November in Košice belongs to innovation, startups, and entrepreneurship.
The city comes alive with bold ideas — from Art & Tech Days and Forbes Business Fest, all the way to the Startup Awards Slovakia 2025 Finale.
The Biggest Startup Event of the Year
27 November 2025 – National Theatre Košice
9 finalist teams. 1 stage. 1 chance to convince the jury and investors.
Startups, mentors, and investors come together for a day of inspiration, innovation, and opportunity.
The best Slovak startups will compete for a €250,000 investment from the Seed Starter Fund by Slovenská Sporiteľňa.
And don’t miss the keynote from Uri Levine, co-founder of Waze and Moovit, plus top-tier networking with the leaders shaping the startup scene.
Aerostacks
Aerostacks is revolutionizing mountain safety with precise, real-time avalanche predictions based on advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI), satellite, and drone technology.
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Aima
It developed a practical, pocket-sized blood stain remover for clothes – a compact roll-on product that can remove both fresh and dried blood stains in as little as 30 seconds.
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Norriv
Hologram Box holographic devices – intelligent 3D visual systems that use artificial intelligence (AI) to create realistic holograms without the need for glasses.
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Elevon.io
Elevon is a platform that connects AI assistants, your data, and integrations into reliable workflows.
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Tapaya
Tapaya allows developers to transform any mobile application into a certified contactless payment terminal.
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Personeo.ai
Personeo.ai is an AI platform that replaces traditional training by allowing teams to practice and improve key skills using realistic conversation simulations with AI-driven virtual characters.
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CultiWise
Precise spraying and variable rate application of pesticides, fertilizers, and seeds, all managed by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
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Infantsim
The first anatomically accurate 3D-printed simulator that allows surgeons to safely and effectively train for minimally invasive operations on newborns, thereby improving their skills to ensure the best possible outcomes for small patients.
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Shealed
Shealed is developing a precise at-home diagnostic test for the rapid and discrete self-diagnosis of vaginal infections (bacterial or yeast) based on a home-collected sample.
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The night doesn’t end with the finale!
Join us at the East Slovak Gallery for unforgettable networking and the legendary afterparty — hosted by DJ VI3E.
Watch highlights from Startup Awards Slovakia 2024 and relive the energy before we meet again this November.
Košice will be buzzing with creativity and innovation all week.
Alongside the Startup Awards Finale, other events will bring together technology, business, and culture.
*Ticket holders of Forbes Business Fest Košice are entitled to a 25% discount on SASK Finale tickets.
25.11.
Art & Tech Days
A festival blending art, technology, and digital culture.
26.11.
Forbes Business Fest Košice
Forbes’ leading business and innovation festival in Slovakia, hosted in Košice.
The All in One Cocktail by Business Košice
Networking event
27.11.
Art & Tech Conference
A unique conference bringing together artists, innovators, designers, policymakers, and visionaries from around the world.
Startup Awards Finale & AfterParty
Slovak startup Oscars
28.11.
Art & Tech Days
Continuing festival program with talks, installations, and performances.
29.11.
Art & Tech Days
Continuing festival program with talks, installations, and performances.
Getting to Košice for the Startup Awards Finale is easy – whether you’re coming from Bratislava, Prague, or beyond.
From Bratislava: direct flights with low-cost airlines such as WizzAir.
From Prague: direct flights several times a week.
From Bratislava: direct fast trains operated by Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko (ZSSK), travel time about 5 hours, tickets from €18.
From Prague: direct connections to Košice, travel time around 8 hours, tickets from €16.
From Bratislava it takes 4.5 – 5.5 hours, depending on traffic. Parking is available near the event venues.
Košice offers a variety of comfortable hotels — from boutique options to business-class stays, all within walking distance of the venues.
Uri Levine is an Israeli entrepreneur, investor, and author, known as the co-founder of the navigation app Waze, which was acquired by Google in 2013 for more than $1.1 billion. He was later the first investor and board member at Moovit, which was acquired by Intel in 2020 for approximately $1 billion. Levine is a serial founder of startups such as Pontera (FeeX), FairFly, and Refundit, and a former board member of tech giant Infosys. He is the author of Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution and has received awards for his contribution to the development of Israel's startup ecosystem.
Linkedin profilTatiana is the co-founder and CEO of Pelikan.sk, a company that is a leader in online flight ticket sales in Slovakia.
In 2024, Tatiana co-founded the angel investor club Gluon Syndicate, which focuses on early-stage investments in fledgling companies and startups.
The goal of this club is to support the development of the startup ecosystem in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Tatiana Ondrejková is also an investor on the television show "Jama levova" (the local version of Shark Tank or Dragons' Den), where she supports aspiring entrepreneurs and shares her business experience.
Linkedin profilPeter Komorník is a Slovak entrepreneur and the co-founder of the Slido platform, which transformed the way audiences engage in conferences and online meetings.
He studied at the Faculty of Management at Comenius University (UK) in Bratislava and the Kellogg School of Management in the USA. He worked at both Samsung and Google, but achieved his greatest success when he founded Slido in 2012. Slido became a global leader in interactive event technology and was acquired by Cisco in 2021.
Today, he serves as a General Manager in the Cisco Collaboration Group and is considered one of the most prominent figures in the Slovak technology ecosystem.
Linkedin profilDalibor Cicman is a Slovak entrepreneur and the founder of GymBeam, one of the largest e-commerce players in the field of fitness and nutritional supplements in Central Europe.
He founded the company in 2014 and, thanks to an innovative direct-to-consumer (D2C) model, built it into an international brand with an annual turnover exceeding 220 million euros.
Cicman, who started his career as a programmer, was honored with the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 award and is considered one of the most prominent representatives of the new generation of Slovak technological leaders.
Linkedin profilLucia Desmarquest is a Slovak manager, academic, and investor, known as the founder of the civic association AkSen – aktívny senior (Active Senior), which supports the quality of life for older people through social innovation and digital solutions.
She previously served as a Vice President at Société Générale and lectures at the University of Fribourg on financial anthropology and social change.
In 2024, she received the WomanUp Award in the Angel Investor category for her support of startups over more than a decade in the fields of healthcare, education, and social impact.
Linkedin profil