Upcoming Knowledge Rise Project Workshop: “Training and Mentoring Entrepreneurship in Higher Education” – Sharing Best Practices Across Europe

How can we help students develop entrepreneurial thinking? How can we build effective mentorship in startup education? 

We’ll discuss these questions during the first workshop in a series designed to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship capacities in higher education institutions, as part of the Knowledge Rise project, funded by the EIT HEI Initiative. This workshop is part of a broader effort to boost the innovation capacity of universities and strengthen the integration between higher education and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

This interactive workshop brings together leading experts from Ukraine, Slovakia, and Croatia to share hands-on experiences and lessons learned in training and mentoring future entrepreneurs in academia. The event will focus on developing effective support systems for student innovation, creating strong mentor-mentee relationships, and integrating entrepreneurial thinking into educational ecosystems.

Date: November 20, 2025
Time: 15:00 – 16:30 CET

Guest Speakers and Topics

Jane Klepa – Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, SET University, Ukraine
Topic: Success Stories of Innovation and Deep Tech in Ukraine: Startups, Ecosystem, Education
Jane brings extensive experience in leading innovation projects and mentoring startup teams in Ukraine’s fast-evolving tech scene.

Rory Taylor – Head of Public Funding, G-Force, Slovak Republic
Topic: Lessons Learned During Acceleration Programmes
With years of experience designing and managing acceleration programmes, Rory will share critical takeaways for supporting entrepreneurial growth.

Deni Nurkić – CTO/Founder, Nuqleus; Service Manager, European Digital Innovation Hub Crobohub++; Innovation Center Nikola Tesla (ICENT), University of Zagreb, Croatia
Topic: Experience of The Acceleration Programme Including Context of “Team – Mentor” Relationship
Deni will delve into the dynamics of team-mentor relationships within deep-tech acceleration contexts, offering actionable guidance for educators and mentors.

Why Attend?

On November 20 at 15:00 (CET), we invite teachers and mentors involved in entrepreneurship-related courses, as well as all educators interested in developing entrepreneurial education in higher education institutions, to join us.

Participants will:

• Gain insights into successful startup ecosystems and educational approaches across different European countries.
• Learn practical strategies for running acceleration programmes and supporting deep-tech ventures.
• Explore how to foster impactful mentor-mentee relationships within entrepreneurial courses and projects.
• Network with educators, mentors, and innovation professionals engaged in transforming higher education.

Participation is free – Registration link: https://forms.gle/rgF7xyqmJyid32w8A

Registration closes on November 16, you will receive the ZOOM link after registering. Please make sure you enter the correct email. Stay tuned for more updates on the Knowledge Rise project and upcoming events in this exciting workshop series.

The “Knowledge Rise: Advancing Sustainable Blue-Green Economies via Deep Tech – Innovation Capacity Building in Higher Education” project (https://knowledge-rise.eu/) supports SET’s mission to enhance digital transformation and innovation capacity. It is part of the broader CloudEARTHi initiative and is funded by the European Union through the EIT HEI Initiative, coordinated by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), Cohort 4.