On March 10, the final of the local stage of the international Babson Global Student Challenge (BGSC) competition took place at AlmaU. Sixteen student teams presented their ideas, proving that modern entrepreneurship is not only about profit but also about creating value for society.
The jury members were:
Sholpan Tazabek – Vice-Rector for Global Partnerships at AlmaU;
Dauren Bekgozhayev – Sustainability Consultant at Yandex Kazakhstan and Operations Director of the ITeachMe Foundation;
Marzhan Baurzhan – Senior People Partner at the global IT company EPAM Solutions;
Zhanniya Khaibullina – Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at AlmaU;
Evgeniya Yusupova – Founder of Mars Marketing Agency and President of the Niet Foundation;
Ilyas Azelkhanov – Project Manager at the AlmaU Institute of Entrepreneurship and CEO of LinkMAX.
Following the selection process, two teams were chosen to represent the university at the global level: NovaLab and Kömek.
NovaLab: Science as a Game
The NovaLab team developed a digital laboratory that turns traditional learning into an engaging and interactive experience. Through visualization and gamification, they make complex laws of physics and engineering easier to understand.
What is the benefit? Expensive laboratory equipment is no longer necessary — quality education becomes accessible to everyone directly on a smartphone or computer.
Kömek: Care at the Distance of a Click
The Kömek project addresses an important social challenge. It is a digital ecosystem designed to help people find reliable assistants and medical care services.
Who is it for? People aged 25–45 who are balancing work, raising children, and caring for elderly parents. The service helps users find verified professionals, saving time and providing peace of mind about their loved ones.
Winning at AlmaU is only the beginning. The teams are now actively working with their mentors to refine their projects and prepare for the global stage of the competition.
Very soon, on May 28, we will learn the results of the global final. We are cheering for our students and believe in their success!
The Babson Global Student Challenge once again showed that AlmaU students create projects that can improve people’s lives. We are proud of our participants and of the university becoming a launch platform for such meaningful ideas.