Last week, Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) became an international hub of innovation and creativity, hosting the five-day 5Day Startup Bootcamp. The event brought together students from four partner universities of the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA): European University Viadrina (Germany), SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Poland), New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria), and MRU (Lithuania).
The 5Day Startup Bootcamp is an intensive short-term program in which students take an idea through the full startup journey – from initial concept to prototype and sometimes even a pitch to potential investors. It's a true entrepreneurial laboratory where theory meets practice, and international collaboration becomes a lived experience.
Throughout the week, mixed international teams tackled real-world challenges using startup methodologies and took inspiration from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From brainstorming to pitching, each stage required strategic thinking, creativity and responsibility.
Beyond the workshops, participants visited Tech Park Vilnius, one of the largest startup hubs in the region, as well as the global accelerator Plug and Play. Cultural experiences included a trip to Trakai and a walking tour of Vilnius Old Town.
“Bringing together like-minded individuals who are passionate about startups and innovation is a unique experience. In five days, students developed ideas, built prototypes, tested them, and pitched to a panel of investors and experts. The impressions and connections will last – and who knows, maybe some of these ideas will become real ventures,” said assoc. prof. dr. Artūras Jurgelevičius, Bootcamp coordinator and Head of the Business and Startup Management program at MRU.
