YUFE Ideas Lab is championing a new wave of European student entrepreneurs.
The Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) Alliance has successfully concluded its YUFE Ideas Lab, a six-month international incubation programme designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among students. The comprehensive hybrid program, which ran from January to June 2025, culminated in an intensive five-day onsite event in Madrid hosted by the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M).
Oncosense, an entrepreneur idea of Visiting Researcher Gaukhar Mukash and Master’s Student Nathaniel Tetteh at the University of Eastern Finland, was awarded as a best startup idea in YUFE Ideas Lab. Oncosense is developing an early cancer detection system using machine learning.
The programme brought together a diverse cohort of 26 undergraduate, Master’s, and PhD students from across the YUFE Alliance, with 40% female participation. Participants included 21 students from partner universities: University of Eastern Finland, University of Cyprus, Sorbonne Nouvelle University, University of Rijeka, Maastricht University, and University of Bremen, and 5 students from the host institution, UC3M. They developed innovative projects in critical sectors, including health, sustainability, and AI.
Pitches, prizes and a promising future
The programme culminated with a Demoday event. Students pitched their refined business ideas to an audience, showcasing the significant progress made throughout the program.
An awards ceremony recognized the most promising ideas presented:
- Social Impact Prize: Earth Guardian (a gamified marketplace for social impact initiatives), by Frederik Frieg (Maastricht University) and Ainhoa Xiomara (UC3M).
- Innovation Prize: Neura Sun (an AI-powered platform for solar panel energy production optimization), by Alejandro Ausina (UC3M).
- Best Startup Idea: Oncosense (an early cancer detection system using Machine Learning), by Gaukhar Mukash and Nathaniel Tetteh (University of Eastern Finland).
The YUFE Ideas Lab proved to be a highly effective model for transforming nascent ideas into viable projects. By combining structured online learning with an immersive onsite experience, the program successfully equipped participants with tangible skills, helped them build a strong international network, and allowed them to validate their ideas within a broader entrepreneurial community. The initiative stands as a testament to the YUFE Alliance’s commitment to strengthening European collaboration and empowering the next generation of innovators.
Source: YUFE Alliance
