Program Validate
In the Validate program, you will quickly turn your idea into a clear project and verify whether it makes sense to keep developing it.
Who the program is for
The program is primarily for Comenius University students and graduates (up to 5 years after graduation) who have an early-stage idea or project. It is also open to Comenius University staff and researchers whose project has the potential to be applied in practice, especially as a university spin-off.
What kind of idea can you join with?
It doesn’t matter whether your idea is “technological.” What matters is that it makes sense and has the potential to be applied in practice. The only requirement is that the project is innovative—whether it involves product innovation, service innovation, or process innovation.
What is the goal?
The goal is to help you clarify what exactly you are working on, for whom, and how to validate it in practice. The focus is not on theory, but on real progress—first tests, first reactions, clearer direction, and a decision on what to do next.
How it works
- The Validate program lasts 10 weeks,
- We meet once per week (online or in person),
- Each week you’ll get a small, clear task that moves your project forward,
- We also offer online/offline office hours—short consultations depending on team interest and capacity,
- You will also have access to space for meetings and collaboration within the Comenius University Science Park.
What you gain in the Validate program
- Clarity in your idea — turning chaos into a concise project you can explain in 60 seconds,
- A regular rhythm and deadlines — so your project actually moves forward, even alongside school,
- Feedback — questions and comments that reveal weak spots and save you time,
- Templates and simple tools to help you define the key questions and answers,
- Community and connections — meet people at a similar stage and potentially find collaborators,
- Facilities and workspace — subject to capacity (coworking and meeting rooms at the Science Park).
What you’ll take away
By the end, you will have:
- A clearer definition of your problem and target audience,
- Initial real-world validation (interviews/testing/feedback),
- A simple first version of your solution or a prototype (depending on the project type),
- A short presentation: what you learned, what you tested, and what your next step will be.
Wrap-up and progression to Build & Grow
At the end of the Validate program, teams briefly present how far they’ve progressed and what they validated. Teams that demonstrate results and potential will receive an invitation to the Build & Grow program.
Apply to the Validate program
We usually open applications twice a year (spring/autumn). Applications for the Validate programme will open again in September 2026.
The application has two parts:
- Online form – One person can submit it for the whole team. It takes about 20–30 minutes and helps us understand your project, team, and motivation.
- Video introduction – Briefly and naturally tell us: who you are (team roles and skills), what problem you solve, who it’s for, what you want to validate/improve in the program, and what you expect from it. A phone video is enough—the goal is content, not production quality. This is what the video introduction should look like.
Important: The video is not uploaded as a file. You add it as a link directly in the form. Upload it, for example, to YouTube as Unlisted (not public), or to Google Drive with access set to “anyone with the link can view,” and paste the link into the application.
Team capacity in Validate is limited so we can properly support each team. If we receive more applications than we can accept, we will select those where we see the strongest value and potential for progress.