A first-year team from Product Design and Information Technology wins the Startup Nation hackathon with the Ameeyda! project

A team of first-year creators from the Product Design and Information Technology department at Compass College — Aidar Ibraev, Ameli Sabantaeva, Khanbiyke Akmatova and Daniel Amanov — took a convincing win at the Startup Nation hackathon, competing against experienced entrepreneurs. Their project Ameeyda!, dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of Bishkek, was named the best, and a $1,500 grant became the first step towards bringing it to life.

The creators proved that age is no barrier to serious IT development. They handled every stage of building a product brilliantly — from the initial idea to the final pitch — showing not only professional skill but strategic thinking too.

“Compass College gave us more than knowledge — it gave us real experience. It was thanks to the support of our teaching staff and the opportunities the College offers that we were able to create a project worthy of winning,” the team say.

The win has given the students a real push forward: the project has caught the attention of industry experts, and the team are now being invited to educational events. We are proud of their success!