Last weekend marked the conclusion of the 35th National Science and Innovation Olympiad (OTIO), where the Hungarian Innovation Association once again recognized Hungary’s most innovative secondary school students. This year’s competition drew unprecedented interest, with a total of 721 students submitting their projects. At the end of a high-calibre final, the top awards were presented to 17 young inventors and scientific creators behind 12 projects.
E-Group extends its warmest congratulations to all award winners and participants! We are particularly proud that this year our company was able to support young innovators through the E-Group NextGen AI special prize.
The E-Group NextGen AI Special Prize Winner: Antal Serfőző and Satellite Image Processing
This year’s special prize was awarded to Antal Serfőző, a student at the ELTE Apáczai Csere János Practice Secondary School and Dormitory in Budapest, under the academic supervision of consultant Dr. József Kovács. His project uniquely combines three defining areas of artificial intelligence: the YOLOv11 object detection model. That is the Qdrant vector database, and the Gemini 2.5 Flash large language model – all within a single, fully automated, open-source pipeline.
The system is capable of identifying objects in satellite imagery, storing them in a georeferenced database, and making them queryable in natural language – without any programming knowledge. Such an end-to-end integration had previously existed only in closed, commercial systems; Antal’s work aims to democratise access to knowledge and technology. Its range of applications is remarkably broad: from identifying supply chain risks to rapid damage assessment in disaster response. This project is especially meaningful to us because it perfectly embodies the attitude we seek to recognise with the E-Group NextGen AI Special Prize: genuine engineering thinking, independent research-driven problem-solving, and the practical application of artificial intelligence to create real societal value.
Nurturing Talent: A Strategic Commitment at E-Group
Nurturing talent is not merely a catchy slogan at E-Group – it is a strategic commitment embedded in the very fabric of how the company operates. Antal Kuthy, founder and CEO, is himself a former winner of the National Scientific Students’ Associations Conference (OTDK): at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), he developed a voice-controlled system for a digital studio, which earned him victory in the computer science engineering section and, later, the prestigious Pro Scientia Gold Medal.
This spirit is further reinforced by the involvement of Dr. Ferenc Pongrácz PhD, MBA, PMP, E-Group’s Chief Operating and Financial Officer, who – as a board member of the Hungarian Innovation Association – once again served on the OTIO jury this year. His participation reflects our firm conviction that industry must actively support the next generation. Drawing on both his scientific and business perspectives, he was able to provide competitors with feedback grounded not only in theory but in practical application.
Where the Drive to Create Meets Technology
Competitions like the OTIO are especially important to E-Group because they attract students driven by a genuine desire to create. This is precisely the mindset on which a deep-tech company can build for the long term. Bridging the gap between theory and working technology is a fundamental concern for us, which is why we regard platforms with similar objectives as natural allies.
This commitment also takes shape in our active, day-to-day relationship with the academic world. Through our close collaboration with BME’s Artificial Intelligence programme, students work and conduct research at E-Group on real technology projects in a live research environment. The arrangement is mutually rewarding: the young talents gain invaluable experience and guidance, while E-Group benefits from fresh perspectives and energy.
Antal Kuthy’s vision is clear: our primary ambition is to support young people who will not merely follow technological trends in the future, but lead the way themselves. The OTIO is taking great strides in that direction, and E-Group is proud to stand alongside these efforts.
Once again, congratulations to Hungary’s future innovators – and best of luck at the international competitions!
Entries for the competition can be found here
Further information: https://innovacio.hu/otio/
Photos by Fantom Media https://www.fantommedia.hu
