ŠtartUP 2026 – an event marking the start of the academic year that brings together all students of the University of Primorska (UP) and showcases a wide range of extracurricular activities and opportunities
ŠtartUP is a social event organized by the University of Primorska to kick off the new academic year.
Why you shouldn’t miss ŠtartUP?
// Discover everything student life on the Coast has to offer
Explore a wide range of student clubs, organizations, institutions, and providers of extracurricular activities—all in one place. You might find a new hobby, develop a new skill, or discover an opportunity that could shape your university journey.
// Connect and shape your student experience
Discover activities through an interactive stamp-collecting challenge at the event stands. Collect enough stamps and you’ll receive a special surprise gift bag at the end.
// A seaside experience - find your crowd and start building your university story
ŠtartUP is more than just an event—it’s an opportunity to put your phone aside for a few hours, enjoy great company, relax in the sun by the sea, and connect with fellow students and university staff in a friendly and informal atmosphere.
- Where? Žusterna Seaside Park, Koper
- When? Saturday, 10 October 2026
- Time: 11:00–16:00
> Registration for students of the University of Primorska and other event participants.
> Volunteer application - form for assistance at the event
What to bring?
- A picnic blanket or beach towel (for relaxing by the sea, soaking up the sun, and hanging out with friends)
- A reusable water bottle (drinking water will be available from Rižana Water Supply fountains on site)
- A food container (help us reduce waste and make the event more sustainable by bringing your own)
The location offers plenty of space to relax in the sun.
Lunch and coffee will be provided (for registered participants only).
Call for exhibitors for ŠtartUP 2026 is open until 15 September > MORE INFO & REGISTRATION
The list of exhibitors for ŠtartUP 2026 will be published in September.
In the meantime, you can take a look at last year’s exhibitors to get a feel for who took part in the event and discover the kinds of opportunities that await you.
EXHIBITORS 2025
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DMFA Koper Society (Society of Mathematicians, Physicists and Astronomers Koper)).
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Erin Dance and Cultural Society (The Erin Dance and Cultural Society is responsible for introducing and developing Irish dance in Slovenia. The loyal dancers of PKD Erin, both in Ljubljana and Koper, foster the culture of Irish dance, which represents a healthy and active exercise).
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Silva Fund - a society for the quality of life of people with special needs from the coastal-karst region (The Disability Society has been operating for 30 years and, as part of its activities, covers programs of stays in a residential unit, emergency accommodation, summer/winter stays, groups, transportation, excursions and workshops. Our goal is to empower adults with developmental disabilities, maintain their abilities, strengthen individual strengths, expand knowledge and encourage them to stay in their primary environment for as long as possible).
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Workforce d.o.o. - Mjob student service (Mjob is a modern student service that allows students to easily find student work via a mobile application. We emphasize personal support, quick response and diverse work opportunities. Our goal is to connect students with employers throughout Slovenia).
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Slovenian Football Referees' Association (Central organization for professional, independent and high-quality refereeing in Slovenia. The main focus in the field of refereeing is to ensure a high level of quality, based on the uniformity of criteria and operations at all levels of competition. An essential task in this regard is to ensure the highest level of education and training of football referees).
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EUROPA DONNA, Coastal Karst Region (Society that raises awareness about breast and ovarian cancer).
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Fuego Latino Obala (Fuego Latino Obala is a community of Latin music and dance enthusiasts. They hold free dance workshops for UP students with a very diverse range of dances, through ŠportUP. They mainly dance bachata and salsa Cubano in pairs. They regularly organize the Student Festa Latino, where everyone can dance for the first time. It is a great dance party, suitable even for beginners, as they are guided through animations and workshops. You are invited to join the company of smiling, energetic and positive people!).
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Blue December Institute (The Institute provides support activities with the aim of raising awareness of autism, as well as offering people with autism appropriate treatment, educational opportunities, and social functioning, and above all, enabling active inclusion in society. In doing so, Blue December Institute connects with local, national, and international organizations, as well as other sectors, to contribute to better treatment of people with autism and to provide all necessary support programs for better inclusion in society).
