2025-03-05 11:46

The Best Biotech Startups from school and college students

The Neiry Group has concluded its federal educational program “Deeptech Brainstorm”, designed for high school and university students. The program aimed to teach young minds the fundamentals of product thinking, inspire them to create their first working tech startup, and develop their entrepreneurial skills. A key goal was to help students build competitive startups with real market potential in the coming years.

The curriculum covered the full startup journey—from identifying societal challenges to attracting investors. The open enrollment phase received 1,677 applications from across the country, with 111 of the most promising students selected for the program.

Over two months, participants underwent online training in developing socially significant tech products, working with emerging technologies, building product value, market analysis, financial planning, and preparing for investor pitches.

Winners – High School Category

🏆 Grand Prize: Kirill Blokhin (School No. 9, Kizlyar) – MindchargeX

A device that enhances productivity and reduces stress using electrical impulses to stimulate key brain areas.

🥈 Albert Sycevich (School No. 199, Moscow) – Plasteco

A unique bacteria-based technology for plastic waste recycling, with no analogs in Russia. The project envisions a factory, laboratory, and patent development, with a long-term goal of recycling 90% of plastic waste into biomaterials.

🥉 Zhaksilyk Gafuzhan (School No. 843, Moscow) – Denty

A neuro-sensor for teeth that allows users to monitor their dental health at home and receive personalized reports for timely dentist visits. This device could potentially replace traditional dental check-ups.

Winners – University Category

🏆 Grand Prize: Daria Kashina (MIPT, Moscow) – SpeechAct

A hardware-software system for thought-controlled communication—an application enabling individuals with speech impairments to generate speech and execute commands through imagined speech recognition.

🥈 Artem Arekhov (RGUPS, Rostov-on-Don) – NeuroFit

An affordable cognitive health solution for the elderly, integrating a mobile app with cognitive exercises and real-time brain activity tracking using a neurointerface. NeuroFit also connects users with healthcare institutions for easier access to professional assistance.

🥉 Dmitry Gribanov (Skoltech, Odintsovo) – NeuroSleep

A smart sleep mask with EEG electrodes that wakes users up during the optimal sleep phase, improving sleep quality and reducing stress. The long-term goal is to minimize health risks and boost overall productivity.

“The best way to shape the world according to your values is to instill them in the next generation from an early age. That’s why we reward young innovators passionate about deeptech and, in particular, neurotech.” — Alexander Panov, CEO of Neiry

“One of the project’s key goals is to encourage young entrepreneurs to focus on making long-term, sustainable contributions to society. I believe we have succeeded in achieving this.”— Sofiya Shaginyan, project expert and head of programs at the ‘Towards Change’ Foundation for Social Initiatives in Childhood

At the program’s final stage, participants presented their projects to experts and entrepreneurs. Each finalist received a certificate from the ‘Talent’ platform, which can be used to earn additional admission points for university applications.

Project Experts:

Alexander Panov – CEO, Neiry
Vasily Popkov – Head of the Invasive Neurointerfaces Group, AI Institute, MSU
Timur Bergaliev – CEO, BiTronics Lab & Head of the Applied Cybernetic Systems Lab, MIPT
Anton Ivanov – Clinical Psychologist & R&D Consultant, Neiry
Kristina Kudryavtseva – Product Owner, Brainy Neurocareer Guidance, Neiry
Tigran Baseyan – Director, Geekz School
Sofiya Shaginyan – Head of Programs, ‘Towards Change’ Foundation
…and many more.