Technologies for equal opportunities: an information session of the ITMLab 2.0 project was held at Shakarim University
Shakarim University hosted a training seminar and information session dedicated to the launch of the second season of the republican project ITMLab 2.0. The event was organized by the ITeachMe Foundation with the support of Chevron and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The main goal of the meeting is to involve active youth, including students with special needs, in the creation of inclusive technological solutions and startups.
Inclusion as a driver of innovation
During the seminar, experts explained in detail the concept of inclusion as a process of ensuring equal participation of all citizens in the life of society, regardless of their physical or social characteristics. Participants were presented with analytics showing that today more than 2.5 billion people in the world need assistive technologies, but only one in ten has access to them.
Students in the areas of Computer Science, Computer Science and Software, and Smart Systems and Programming learned how their professional skills can help solve global problems:
Development of accessible and user-friendly websites and mobile applications.
Creation of innovative prostheses and implants.
Designing an inclusive urban environment and smart gadgets.
The startup path: from idea to grant
Representatives of the foundation presented the structure of ITMLab 2.0, which includes a hackathon, an incubator and an acceleration program. The students were told about the opportunities that open up for project participants:
Financial support: The best teams based on the results of Pitch Day receive grants in the amount of 600,000 tenge for the development of their product.
Expert support: Participants work under the guidance of experienced mentors and trackers.
Professional growth: Opportunity to present your prototypes to real investors at Demo Day.
The cases of graduates of the first season, such as the development of an accessible Braille display by the “RIMA” team or the creation of “smart” devices for the blind by the “SHAKA” team, were of particular interest. These examples have proven that student ideas can grow into actually working social startups.
Results of the meeting
The seminar became an important stage in the information campaign of the project in universities of Kazakhstan. Shakarim University students received all the necessary tools and instructions to apply for the online hackathon.
Shakarim University continues to support initiatives aimed at developing social entrepreneurship and creating a barrier-free environment.