Million-Rouble Startup: HSE University Students on Their Projects

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Anastasia Yanke and Vadim Yelkin, students of the HSE Tikhonov Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM), have each received a grant of one million roubles to pursue their entrepreneurial ventures. The Student Startup programme has been implemented for four years by the Foundation for the Promotion of Innovation as part of the federal project Technology to support startup projects by students of Russian universities. This season, 43 projects of HSE University students are among the winners.

In the past year, the competition received over 11,000 applications, with 2,500 projects being awarded grants.

MIEM students discussed what helped them win the competition, what made their projects unique, and their future plans in an interview.

Automatic Oxygen Therapy Control System, project by Anastasia Yanke, third-year student majoring in Computer Science and Computer Engineering

The Essence of the Project

— It is a system for the automatic regulation of oxygen concentrator flow parameters based on patient physiological data with support for cloud monitoring and emergency notification. This increases the safety and effectiveness of treatment in various conditions. Our system consists of a hardware and software complex that includes:

1. devices for measuring biological parameters;

2. a remote-controlled regulator (electromechanical valve that smoothly regulates the amount of oxygen directed from the oxygen concentrator to the patient);

3. web application that display the results of monitoring the saturation level and the status of the regulator for a group of patients.

Our device will be useful in children's intensive care units, neonatology, as well as paediatric and adult pulmonology departments and emergency medicine.

Why I Decided to Take Part in the Student Startup Competition 

— I wanted to submit my project last year, when I was developing it as coursework on algorithmisation and programming, but I did not have enough time. With the help of my team, we managed to prepare a demonstration stand and even present the project at Pirogov and Sechenov universities. Since we still have a hardware project, we needed to buy electronic components, which were not cheap. Pirogov University requested two prototypes, so we decided to participate in the competitions of the Innovation Promotion Foundation.

What Helped Us Win

— Definitely, the elaborate nature of the proposed solution greatly assisted our defence. We calculated the market and analysed our target audience. It is also appreciated when a contestant can demonstrate a working prototype. I think participating in various acceleration programmes worked to our advantage—earlier, we took part in Sechenov Tech and the Academy of Innovators by the Moscow Government. Professional feedback from experts allowed us to improve various aspects of our system, from the frontend to the pitch.

Current Status of the Project

— We currently have a demonstration stand ready, we are at the stage of finalising the frontend and backend. Very soon, we will need to defend our project within the institute's project system, which motivates us to keep the development in good shape.

Plans and Tips

— I would like to turn this project into a fully functional solution. I advise future contestants to consider the decision from all angles, because the jury members usually come from different fields and they give a comprehensive assessment. Presenting your solution to a defence committee is beneficial, as it demonstrates your ability to develop the project further. Participation in acceleration programmes and other competitions may also be useful.

AI Startup Tracker, project by Vadim Yelkin, fourth-year student majoring in Computer Science and Computer Engineering

Why My Project Is Needed

— My project is an AI startup tracker, a smart assistant in the telegram bot format. It helps teams structure their development according to the LeanStartup methodology—it captures hypotheses, builds traction, highlights risks, and automates the tracker.

Why I Came to Student Startup

— I decided to take part in the competition to put my idea to the test and receive support for its implementation. My goal was to demonstrate that AI can be a tool for developing entrepreneurship, and not just for solving technical problems.

Path to Victory

— Our solution proved to be both practical and innovative, addressing the real challenge faced by accelerators—the lack of affordable and effective trackers. The MVP testing results and positive feedback from the first teams also contributed to our victory.

Future of the Project

— There is a working prototype of the bot now. It already knows how to conduct a dialogue, save hypotheses and build a basic traction map. We have tested it on several teams and collected our first data set. Next, we plan to refine the analytical panel and introduce a RAG module for working with books and teaching materials. In the future, we hope to integrate this solution into accelerators and corporate programmes.

My Advice to Contest Participants

— Don't be afraid to propose bold ideas. What matters most is showing a real problem and explaining how your solution will make life easier for others.