On October 6, Avalon, in partnership with Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, hosted a hackathon that brought together about 50 students to tackle real-world challenges across various business sectors.

The event marked another step in Avalon’s systematic strategy for collaborating with universities and young talent. Its goal is to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and the real business world, give students the opportunity to work on practical case studies, explore various professional fields, and interact directly with top managers.

The hackathon began with a panel of speakers from the Avalon Group of Companies. Anna Romanova, HR Director at Avalon; Olena Yatsenko, CEO of Avalon’s Commercial Real Estate Management Department; Olena Kuntsiv, Director of Avalon Facility Service Management Company; and Alvina Lyashkova, General Manager of the ibis cluster, shared their experiences with the students.

The speakers discussed the specifics of their fields, their own career paths within the group of companies, the real challenges they face every day, and the opportunities currently available to young professionals.

5 teams – 5 real-world business cases

After the panel discussion, the students moved from theory to practice. Five teams were given five case studies from various fields: real estate development, operations, the hotel industry, the restaurant industry, and management of the AFS residential complex.

The teams had only 1.5 hours to develop their own strategies. During this time, they had to analyze the initial data, identify the problem, propose a solution, and prepare a presentation for the jury.

The winning team worked on an operations case study—planning the efficient use and leasing of commercial space. The students not only thoroughly analyzed the business logic but also applied the knowledge they gained in the Department of Cybernetics: they created a mathematical model and used it to justify their proposed strategy.

Results like these demonstrate why businesses and universities should collaborate. Students gain the opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to real-world challenges, observe how decisions are made in companies, and receive feedback from industry professionals. For businesses, this is an opportunity to get to know a new generation of specialists, their way of thinking, and their innovative approaches.

For Avalon, collaborating with young people isn’t just a series of isolated educational activities—it’s a long-term investment in the people who will shape Ukrainian business and cities tomorrow.

We will continue to organize events where students can work on real-world case studies, meet professionals, and take their first steps in their careers.

We share information about upcoming opportunities, internships, and events for students on the Avalon Telegram channel dedicated to career opportunities.