Two students from the University of Szeged’s Faculty of Science and Informatics will represent Hungary at the Red Bull Basement World Final in San Francisco after winning the Hungarian national round of the global innovation competition with their app, ParkSafe. Software engineering student Szabolcs Perjési and computer engineering student Patrik Kordás secured their place at the world final, held from June 1 to 3, by winning the Hungarian final in early May. Selected from a field of 1,260 entrants, the SZTE students will compete on the global stage against some of the world’s most promising young innovators. Szabolcs spoke to us about their journey so far, their success, and what awaits them at the world final.
ParkSafe is designed to make urban cycling safer and more convenient. The app helps cyclists locate bicycle parking facilities, nearby drinking water fountains, repair shops, and bicycle stores. It also offers route planning tailored specifically to cyclists, taking into account the quality and safety of cycling infrastructure as well as local traffic conditions.
The app also provides detailed information about bicycle parking locations, allowing users to see whether a storage area is covered or open-air, how secure it is, and whether it includes features such as surveillance cameras.
ParkSafe operates on a community-driven model: its database is built on users’ real-life experiences and feedback. Cyclists can rate locations and upload photos, helping to ensure that the information provided on the platform is accurate, reliable, and up to date.
Szabolcs Perjési at the Hungarian final of the Red Bull Basement competition. Photo: Ádám Bertalan
Growing recognition from the professional community
The free-to-download ParkSafe app debuted at the end of 2025 and has already received highly positive feedback. The application has attracted attention not only from users but also from industry professionals.
As part of the University of Szeged’s Innovation Program, the team was selected as one of the 14 most promising participants from a field of 144 applicants. They were also ranked among the top ten startup initiatives in Hungary’s National Talent Program and later earned third place in a competition organized by the Entrepreneurship Club of Corvinus (ECC).
These achievements opened the door to mentorship opportunities and discussions with potential investors, giving the students valuable insight into the business side of innovation and startup development.
The breakthrough
The real breakthrough for the two University of Szeged students came through the Red Bull Basement global innovation competition and incubator program, where ParkSafe won the Hungarian national final.
As Szabolcs Perjési recalled, the selection process itself was highly demanding. He and Patrik Kordás had just three days to produce a one-minute introductory video, requiring them to create a polished presentation under intense time pressure. Their submission earned them a place among the top ten teams, securing qualification for the Hungarian final in Debrecen.
At the event, the two students delivered a two-minute pitch before a panel of business leaders, including Albert Wettstein, co-founder of the food rescue platform Munch, and Kristóf Gajdos, Marketing Director at Foodora. In the end, the jury selected ParkSafe as the winning concept, qualifying Szabolcs and Patrik to represent Hungary at the world final in San Francisco from June 1 to 3.
At the global final, the two students will compete against teams from more than 40 countries for the competition’s top prize.
Szabolcs Perjési at the Hungarian final of the Red Bull Basement competition. Photo: Ádám Bertalan
The stakes are high: a strong result at the world final could give the early-stage startup a major boost. The winning team will receive $100,000 to help bring its idea to life. In addition, the top three teams will each be awarded $25,000 in Microsoft Azure credits, giving them free access to Microsoft’s cloud services and some of the world’s most advanced technological infrastructure.
Beyond funding and technical support, the winner will also receive mentorship from experts at Red Bull Ventures, the company’s corporate venture capital division. The team will be offered business development and strategic guidance to help take the project to the next level.
“This is an incredible opportunity for us, especially because we’ll be traveling to San Francisco, the gateway to Silicon Valley – one of the world’s leading technology hubs, where companies like Google, Apple, OpenAI, and Microsoft have a major presence,” Szabolcs said. “We hope representatives from these companies will also attend the competition and take interest in our work, potentially opening the door to future collaborations.”
Szabolcs Perjési and Patrik Kordás at the Hungarian final of the Red Bull Basement competition. Photo: Ádám Bertalan
Expanding across Europe – and California
Szabolcs added that ParkSafe has undergone significant development in recent months. This progress was accompanied by further recognition for the team, which finished among the top four participants in the V4 Startup competition, bringing together startups from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia.
As part of their preparation for the competition, the students expanded ParkSafe’s coverage across Europe. Cycling routes, bicycle parking facilities, and related services are now integrated into a single platform spanning the entire continent. Szabolcs also revealed that the team is currently working on a redesigned interface aimed at making the app even more user-friendly and visually distinctive.
“Our goal is to make ParkSafe more widely available across Europe. At the same time, because of the Red Bull Basement world final, we are also working to launch the app in California,” Szabolcs said.
Szabolcs Perjési and Patrik Kordás at the Hungarian final of the Red Bull Basement competition. Photo: Ádám Bertalan
A rapidly growing user base
As Szabolcs pointed out, ParkSafe is reaching an increasingly wide audience. The platform has now surpassed 2,000 registered users, while a further 4,000 cyclists have downloaded the application.
The user base continues to grow steadily, and the young developers are still amazed by how many people actively rely on the service. Szabolcs said the team is now developing increasingly sophisticated statistical models to better understand how cyclists use ParkSafe, including the routes they choose and the ways they navigate with the platform.
The data have already revealed some interesting insights. For example, a number of users have completed cycling tours around Lake Balaton using ParkSafe.
“It’s incredible to think about how many people place their trust in us and choose our app when they set off on a ride,” Szabolcs added. “It’s an amazing feeling to know that ParkSafe provides real value to so many people.”
Original Hungarian article by Tímea Fülöp
Feature photo: Patrik Kordás and Szabolcs Perjési at the Hungarian final of the Red Bull Basement competition.
Photo: Ádám Bertalan / Studio Adam Bertalan
