i-Days Ostrava 2026: a one-day ideathon for the Moravian-Silesian Region
Innovation Days put students, young founders, researchers and companies into one team for a day. You take a real challenge of the region from the problem to a prototype and pitch it to a jury.
What you get
Design thinking on a real challenge, from problem to prototype
Multidisciplinary teams guided by experts from practice
The best team visits a university in Vienna
What it is about
i-Days start with a 90-minute online kick-off: you hear the innovation topics for the Moravian-Silesian Region, get a crash course in design thinking and leave with a short field-research assignment.
A week later the whole day in Ostrava belongs to your team: defining the problem, ideation, prototyping with mentors, pitch training and the final presentations in front of the jury.
Who can apply
- Students and graduates looking for meaningful work in the region
- Young entrepreneurs and startup teams
- Researchers interested in technology transfer
- Companies looking for talent and innovation partners
- Cities, municipalities and public administration
How it works
- 1
now
Register: free, one form for both parts
- 2
18 Nov 2026, online
Kick-off (90 min): the challenge, design thinking basics, team profiling
- 3
18–26 Nov 2026
Short field research on your assignment
- 4
26 Nov 2026, 8:30, Ostrava
Ideathon: problem, ideas, prototype, mentoring, pitch academy
- 5
26 Nov 2026, 16:15
Grand finale in front of the jury and announcement of winners
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost anything?
No. Registration is free and covers both the online kick-off and the day in Ostrava.
Do I need a team?
No. At the kick-off you fill in a short profile and we put together balanced teams of 4 to 7 people.
Does my field of study matter?
No. Health, IT, economics, marketing and social sciences all have a place in the team. The working language is Czech.
Organised by the Silesian University in Opava and the University of Ostrava, delivered by DEX Innovation Centre and the European Research University. Sponsor: CTP.
Open opportunities