The study addresses pressing global challenges outlined in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of 2015, emphasizing the need for innovative, context-specific solutions across the 17 key areas. The authors highlight the critical importance of training specialists capable of implementing these strategies and fostering innovation. Such training should integrate the university innovation ecosystem with education and science, prioritizing sustainable development goals. For Ukraine, facing the challenges of the Russian war, the strategy involves two stages: innovative recovery and subsequent innovative development, both requiring skilled innovators. The study examines the innovation ecosystem of the National Technical University ‘Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute’ (NTU ‘KPI’), focusing on initiatives like the Spark Startup Centre, the Research Department, and the University Science Park. Using a systematic approach, the authors evaluate the role of this ecosystem in achieving SDGs through methods of generalization, systematization, and comparative analysis. Empirical data from surveys conducted among participants in NTU ‘KPI’ projects, including a startup school and the All-Ukrainian Festival of Innovations, confirm the curriculum’s effectiveness in fostering skills from basic memorization to creative application, per Bloom’s Taxonomy. Successful practices, such as engaging schoolchildren and students in innovation activities with local and international partners, are highlighted. The study offers practical recommendations for enhancing university ecosystems to support innovation among youth and researchers, essential for training future professionals.