experienced tutor shared tips on how to cope with excitement and what to focus on in his speech.

"At previous events, we had performances and a poster section, when the guys could only communicate with investors in a personal conversation. This time we adopted the format of the world demo days with classic, fast and ultra-fast reports, giving everyone the opportunity for a public presentation.

Not only graduates of the accelerators of the Southern Federal University were invited, but also very young guys who passed the selection. There were also winners of the previous SFedU Exponent. So, Ivan Khozhainov has been leading a project with his team since the second year and a month later defends it in the startup format as a diploma. To do this, in addition to the classic protection of the WRC, he must have a recent performance at the demo day," said Anton Plenkin, Director of the SFedU Institute of Computer Technology and Information Security Project Office.

Traditionally, the range of proposed ideas has been wide. Young innovators presented startups to create a network of charging stations in the Rostov region with full control through a mobile application, neural network-based software for private household security systems, applications aimed at developing tourism in Russian cities and beyond, and much more.

"When my colleagues and I started our business about 30 years ago, we could only dream of such events, it was fantastic. It was interesting to look at the format of the session, to see how the eyes of the people who speak are burning, how investors react, to feel this atmosphere.

In addition to my main job, I am a coach of a mini-football team, so I liked the "Basket Feature" project to create a system for sports analytics. And as the head of a company engaged in the production and development of medical equipment, I liked the APK project for diagnostics and training of external respiration.

Currently, there is an increase in the number of startups in Russia, attracting young innovators to business. Companies are ready to invest in them, it remains only to develop the appropriate infrastructure, and then promising young people will definitely not want to leave anywhere," said Vadim Sakharov, director of the Neurotech scientific and medical company.

"Cooperation between the TOP Academy and the Institute of Computer Technology and Information Security project office began with the recent citywide conference "Start in IT". Therefore, we gladly accepted the invitation to visit SFedU Exponent.

I like that even junior students can act as startups and present their projects. Experts very clearly notice the main points of growth and give valuable feedback.

It is clear that the guys are trying, they do almost everything on their own enthusiasm, so today we want to support one of the teams not only with memorable prizes, but also financially," said Nina Kriulenko, director of the TOP Computer Academy in Taganrog.

At the end of the event, the organizers presented a letter of thanks to ANO "Fearon" as one of the reliable partners supporting student technological entrepreneurship, and investors shared their impressions and encouraged the startups they liked. Gifts from two SFedU Exponent partner companies, as well as a check for 30,000 rubles, were received by Vladimir Semenov, a student of the Institute of Computer Technology and Information Security with the project "Software and hardware complex for analyzing the roadway for marking violations, the presence of pits and other defects in real time."

"This is the fourth SFedU Exponent for me, a detailed presentation helped me win this time, as well as the experience of participating in city competitions for young innovators, accelerators of the Southern Federal University.

The essence of the project is simple. There is a small computer inside the car, a camera is connected to it, which analyzes the condition of the road for the presence of holes, cracks, potholes, as well as violations of road markings. After that, all the information is loaded into a single plate and visualized on the city map.

I plan to purchase components with the funds I have won. In August, my team and I intend to test the development in our city, and if successful, go to the regional, state level," Vladimir Semenov stressed.

The organizers of SFedU Exponent also have ambitious plans to bring the project and investment session to the international level in a year, because the Institute of Computer Technology and Information Security has recently taken a new height: on May 25, the project was defended here in an international team together with students from Manipal University Jaipur (India).

The summer activities of the Institute of Computer Technology and Information Security do not end there. On June 4, the international summer school "Telecommunications and Information Technologies" starts here, and on June 7, the best engineers of the South of Russia will gather under the famous palm tree at ITA SFedU to participate in the Cyber Garden Drone hackathon.