On May 12, 2026, the Faculty of Computer Science at AGH University of Krakow hosted AGH IT Future Day – an event dedicated to the practical application of information technologies – along with the grand final of the nationwide Student Innovation Competition IT is ME.
Nearly 300 participants registered for the event and had the opportunity to hear from 13 speakers representing leading technology companies, the financial sector, startups, and academia. The program covered topics such as practical AI deployment, humanoid robots, AI agents, the architecture of global financial systems, IoT systems, quantum computing, and the development of the Polish large language model Bielik.AI.
Participants also had the opportunity to meet representatives of the event partners, explore internship opportunities, discuss career paths, and learn what it is like to work on systems used around the world.
The event’s content partners were Visa, Euroclear, HSBC, Motorola Solutions, BNP Paribas, GE Healthcare, and CWITT AGH. Event partners included Flightscape – Powered by CAE, Zooplus, and Kraków Miastem Startupów (Kraków – City of Startups). Media partners were Rzeczpospolita, rp.pl, Radio Eska, and ITprofessional.pl.
IT is ME 2026 – projects addressing real-world challenges
An integral part of the event was the final of the IT is ME competition. More than 50 projects from universities across Poland were submitted to this year’s edition, and 11 top teams advanced to the final.
This year’s projects clearly demonstrated that young technology creators are focusing on some of today’s most pressing challenges. The finalists presented solutions in MedTech, mental health, cybersecurity, defense, and dual-use technologies combining civilian and strategic applications.
Competition winners
1st Place – PLN 12,000 and the Special Award from Kraków Miastem Startupów
Using Mixed Reality for the Diagnosis and Assessment of Neurodegenerative Diseases (AGH)
Authors: Joanna Stępień, Daria Hemmerling, Martyna Baran, Martyna Fröhlich, Wojciech Szecówka, Justyna Krzywdziak, Miłosz Dudek
The winning project is an advanced diagnostic system that combines mixed reality technology and artificial intelligence to support the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s disease.
The solution is based on smart glasses equipped with sensors that simultaneously capture body movement, eye activity, and speech. The collected data is analyzed using AI algorithms capable of detecting subtle changes that may not be visible in traditional clinical assessments.
The project stands out for its high level of integration of hardware, software, and data analysis methods, demonstrating how modern technologies can support precision medicine and improve diagnostic quality.
As part of the special award, the team also received mentoring support from Kraków Miastem Startupów to help with implementation and commercialization.
2nd Place – PLN 8,000
MindPulse (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań)
Authors: Mateusz Czajka, Natalia Szymczak
MindPulse is a digital health solution that analyzes smartphone usage patterns to detect signals that may indicate a decline in mental well-being.
The mobile application collects metadata related to daily routines, activity regularity, and device usage behavior, and transforms it into an interpretable risk indicator using machine learning models.
A key feature of the project is its privacy by design approach – the system does not analyze user content, only behavioral patterns. The solution can be used by individuals, schools, universities, and telemedicine platforms.
3rd Place – PLN 5,000
Application for Skin Disease Recognition and Monitoring (AGH)
Authors: Natalia Poźniak, Patryk Mikos, Adam Czakon, Maria Pichór, Hubert Wierzbicki, Anna Kostecka
The project is a mobile application that uses three artificial intelligence models for recognizing 14 skin diseases, monitoring moles, and analyzing acne lesions.
Users can take photos and track changes over time, supporting health prevention and helping determine when specialist consultation may be needed.
The solution combines advanced machine learning architectures with a practical, user-oriented approach to building a product that can genuinely support both patients and healthcare professionals.
Vice-Rector for Student Affairs Award – PLN 5,000
Celka AI (AGH)
Authors: Michał Zawada, Filip Nawalaniec, Julia Czekańska, Mateusz Kalandyk, Mateusz Jaźwiecki, Dawid Stęposz, Kacper Ćwiokowski
Celka AI is an autonomous racing boat equipped with a perception system based on LiDAR, stereo cameras, and artificial intelligence algorithms.
The project integrates electronics, mechanics, and software into a single coherent system capable of autonomous navigation and real-time decision-making.
The solution has potential applications in infrastructure monitoring, water logistics, and autonomous transport systems. It was tested in real-world conditions during the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.
The following projects were also presented in the final:
- • SOWA (Gdańsk University of Technology) – a portable Edge AI system for drone detection and tracking.
- • IonTracks-FEniCSx (AGH) – a simulation framework for medical dosimetry.
- • TCMM – Traffic Control Management Model (Gdańsk University of Technology) – a traffic control system based on reinforcement learning.
- • Intelligent Rescue Support System Based on Satellite Data (AGH) – a GIS-based decision support system for crisis situations.
- • White Hats Gym (Wrocław University of Science and Technology) – a platform for developing cybersecurity skills.
- • BrailleReader – Output Interface for the Blind (AGH) – a device translating text into Braille.
- • DefiDron (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń) – an autonomous drone system for delivering AED defibrillators.
AGH IT Future Day and the IT is ME competition once again demonstrated that students from Polish universities are creating solutions that not only leverage cutting-edge technologies, but also address real social, medical, and industrial needs.