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Piran Municipality Students' Club (KŠOP is an independent, non-profit and non-partisan organization where voluntarily united individuals take care of the needs of young people in the municipality of Piran. They organize events, projects and participate in events and training, and members enjoy various subsidies and benefits).
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Studio SANDRA-antistress programs; society for a better quality of life (Studio Sandra is a space for spiritual growth, relaxation and holistic well-being, led by Sandra Majcen, in Sveti Anton. It is a society that provides services in the field of spiritual research, meditation, relaxation, antistress programs and energy balance. The studio mainly hosts group meditations, the goal of which is relaxation, raising the vibration and deepening the inner world. In addition, personal counseling, life coaching and analysis of birth charts according to traditional Vedic astrology - Jyotish are also carried out, which help the individual to understand their life path and internal patterns more deeply. Studio Sandra is therefore not just a space, but a life approach that opens the door to a different way of being - more calm, conscious and connected to oneself).
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Cultural and Educational Society PiNA (For more than twenty-five years, the society has been promoting socially responsible practices and strengthening the culture of dialogue. Since its establishment, PiNA has been opening a space for meeting, informing, exchanging, connecting and cooperating in the field of social challenges. For its activities, it has acquired the status of a society in the public interest in the fields of youth, culture, education, and international development cooperation and humanitarian aid. PiNA is a member of the Europe Direct Slovenia network of points and the national information point of the CERF program, and also acts as a meeting point for non-governmental organizations of the Coastal-Karst region. It currently employs 19 people and cooperates with many external collaborators, volunteers and interns).
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Do Something for Nature - NNN (The mission of the initiative is to bring together people who love sports and nature and want to do something for nature. Regardless of the location and sport, the goal remains the same, to pick up waste and post it on our Facebook counter. United in the Do Something for Nature initiative, we also want to actively support other local and global projects in the field of nature conservation).
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Public Institute for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Development Projects of the Municipality of Izola - JZP Izola (JZP Izola was established with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the implementation of development projects of the Municipality of Izola with the help of European funds and creating an encouraging environment for self-employment and the launch of new projects for citizens and companies. In 2024, the Municipality of Izola decided to increase support for entrepreneurship with the selection of the most promising entrepreneurial ideas "One Sea of Ideas", which is organized in cooperation with JZP Izola. After last year's successful implementation, this year's selection will be held for the second time in a row. It is intended to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the Municipality of Izola and beyond, through the selection of the most promising entrepreneurial ideas that will significantly contribute to the development of new projects, the establishment of companies and networking).
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Institute for Youth, Culture and Tourism Koper (Youth Center Koper-CMK) (CMK or Youth Center Koper is intended to provide a space for creative leisure activities for young people and their empowerment through non-formal education. Various workshops, concerts and other activities for young people are organized in the youth center and its surroundings, as well as larger projects such as Street Art Fest Koper and CMoKFEST. In addition to the main center in Koper, there is also a dislocated unit in Markovec (MCMC)).
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Movement Society (The Movement Society has been teaching pole dancing for over 10 years. Pole dancing is more than exercise, it is also an expression of art that will make you feel free and confident. The training sessions are full of energy, fun and creativity, they will teach you basic movements, acrobatic figures and seductive dance routines. In addition to physical exercise, pole dancing also improves balance, coordination and mobility. It is also a great way to relax, forget about everyday worries and try something new. They invite you to join them at their stand and twirl on the pole yourself).
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ZD Koper - Health Education Center (Promotion and strengthening of health).
- Studo (Stay connected with Studo - an app for students, already used by more than 500,000 students in Slovenia, Austria and Germany. The app combines all the information you need for organized studies and extracurricular life. Reviewing schedules, courses, exams, quizzes, student nutrition, student work, news has never been so easy, with one login, in one place).
- Volunteer Office Koper (The Volunteer Office Koper is an information and connection point, an educational hub, a support for development and growth in the field of volunteering. It is available to individuals, educational institutions and other organizations that have volunteer programs, or want to strengthen awareness of the importance of solidarity, contribute to a fairer society and encourage their members, pupils, students or employees to engage in volunteering. The office organizes events, helps to declare the best volunteers in the municipality, offers a variety of professional training and a network of interested stakeholders. It was established at the end of 2021 at the initiative of the City Municipality of Koper under the auspices of Slovenian Philanthropy in the desire to further develop volunteering in this area).
