Fact: Innovation can be a difficult, sometimes lonely road. So, on Thursday, Nov. 8, CEU opened its doors for the first time to provide alumni in the startup field a venue to frankly discuss the challenges - and the great rewards - of entrepreneurship in the 21st century. SEE PHOTOS.
That event, the Alumni Meetup with CEU iLab, drew more than 70 alumni to campus to network and hear from representatives from five startup businesses who work with the CEU Innovations Lab, the university’s award-winning startup incubator creating economic opportunity in Hungary and central and Eastern Europe. Learn more about iLab.
Alumni speakers included Tamas Zahorszky (LEGS '02, BUSI 14), founder of #School; Tamas Nagy (BUSI ’15), founder of AbsoRice; Saleha Bhatti (ECBS ’18), founder of Ryde; Savage founder Saida Ayupova (IRES ’11); and ShareKiwi core team member Bence Jenofi (ECBS'18). Professor Peter Szilagyi, Head of iLab’s FinTech section and Head of the MS in Finance at the CEU Department of Economics and Business, spoke of the department’s recent high QS rankings, and the opportunities they offer alumni.
One of the best-attended non-reunion alumni events this year, the Alumni Meetup with CEU iLab was a collaboration between the Alumni Relations Office and the Innovations Lab. A celebration of alumni and community, it drew graduates from ten different CEU departments and classes from 1993 to 2018. It was also a fantastic show of solidarity during these difficult times for the university.
Thanks to everyone for making this a fantastic night! If you haven’t yet, join CEU Alumni and Friends in Budapest for the latest from CEU and events like these.