Digital Innovation Industry Project

We are inviting companies and organizations to partner with us in the Digital Innovation Industry Project course to co‑create an innovative digital solution with master’s degree students - from clearly defining a user-centered problem to developing a validated prototype.

In the course, students form teams to solve a digital product challenge proposed by partners. Over one semester, students follow a Design Thinking framework – they identify and define a user‑related problem, research user needs and problem space, and create alternative solutions for the problem. The idea selected together by the students and the partner is then developed further, tested with users, and by the end of the course an interactive prototype is delivered.

Apply to become a partner and submit your idea by 6 September

If you wish to submit a problem statement for the 2026/27 autumn semester course, contact Senior Specialist for Collaboration Development Morten Merila.

This course is ideal for partners who:

• Want to explore new directions for their products or services.
• Are looking to reach new user groups or discover new use cases for their technology.
• Struggle with unclear or complex user problems.
• Need to improve user experiences and customer satisfaction.
• Want to differentiate from competitors and discover fresh opportunities.
• Are open to collaborating with creative, multidisciplinary teams.
• Are future-thinking: want to anticipate emerging trends, technologies, and user needs.
  

What will the partner have by the end of the course?

• The rights to use a validated and tested prototype of the digital solution, together with the accompanying documentation, under a non-exclusive licence. The documentation includes, among other things, an overview of the results of user research and user feedback.

  The partner has the right to further develop the digital solution into a digital product, commercialise it, and grant sublicences to third parties for the use of the digital solution.

• A comprehensive presentation and report outlining the proposed solution and future recommendations.
• Plenty of fresh ideas and new perspectives for identifying, defining, and solving a user-centered problem.
  

Why become a Digital Innovation Industry Project partner?

• Low risk, fast pace: Ideas and solutions can be tested quickly and safely without adding pressure to the company’s own development team.
• Research-based decisions: Solution is built based on user research and improved with several iterations of user testing.
• A fresh perspective: Diverse student teams, guided by lecturers through Design Thinking framework bring creative approaches to the partner’s challenge.
• Support for talent: Collaboration with students offers the chance to identify and connect with future professionals.
• Visibility and impact: Partnering with the university helps position your organization as research-driven and forward-looking.
  

Collaboration format

Duration: One semester; each team contributes approximately 600 work hours.

Team: 3–5 master’s students, supported by lecturers from the University of Tartu Institute of Computer Science. Multiple teams may work on the same partner task in parallel.

Project flow: Problem statement → user and market research → designing solutions → ideation and sketching → prototyping → user testing → final prototype presentation to the partner.

Partner’s role: Propose the problem, provide access to relevant data, give feedback, and participate in four meetings during the semester.

Partner’s fee for the course: 3000 euros plus VAT.

Apply to become a partner!