HSE Graduate School of Business students present innovative solutions to industry
Aspiring digital leaders presented solutions to real-world business challenges that they had worked on for several months in collaboration with leading Russian companies. Project partners included Avito, Magnit, Alfa-Bank, Aviasales, Technopark Group, X5 Tech, Lenta, AERO Agency, Kurerika (1C-BSL), Ivi, VGTRK (Smotri platform), and Capital Group. Acting as full-fledged consultants, students analyzed company needs, conducted research, and developed actionable strategies to improve key metrics and enhance business performance.
Tatyana Semina
Head of Internship Program Development, Avito
“Students are the future of the professional world, and the industry's success depends on how well they are prepared. At Avito, we pay special attention to young professionals — sharing our expertise, helping them develop practical skills, and exposing them to real-world challenges. When businesses are involved in education, they help train talent that meets actual market demands. This kind of support motivates young professionals to aim high, work hard, and ultimately make meaningful contributions to their field.”
The student-led initiatives addressed a wide range of digital challenges. For Magnit, a gamification strategy was developed for the loyalty program; for Avito, a concept for an AI assistant to help users search for products was presented. The team working with Kurerika conducted a product strategy analysis and proposed improvements for last-mile delivery.
As part of a project with X5 Tech, students worked on improving mobile app metrics for the “Pyaterochka” retail chain.
Yana Parshina
Product Manager, CX Personalization, X5 Tech
“Personalizing the customer experience isn’t just a trend — it’s a strategic priority for top players in retail. We gave students a real-life challenge: improve the user experience in the Pyaterochka mobile app. Their ideas were not only bold but highly relevant, with real potential to engage younger audiences who are shaping the future of digital retail. This project proved that we have young talent ready to take on the challenges of modern business.”
In the project for Ivi, students proposed hypotheses to attract new audiences and increase monetization — including gaming mechanics, interactive series, co-viewing features, enhancements to the kids’ mode, and the use of AI for better recommendations, automated trailer generation, and a chatbot to help users choose content.
Other projects included a financial assistant for Alfa-Bank, a growth strategy for the “Vingarazh” online model for Lenta, a loyalty program to boost direct bookings on OTA platforms, and a premium subscription model for Aviasales.
Tatyana Krestyaninova
Business Development and Sales Director, Alfa API, ID, Pay
“We were impressed by how the students approached the task. Their work with Alfa-Bank’s API — from analyzing documentation to implementing solutions — demonstrated not only a high level of technical skill, but also critical thinking and creativity. These are exactly the skills needed in today’s fintech world. Projects like this are a great way to support young talent and show how technology is transforming the financial sector. The students showed deep understanding of API systems and the ability to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts. For us, this was a valuable experience in engaging with the industry’s future professionals.”
For Capital Group, students developed an AI model to forecast the need for commercial infrastructure.
Anastasia Shebanova
Student, Electronic Business and Digital Innovation program, project participant for Capital Group
“Working on the AI model to forecast commercial infrastructure was a unique experience at the intersection of data science and real estate development. We weren’t just building algorithms — we created a tool that changes how residential complexes are planned. The biggest insight? The future of development is driven by data, not intuition. I’m grateful to the Capital Group team for their trust and to my HSE colleagues — such results would not have been possible without great teamwork!”
Olesya Oborskaya
Student, Electronic Business and Digital Innovation program, project participant for Ivi
“Working on the ‘Million-Dollar Hypotheses’ project was incredibly inspiring! We dived deep into audience analytics, tested unconventional ideas, and explored ways to make the platform even more personalized. What mattered most was that our ideas weren’t treated as student work — they were considered real hypotheses for potential implementation. That helped me understand how digital innovation is reshaping the entertainment industry in real time.”
The project defenses were held in a presentation format before company representatives and HSE GSB experts, who highlighted the analytical depth, practical focus, and real implementation potential of the students’ solutions.
Mikhail Komarov
Professor, Department of Business Informatics, HSE GSB; Academic Supervisor of the Master’s programs “Electronic Business and Digital Innovation” and “Product Management in IT Business”
“Our long-term partnerships with leading Russian companies are built on the success of student consulting projects. These projects are valuable for students — providing real professional experience and industry insights during their studies — and for companies, which receive fresh, creative approaches to existing challenges. We are grateful to our partners for making this possible.”
HSE Graduate School of Business continues to strengthen its ties with the business community, offering students relevant case studies and real opportunities to impact the digital market.