On November 17, 2021, the Limited Liability Company "EKONOMIKAS UN KULTŪRAS AUGSTSKOLA" (EKA University of Applied Sciences) and the Central Finance and Contracts Agency (CFLA) signed an agreement on the ERDF project "Innovation Grants for Students in the Interdisciplinary Areas of Art, Culture, Economics and IT (MaKE IT) ”, No. 1.1.1.3/21/A/003 implementation. The project will last for 24 months (22.11.2021-21.11.2023).

The aim of the project is to increase the entrepreneurial capacity of students by promoting cooperation between universities, students and businesses. The project will implement the student innovation program “Innovation Grants for Students in the Interdisciplinary Fields of Art, Culture, Economics and IT (MaKE IT)”, developed by EKA in the pre-project period in cooperation with project partners and strategic partners (EKA, AK and BA student councils, Latvia Union of Designers, Association “CLEANTECH LATVIA”, Association “Latvian Information Technology Cluster”, Latvian Open Technology Association (LATA) and Association “ABSL LATVIA”).

The main target group of the project is students of all levels and programs, as well as students of the last grades of vocational secondary schools and general secondary schools. Scholarships and other support for the implementation of an innovative idea or grant will be available to the participants of the project′s target group.

“Implementation of student innovation program MaKE IT activities” - within it 11 motivation, involvement and networking events will be organized - 8 hackathons, 3 networking events or Competence Fair and 1 idea repository - database will be created and maintained.

“Selection, evaluation and implementation of student innovation applications” - within the activity at least 56 small grants will be implemented (at least 168 students involved), 29 innovations will be created (large grants; 87 students involved), 5 new companies of student teams will be created, involving at least 15 students.

“Communication and publicity measures on the implementation and results of the Student Innovation Program MaKE IT” - within the activity one website will be developed, which will reflect the implementation of the MaKE IT program and provide information and publicity measures for the project.

Total costs of the project: 1 075 534,72 EUR (of which total eligible costs: 1 075 534,72 EUR): ERDF funding: 83.68% of eligible expenditure - EUR 900,000.00; private financing: 16.32% - EUR 175,534.72.