Izabela Trepáčová and Denis Práznovský, doctoral students at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology of the Slovak University of Technology (FEI STU) and alumni of the START program at the STU University Technological Incubator, participated with their startup project UniDiaQ in the prestigious E*5 KAIST Global Program 2026 in South Korea as the only team representing Europe.
E*5 KAIST Global is an elite accelerator program designed to support promising early-stage startup teams composed of students from leading global universities. The program focuses on deep-tech verticals, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, biotechnology, healthcare, advanced materials, climate technology, and other emerging technological domains.
Izabela Trepáčová and Denis Práznovský successfully completed the curriculum, receiving an official certificate signed by the Director of Startup KAIST. Furthermore, they gained access to the extensive entrepreneurial ecosystem of the prestigious KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology), which remains available to them post-program.
The program structure comprised remote online mentoring with experienced South Korean experts, followed by an intensive five-day on-site residency at the KAIST campus in Daejeon. During this residency, the team participated in a Pre-Demo Day and underwent rigorous mentoring to refine their pitch deck. Accompanied by a dedicated university student guide ("buddy"), the Slovak startup conducted a campus tour and analyzed the local technological ecosystem. The program culminated in a Demo Day in Seoul, featuring a final pitch and project presentation delivered to an expert panel and Asian venture capital investors.
„Comparing our progress with early-stage startups from diverse international backgrounds was highly beneficial, despite the variations in industry verticals. Additionally, attending the Next Rise 2026 conference in Seoul provided significant strategic inspiration and enabled valuable networking opportunities with global enterprises,” noted co-founder Izabela Trepáčová.
The initiative utilizes a hybrid educational architecture, blending digital development modules with an intensive experiential residency in South Korea, situated within one of the world's most dynamic innovation ecosystems.
KAIST is recognized globally as a premier technical university and an Asian hub for technological innovation, having catalyzed the launch of hundreds of successful startups and spin-off enterprises. According to the QS World University Rankings, it places within the top 20 global institutions for Materials Science.
The startup UniDiaQ (University & Universal Diagnostics and AcQuisition) is a university-derived project specializing in sports diagnostics driven by artificial intelligence. UniDiaQ engineers AI algorithms and cloud-based software featuring real-time dashboards designed to process user-provided biomechanical data streams (originating from wearable devices, electromyographs, and spirometers, among others). The primary objective is to build an integrated platform capable of synthesizing data into a unified, continuously evolving digital profile of human functional performance. This methodology facilitates the early identification of suboptimal or high-risk biomechanical patterns, diagnostics, injury prevention, and personalized physiotherapy protocols. Target market segments include athletic clubs, sports medicine facilities, and diagnostic centers.
The UniDiaQ enterprise unites students from FEI STU in direct alignment with the FEI STU Technological Institute of Sports, with acknowledgment extended to Ľuboš Chovanec and Michal Jeleň. The project is led by FEI STU doctoral candidates Izabela Trepáčová and Denis Práznovský, with collaboration from Dávid Szépvölgyi, also affiliated with FEI STU. The team previously presented their business model at the Startup Pitch 2026 event. Prior to their departure to South Korea, the founders underwent acceleration mentoring with STU Incubator advisors Jakub Hrušovský and Matúš Horváth to optimize their pitch deck and presentation delivery. At KAIST, the team was accompanied by the Director of CEPSIT STU, Peter Cuninka, and InQb Ecosystem Coordinator, Ľudmila Dragulová, facilitated through strategic institutional cooperation with the Research and Innovation Authority (VAIA).
