Our department took part in the CIG R&D Lab 2018–2019 educational and scholarship program at NTU “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”. As a result of the project competition, the student team presenting the “Innovative Project: Development of a Technology for the Production of Luminescent Paving Slabs” won the grand prize from CIG – an investment of 400,000 UAH for further project development.
Congratulations to Karina Belogubkina, Borys Karputin, and Nataliia Reheda on their well-deserved victory! Keep up the great work, friends!
In the qualifying stage of the CIG R&D Lab educational and scholarship program for 2018/2019, 22 teams of young scientists, postgraduates, and students from NTU “KhPI” competed. Startup projects were evaluated by a panel of CIG experts and university faculty members.
The student team from group HT-34n, consisting of Borys Karputin, Karina Belogubkina, and Nataliia Reheda, under the supervision of Senior Researcher Ruslan Viktorovych Kryvobok, presented the project “Innovative Project: Development of a Technology for the Production of Luminescent Paving Slabs”.
14 teams with the highest scores advanced to the second round—and we were among them!
The second round was held in the format of a project defense before the CIG R&D Lab commission on October 9 at the Scientific and Technical Library of NTU “KhPI.”
Out of the 14 projects presented, five of the most interesting and promising were selected. Once again, our students were among the best! As a result of the second round, our team received a scholarship to implement the project.
After a year of intense work, during which the students received a scholarship as well as expert and mentoring support from Chernovetskyi Investment Group (CIG), the participants presented the results of their work to the commission and a wide audience.
Team member and NTU “KhPI” student Karina Belogubkina, who was part of the winning team, explained that the development could be used in parks and squares that are not lit at night.
«The uniqueness of the project lies in the fact that we are not just making paving slabs—we have entered a new niche in the market. These are slabs that glow in the dark. The product is much more durable than existing alternatives, which typically use a surface-level luminescent layer that wears off over time. Our tiles can be used for years, as they withstand high loads, freezing temperatures, and various climate conditions».
Following the project presentations, the commission selected two top projects:
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“Innovative Project: Development of a Technology for the Production of Luminescent Paving Slabs”
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“Reconstruction and Modernization of Kharkiv’s Thermal Energy Sector”
Both teams received investments from CIG for further project development. Our team was awarded the grand prize — 400,000 UAH.
According to Heorhii Lisachuk, Head of the Research Division at KhPI, such programs are important because they offer real prospects for students. Participants get a “taste” of working on real-world projects and realize they are not alone—there are organizations willing to support them with financial and expert assistance.
Acknowledgments
The team expresses their gratitude to:
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PhD student Yevhen V. Chefranov
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Prof. Halyna M. Shabanova
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Assoc. Prof. Valentyna V. Taranenkova
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Prof. Heorhii V. Lisachuk
for their consultations, help, and support.
We also extend sincere thanks to Chernovetskyi Investment Group for being a company and foundation that is willing to support youth startups and help bring them to life.
Today, our students have opportunities to work for foreign companies, but it is equally important that they realize their brilliant ideas here in Ukraine.