On September 1, Skoltech (part of the VEB.RF Group) celebrated the Day of Knowledge — the official start of the new academic year and the opening of the Innovation Workshop. In 2026, the Institute has welcomed 257 MSc and 176 PhD students. During orientation meetings held before the Day of Knowledge, new students had the opportunity to get acquainted with the Institute, learn about the various opportunities available to them, and have their questions about campus life and studies answered.

The students were welcomed with words of encouragement by Skoltech President and RAS Academician Yulia Gorbunova, Deputy Chairman of the Skoltech Board of Trustees Viktor Vekselberg, and leading professors of the Institute. They emphasized that Skoltech is not just a university, but a place where science transforms into technology and ideas evolve into products. Innovative thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset are instilled in students from day one, with the Innovation Workshop serving as the key instrument of this transformation.

Each year, new Skoltech students begin their journey with the Innovation Workshop — a course for all fields of study. First-year students learn the fundamentals of technology entrepreneurship and turn their own ideas into real projects. The course is taught not only by Skoltech professors but also by invited experts from industry and academia. Students come up with their own project ideas and take them from concept to finished product.

In his address, Professor of the Practice Dmitry Kulish from the Skoltech Entrepreneurship Center, the lead instructor of the Innovation Workshop, noted that over the course of a month, students will work in interdisciplinary teams on real industry challenges, interacting with potential product users and experts. During September, students will engage in prototyping, mentoring sessions, a project fair, and much more.

The celebration concluded with the ringing of the first bell in Skoltech’s main hall.