Issues of ecology and innovation were discussed at the InnoWeek - 2022

How to connect students with business ideas and proposals?  What needs to be done to develop a startup culture in the country?  These and other issues were discussed at the panel discussion on "Solving environmental problems through the implementation of startup projects and the opportunities of attracting investments " as part of the international week InnoWeek - 2022.
 Senior Advisor of the National Venture Fund "UzVC" Alisher Shaikhov noted during the event that about 35 million people live in Uzbekistan, but only a few are involved in environmental issues.  While the problems of environmental protection, waste recycling must be addressed consistently.
 “We have been talking about the Aral for many years, and the water area is getting smaller.  We talk about trees, but they are cut down.  Among our audience, students are participating in this discussion, they can play a role in solving problems.  It is important for us to expand the community of like-minded people, to jointly solve global and regional problems,” said Alisher Shaikhov.
 Svetlana Bokacheva-Urnysheva, Project Manager of the "Programme for Pilot Testing of Innovative Solutions in Moscow" of the Innovation Agency in Moscow, was in solidarity with the speaker - the problems of environmental protection are not limited to one country, this issue is on a larger scale.  She, in turn, spoke about Moscow's experience in introducing innovations into urban planning programs, including resolving issues with waste processing.
 “We are actively cooperating internationally and in popularisation of innovations abroad.  We are glad that the topic of ecology is being raised in Uzbekistan, and this is being discussed this Week.  We are ready to cooperate, help your projects and offer our projects for consideration,” the speaker said.
 “In matters of solving environmental problems, it is important to develop the potential of scientific and educational institutions,” said Turdimurot Tursunmuratov, Vice-Rector of Inha University in Tashkent.  - In this regard, it is important for us to optimize the system "education - science - production."  Many universities have innovation development centers, and certain steps have already been taken in this regard.
 Salimzhan Buriev, Deputy Director of the Research Institute for the Ecology and Environmental Technologies under the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Environmental Protection, also emphasized the importance of establishing ties with the younger generation and involving them in new projects.
 “One of the main problems is that there is no connection between business and science,” says Aleksey Volkov, national coordinator of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Program in Uzbekistan.  – For example, in other countries, businessmen set a specific task, and university students can try to solve it in their projects.  We still have an idea of   higher education as a system where students are given textbooks, according to which they must memorize everything, and in practice they are then re-taught again.  Meanwhile, the world is changing.  If we talk about real problems for which IT solutions can be created, then we have had the idea of   digitalizing trees in Tashkent since a long time.  This would help to solve the problem of managing the wood funds. So, you can release an application, and set the task of developing them for students of specialized universities.
 The speaker advised the young participants, when developing startups, to see the “pain” of the audience, that is, the real problem that people need to solve.  After all, end users need certain things that could be solved by innovative projects and startups.
 The participants agreed that the introduction of innovative projects, including in ecology, is a task for both business and the younger generation, which cannot be discounted.  Young people have a huge potential that can and should be developed.

“We all need to combine forces to set goals. Do not waste time on the implementation of irrelevant projects, but you need to identify working ideas. It is important for the younger generation to guide, including in the creation of new projects. We hope that this event within the framework of InnoWeek will allow us to take a step towards new goals and objectives and in a year we will discuss these achievements," said Alisher Shaykhov, Senior Advisor to the National Venture Fund "UzVC".