- Travel Association of Slovenia (The mission of the Travel Association of Slovenia is to promote youth mobility, youth travel and volunteering, and to establish a quality network of youth hostels with the aim of improving intercultural cooperation and dialogue and strengthening the value of peace).
- Student Organization of the University of Primorska (The main activity of ŠOUP is the organization and implementation of programs and projects of extracurricular activities for students of the University of Primorska and for students of other higher education institutions and faculties in the area).
- Koper Municipality Students' Club (The Koper Municipality Students' Club is a non-profit association consisting of students and high school students with permanent residence in the area of the City Municipality of Koper (MOK) or the municipality of Ankaran. The purpose of the association is to improve the social situation of students in this area and to organize various events aimed at cultural and social engagement. These include events such as JEFF, Oživela ulica and Spranfest, as well as numerous smaller concerts that we organize throughout the year.)
- Active Students / Repono.si (Repono is an online service that enables students in student dormitories or private accommodation to have a carefree study life. It ensures the safe storage and moving of their belongings during the holidays or things they do not need in the off-season. The service includes packaging, storage, and flexible collection and delivery. With Repono, students can forget about all the logistical problems and focus on the things that are really important - studying, gaining their first work experience, and a carefree summer.)
- KO-MET (We are the Ultimate Frisbee association KO-MET, which is part of the ŠD Mavrica sports association. In the association, we are involved in playing and promoting the sport of ultimate frisbee. It is an attractive sport that is increasingly popular among young people all over the world. It is a unique sport, as it is played without referees, and boys and girls play it together. In addition to training, we also regularly participate in tournaments in Slovenia and abroad, mostly in Italy and Austria.)
- Koper People's University (Koper People's University is the largest educational and counseling center for adults in the Coastal-Krast region. Adults can complete primary and secondary education at Koper People's University, attend numerous courses and workshops, seek advice regarding career or education, and receive support for independent learning. Career counselors are also available for young people who are still deciding, parents who want to support their children in this important decision, and educational professionals who would like to include career orientation in the educational process. We also have extensive experience in implementing and organizing workshops for schools. Companies that cooperate with Koper People's University get an attentive interlocutor who provides quality training for employees, tailored to the client.)
- The Academic Choir of the University of Primorska (The Academic Choir of the University of Primorska (APZ UP) was founded in October 2004 and operated as a mixed ensemble until 2021. In its 21-year history, it has won numerous gold awards at national competitions and first places at prestigious international festivals, including in Preveza, Varna, Cantonigròs and many others. Since October 2021, the APZ UP has operated as a female choir but wants to build a new mixed ensemble again under the leadership of conductor Jan Gorjanec Danis and assistant Barbara Barać.)
- ESN Primorska (We are a student organization based in Primorska, the coastal region of Slovenia. Our mission is to guide, advise and assist international students and make sure that their time at the University of Primorska is truly unforgettable. We organize events for both Erasmus students and regular students, such as social gatherings, creative and educational workshops, sports competitions, cultural exchanges, quizzes, trips around Slovenia and much more. We also make sure that Erasmus students in Primorska settle in as easily as possible, and we offer them advice and assistance with visas and documents, accommodation and general orientation around the cities.)
- Tosama d.o.o. (Tosama, a sanitary material factory, is a company with more than a century of manufacturing tradition. It grew from a small "cotton wool and all kinds of bandages manufacturer", and today its products can be found everywhere - in hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, on store shelves and in every woman's toiletry bag. We are recognized around the world as a modern company that has been developing, manufacturing and selling hygiene and medical products since 1923. We have developed most of our products at home, as our guiding principle is that consumers deserve constant care, a responsible attitude and reliable quality. Tampons, pads and a multitude of cotton wool come out of our production halls every day; we produce everything that needs to be at hand when caring for wounds and injuries (bandages, plasters, compresses, etc.); we have a wide range of medical devices, young mothers can get everything for babies from us, there is a lot to find for home and garden, and we are especially proud of the niche products we have developed: those for the care of small animals, the first sanitary pads for both sexes, to sanitary tampons for swimming... Today, Tosama produces more than 1,200 different products, among which sanitary tampons stand out in terms of quantity. Did you know that Tosama is the second largest manufacturer of tampons for foreign brands in Europe? We produce as many as 560 million of them annually.)
