Students of Széchenyi István University have once again demonstrated how youthful creativity combined with innovation can lead to outstanding results. At the institutional closing event of the Hungarian Startup University Program (HSUP), 12 student teams presented their self-developed projects. The event was not only an opportunity to showcase the knowledge gained over the semester but also to demonstrate how university ideas can be transformed into real, marketable businesses.
HSUP, coordinated by the National Innovation Agency with support from the National Research, Development and Innovation Office and the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, aims to introduce Hungarian university students to modern innovation, startup thinking, and entrepreneurial skills. The two-semester, English-language, e-learning-based course provides theoretical knowledge in the first semester, while in the second semester, students develop their own business ideas in teams and present them before a professional jury at the institutional Demo Day.
At the recent closing event, the jury awarded the best project to Eszter Dóczi, a student of the Kautz Gyula Faculty of Business and Economics. Her team developed an application that supports the everyday life of people living with diabetes and related conditions. The app offers a transparent user interface and uses artificial intelligence to calculate the carbohydrate content of food and analyze recorded data to better understand blood sugar and insulin levels. Thanks to her personal connection to the topic, Eszter Dóczi was able to present the project with exceptional authenticity. The application already functions as a prototype on her phone.
The second-place project was an AI-supported insurance software, while third place went to a project aiming to digitalize and optimize logistics processes for small retail shops. The Demo Day served not only as a learning experience but also as a launchpad: the most successful teams have the chance to advance to the national finals, where they can present before investors and potentially receive a scholarship of one million forints per team member.
Dr. Szabolcs Rámháp, Associate Professor at the Kautz Gyula Faculty of Business and Economics and the program’s professional coordinator, emphasized that Széchenyi István University provides a comprehensive internal support system to further develop innovative ideas. The university’s Center for University-Industry Cooperation (FIEK) offers more than twenty programs, consultations, internships, and funding opportunities annually for students, teachers, and researchers. Student innovation is supported through a variety of initiatives, such as the Spinoff Club, Business Start, Business Camp, SZE Duo research program, SZE Duo Pro idea competition, and classroom visits (Business Stories). These all contribute to helping young people engage with the entrepreneurial world, gain practical knowledge, and receive encouragement to bring their ideas to life.
Source: uni.sze.hu
