Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
A team of students from the RUDN University Faculty of Economics is developing the RIZE app, a digital assistant designed to guide students from choosing a career to finding their first job. The project, born from observing the challenges of their fellow students, has already completed the RUDN.VC accelerator and is preparing for a pilot launch.
According to the startup's team, the modern labor market poses complex challenges for graduates: there are six to eight resumes per job posting, demands for soft skills and AI competencies are growing, and disparate career services only add to the information noise. This is precisely the problem the future economists set out to solve.
"RIZE was born from a simple idea: every student should have a career assistant who doesn't just drop links, but leads them by the hand—from their first resume to their first offer," says Alexander Turkia, project manager.
Don't get lost in the flow
The project was initiated by Irina Pugacheva, a lecturer in the Department of Economic and Mathematical Modeling. While working with the Case Club project and the STUDMAYAK media project, she noticed that even talented students were at a loss when it came to career planning; many didn't know how to write a resume or prepare for an interview.
Her idea was taken up by seven classmates, who formed a team with development, design, analytics, and PR departments. In addition to Irina and Alexander, the startup included fourth-year economics students Valeria Pykhtina, Ekaterina Grib, Alexandra Nevedomskaya, Polina Yakhontova, and Arispe Andrei Sebastian Rasguido.
"When you're a student yourself and you see every day how your classmates are lost in the flood of opportunities—internships, grants, competitions—and simply don't know where to start, you want to change that," shares Alexander Turkia.
RIZE is designed as a mini-app in Telegram that brings together all stages of career growth:
Career guidance—tests to identify a suitable profession and meta-skills. Market preparation—resume builder, interview simulator, and resume feedback requests. Job search—a selection of current internships with filters.
Networking is an opportunity to communicate with like-minded people.
The project's MVP version is already operational, a Telegram bot with various quizzes and career predictions. Students testing the app have noted a particular demand for resume feedback and an interview simulator—these features will be a priority for development.
Turn chaos into a plan
The RUDN.VC accelerator played a key role in structuring the project.
"The RUDN University accelerator gave me something most student projects lack—systematicity. The lectures filled gaps in my understanding: how to properly formulate a value proposition, how to calculate unit economics, how to build a user journey. Working with the tracker is a whole other story. When you have someone who regularly asks difficult questions and keeps you on track, the project stops stalling. The tracker helped transform chaotic ideas into a step-by-step plan," shares Alexander Turkia.
The project is supervised by an external expert, the head of the business department at LDM (LANIT Group). He advises the team on the business model and market entry. The team is preparing to pitch for grant support, which will accelerate development.
Multi-level monetization of the project is planned:
Consultations with partner companies, including resume reviews by HR staff at these organizations; Posting job openings and internships from employers; Introducing a paid subscription for interest-based networking, which will provide access to communication with like-minded individuals; Providing paid advanced features, such as personalized feedback and an interview simulator.
The RIZE project demonstrates how a student initiative can develop into a viable startup that not only helps young people navigate the job market but also fosters a new culture of conscious career development.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.