- Vertigo - Aerial Acrobatics and Dance Center (Vertigo - Aerial Acrobatics Center in Izola is a place where you can try dancing on a hammock, silk, pole or hoop in a safe and fun way. The exercise promotes flexibility, strength and coordination, while also providing a relaxed and creative experience - ideal for students looking for something different and active.)
- ŠKD Capoeira Tradição Baiana (Capoeira vključuje športne elemente, kot so borba, ples, akrobatika in gimnastika. Njena kulturna širina zaobjema tradicionalno glasbo, portugalski jezik, folklorne običaje, zgodovino in filozofijo. Na družbeni ravni spodbuja medkulturno izmenjavo, medsebojno spoštovanje in sodelovanje ter medgeneracijski dialog.)
- Archery Club Ankaran (LK Ankaran is one of the older archery clubs in Slovenia and still one of the leading, more successful and versatile clubs. It covers the entire coastal karst area, as it is the only archery club in this territory and currently has 76 members. There are a total of 37 archery clubs registered in Slovenia. LK Ankaran has been registered with the Koper Municipal Council since 2015 and has been entered in the register of associations operating in the public interest since 2002. The work of the club today is mainly based on the education of young competitors, who are also already competing and bringing excellent results from competitions.)
- AED Cardiovascular Society (It is an independent and non-profit organization that strives to increase the number of publicly available AED devices, provide funds to maintain the existing network, and raise awareness of the correct response in the event of cardiac arrest.)
- The Academic Cultural and Artistic Society "Kolo" (AKUD Kolo Society) was founded in 2007 in Koper. It works with the aim of preserving, developing and presenting the cultural values of Serbian and other Balkan nations. In the very successful 18-year period so far, the society has organized a large number of cultural events, independent full-length concerts, program evenings with the participation of other groups, international meetings, seminars, guest appearances and trips abroad. Members include children from the age of 4, all the way to the elderly. The folklore groups are Kolce, where the youngest dance, then Školarci, Younger Youths A and B groups, Older Youths (15-20 years), Academic Folklore Group, Veteran Folklore Group and Beginner. We also cultivate folk singing in male and female ensembles, and a youth orchestra, where young musicians learn folk music. The premises where all our folklore and singing groups practice are located at Cankarjevi 6 in Koper. We also enroll beginners every season, so please register!)
- Vitazen Institute (The use of the non-ideological and non-religious VitaZen approach effectively helps balance relationships, personal growth, and well-being. The central tools are the counseling process and natural meditation.)
- The Pobegi - Čežarji Volunteer Fire Department (The Pobegi - Čežarji Volunteer Fire Department is an organization with a 45-year tradition, operating in the field of protection and rescue in the area of the Municipality of Koper. Throughout all these years, the organization has been governed by the fundamental principles of volunteerism and humanity, as well as a willingness to help other people in emergencies. We have participated in many interventions in our area, as well as in major disasters in Slovenia, as well as in international missions in Europe.)
- ...the list is constantly being updated.
REGISTRATION ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT
On the day of the event, we will first meet at the registration desk, where you will receive:
- a temporary StartUP / OpenUP tattoo or bracelet (representing your accreditation for the event);
- Newly enrolled students (freshmen) will receive a brand new OpenUP t-shirt (*Important: you can only receive the t-shirt at the StartUP event, there is no collection of t-shirts at a later date);
- a stamp collection card (It contains the logos of all exhibitors. The system of the event is that you receive a stamp at the exhibitors' stands when you have successfully completed an activity. For a sufficient number of stamps, you will receive a small promotional gift at the end).
SHARE YOUR MEMORIES WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
We will be collecting and following ŠtartUP highlights under the hashtag #ŠtartUP2026. Feel free to tag us—we'd love to share your event highlights!
