Nearly 100 ELTE students completed the first semester of the Hungarian Startup University Program; during the spring semester, four ELTE students—including one from the Faculty of Informatics—and their teams will be working on further developing the best ideas over the next few months.
The aim of this comprehensive educational program is to introduce Hungarian university students to the world of innovation, modern entrepreneurship, and especially the workings of startups. Almost 100 ELTE students successfully completed the first semester of the e-learning course. The curriculum, divided into 7 modules (idea generation; market research and product development; marketing; sales strategy; business models; financial planning; legal and HR fundamentals; introduction to the startup world), focused on the innovative mindset and gaining insight into the startup ecosystem. According to the evaluation by the National Innovation Agency, ELTE students delivered outstanding performance, averaging a score of 4.7.
At the end of the first semester of the Hungarian Startup University Program, students prepare a one-pager about their business idea alongside the exam, applying for support for their concept. At ELTE, these one-pagers were evaluated by faculty experts (Zoltán Kaloján Büdy, GTK; Zsolt Horváth, BTK; Tímea Gedeon, PPK; Judit Kacskovics-Bucsi, TTK; László Kovács, TáTK Savaria University Center; Zoltán Nádasdy, PPK; Bernadett Svraka, TÓK; Ádám Tarcsi, IK), the University Strategic Office, and the Innovation Center staff together.
This year’s winning ideas stem from the recognition that everyday problems—whether it’s financial awareness, mental wellbeing, digital accessibility, or personal safety—are extremely complex, requiring both innovative tools and an empathetic, human-centered approach.
During the next semester of the HSUP, ELTE students will be working in teams to further develop a total of four ELTE projects. (This year, the national program has set maximum team numbers for each institution.) Teams can consist of no more than three scholarship recipients (65,000 HUF/person/month, for 4 months). Students who did not progress as idea owners may also advance to the next phase of the course as part of teams formed around the winners (with scholarship as well).
Team formation was supported by matchmaking events, and throughout the semester, expert mentors help guide the students. The ELTE student support team (University Strategic Office, Innovation Center faculty and external experts) welcomes students with workshops and training sessions, and also assists in finding corporate partners and addressing intellectual property issues.
ELTE teams will introduce themselves on May 27 at the now-traditional ELTExHSUP Pitch Event. At the end of the semester, the best-performing teams will have the chance for a public presentation to incubators and investors, where they may secure further funding for their projects. At last year’s Demo Day, a record eight ELTE students received 1 million HUF scholarships—and organizers hope that many of our students will take to the stage again at this summer’s event.
Best IK Idea of the 2025/2026 Academic Year
Karina Osipova, Faculty of Informatics: FairLens
The goal of the project is to offer a rapid, automated, and cost-effective solution for everyday financial management by replacing manual data entry. FairLens is based on advanced OCR and machine learning technology: the platform automatically scans receipts, accurately processes items, and intelligently categorizes and splits costs. It also analyzes spending habits, detects forgotten subscriptions, and helps users manage their finances through a transparent interface.
The cover photo was taken at the Faculty of Humanities’ interdisciplinary idea competition in 2025, also supported by ELTExHSUP.
Source: elte.hu