At the beginning of December, students participating in our pilot project successfully realized BizTech 2024, a two-day event held at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Niš, on December 6 and 7.
Combining mechanical engineering, modern trends, and business, three students from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering—Mihajlo Milojković from the Production Information Technologies program and Tijana Kocić and Sofija Stanojev from Engineering Management—organized a series of interactive lectures and workshops aimed at students, future engineers, and anyone interested in stepping into the world of startups and innovation.
On the first day, participants received an introduction to modern trends in mechanical engineering from Dr. Miloš Stojković, a full professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš. This was followed by a lecture on hypermodal artificial intelligence by Dr. Milan Zdravković, an associate professor at the same faculty. Assistant Rajko Turudija conducted a short course on 3D printing, including a tour of the faculty’s 3D laboratory.
The second day of BizTech was exceptionally productive, with a rich and dynamic program. Assistant Ana Kitić spoke about business fundamentals, while Dr. Milena Rajić, an assistant professor, emphasized the importance of two key concepts in innovation: problem-solving and design thinking.
Miloš Grozdanović, a lawyer, economist, entrepreneur, and renowned author from Niš, delivered a concise yet invaluable course on creating an effective pitch deck. He shared various tricks and tips for improving communication and presentation skills—crucial for innovators seeking funding.
The event’s finale was dedicated to startups. Dr. Milan Banić provided an introduction to the topic, while Assistant Ana Kitić moderated an excellent panel discussion featuring representatives of successful startups from Niš. The panelists included Dimitrije Zdravković from Archfix, Dimitrije Iskrenović from Qreadible, Dušan Krstić from Nais Robotics, and Dušan Stojiljković from LigaSurg.
They shared their experiences in founding and running startups, as well as the major challenges they faced during the process. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions and gain practical insights.
BizTech 2024 offered participants a unique opportunity to acquire new knowledge, improve existing skills, network with experts and like-minded individuals, and find inspiration. Additionally, all workshop attendees had the chance to test their ideas with peers during the two-day event and received certificates of participation, which we hope will enrich their résumés and help them at the start of their careers.
It is a great pleasure to be part of such a project, and we are grateful to our students for giving us the opportunity to contribute to the development of their local academic and business communities.
