This year again, Split was the global stage of university entrepreneurship during the fourth international university startup competition STup!2023. This year, 30 selected startups from 17 universities in 10 countries entered the competition. They all gathered on June 30 at University of Split’s Faculty of Economics to present their startups to the jury and win entry to the finals, on July 1, among eight best teams.

STup!2023 competition is organized as part of University Green Digital HUB project, with the support of City of Split, European Maritime University Alliance (SEA-EU), Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) and City of Split’s Tourist Board.

At the beginning of this two-day competition, Faculty of Economics’ dean, prof. Vinko Muštra Ph.D., University of Split Vice-rector, prof. Igor Jerković Ph.D., Split mayor, prof. Ivica Puljak Ph.D. and City of Split’s Tourist Board representative, Mr. Duje Vulas, addressed the participants.

The program also included various lectures. After the competition ended, the jury had to decide which eight startups would advance to tomorrow's final. Two startups from each category made it and they are Adity, ADSOL, Cobalt Contraception, ECODECS, Evacuate, FarmIt, Smart Nest and Starkid Universe.

On the second day, eight best startups presented their ideas to a four-member jury. Victory and the award 'Best University Startup 2023' went to ECODECS from University of Malaga in Spain, startup FarmIt from the University of Belgrade in Serbia won second place and the Smart Nest team, made up of this year's youngest competitors from high school in Tomislavgrad and two University of Split students were third.

This year, Stup!2023 took place as part of the University Green Digital HUB project. Its main goal is to strengthen digital, green and entrepreneurial skills in students, university startups and employees, as well as to strengthen higher education institutions’ capacities in teaching for digital and green transitions. "University Green Digital HUB" project lasts for 24 months and is co-financed with funds from the Erasmus+ program.