The State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) participated on October 30, 2026, in the final stage of the “Rube Goldberg” Engineering Competition, dedicated to the presentation and judging of projects.

The 10th edition of the competition was launched on September 14, 2026, in the Aula Magna of the Technical University of Moldova (TUM). The event was organized by BEST Chisinau, in partnership with TUM and AGEPI.

The challenge of the edition was to build a machine that, through a chain of reactions, would turn a page from a book. The teams presented to the jury and the public the machines that transform the idea into a functional mechanism, respecting the technical requirements of the competition: dimensions of maximum 2×2×2 meters, which include at least 20 energy transfers.

The anniversary edition brought together nine teams from eight departments and academic structures of TUM, including the Electronics and Telecommunications Department, the Power Engineering and Electrical Engineering Department, the Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics Department, the “Bogdan Petriceicu Hașdeu” University Center, the Mechanical, Industrial and Transport Engineering Department, the Urban Planning and Architecture Department, the Design Department and the Construction and Geodesy Department.

The jury team also included AGEPI specialists: Natalia Caisîm, Deputy Head of the Patents Directorate, and Svetlana Andreeva, principal specialist in the Examination Section of the Patents Directorate.

Following the presentations and the evaluation carried out by the jury, the three winning teams of the anniversary edition were designated:

• 1st Place – Chain Reaction (Electronics and Telecommunications Department);
• 2nd Place – R-252 (Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics Department);
• 3rd Place – DownPipe (Mechanical, Industrial and Transport Engineering Department).

During the award ceremony, the winning teams were rewarded for their hard work, creativity and commitment during the competition. In addition to the special awards given to the teams on the podium, all 45 participants received prizes and gifts from AGEPI and other partners, as a sign of appreciation for their effort and dedication.

The “Rube Goldberg” Competition, unique in the Republic of Moldova, encourages students to combine technical knowledge, creativity, imagination and team spirit to design and build machines capable of performing a seemingly simple action through a complex chain of reactions.

For AGEPI, involvement in this competition represents an opportunity to strengthen the connection between intellectual property, education, creativity and innovation. As a partner, AGEPI contributed to the dissemination of knowledge in the field of intellectual property among the participants and to the judging of the works.

Now in its 10th edition, the “Rube Goldberg” Competition continues to create a space where students from different fields can experiment, collaborate, and turn ideas into concrete solutions. Beyond designating a winning team, the competition promotes an essential message for future professionals: innovation occurs when technical knowledge is complemented by creativity, perseverance, and the courage to experiment.