Rocket Vibes at Corvinus – My Experience at the 5th Hungarian Summit (English version)
The 5th Hungarian Summit wasn’t just another conference – it was a one-day cultural and business adrenaline shot. The Corvinus University campus buzzed with a lively mix of English and Hungarian, and the dress code ranged from stilettos to sneakers – yet everyone waved the same flag: the shared Hungarian–American dream. Here’s a detailed recap of how the big day swept me off my feet.
1. Coffee Aromas & International Buzz – Arrival at Corvinus
At 7:45 AM, walking from the Fővám Square tram stop to the steps of Corvinus, the hum of activity was already in the air. Friendly hugs replaced formal handshakes at the gate, and name badges were hand-marked with #HungarianSummit25. Inside, on the networking floor, Péter Zádor’s “In Motion” sports photos lit up like athletes sprinting toward the ceiling – four of them even drew queues as guests eagerly added heroic snapshots to their Instagram Stories.
2. Opening Scene: America in My Dreams – Live
Inside the main hall, Krisztina Bombera and Barnabás Szabó-Sipos kicked off the day with stand-up-level charm. When AD Stúdió performed “America in My Dreams” live, the chorus hit right as the projector displayed the New York skyline – I literally got goosebumps, and the room was set to a cool 23 degrees. After a short but powerful message from Piros Pazaurek and Dr. György Lajos Szabó – “We’re writing the next chapter” – the starting gun metaphorically fired.
3. Space Panel – Hungarian Footprints on the Moon
The first big hit of the day? Space exploration. As Janet Karika (former NASA) and Don Koulaouzos (Skytrek) spoke, an animation played behind them showing the path of a Hungarian nanosatellite in orbit. Dr. István Sárhegyi summed it up: “The Rubik’s Cube proved we can conquer the world – now it’s time to solve one in space.” The applause that followed lasted for minutes – the crowd was ready for liftoff.
4. Sports Panel – Heroes from Pools to Ice Rinks
Then the spotlight shifted from the pool to the rink. Ágnes Kovács recalled her first training in the U.S., where the pool was so huge she couldn’t see the other side. Levente Szuper added with a laugh, “In Detroit, the rink’s long, the hot dog’s expensive, but the taste of victory is the same.” The crowd nodded as if they’d all played in the NHL.
5. Talent Scholarships – Investments That Yield
Next, Judit Regős shared a video of young scholarship recipients, two of whom are now training in Florida for a university championship. At the end of the video, the investor sitting next to me literally jotted down their names – living proof that no investment returns faster than social responsibility.
6. Startup Takeoff – Diplomas and Market Entry
In the afternoon, the USA Accelerator Bootcamp diploma ceremony capped it all off. Eight teams earned a ticket to the U.S. market, but the real action happened in the hallway: newly certified founders were immediately surrounded by potential American partners. No screen could ever recreate such a vivid “soft landing” moment.
7. Education Section – Building Bridges Between Universities
Meanwhile, one floor up, Dr. Judit Trunkos guided a session where reps from 15 universities redrew the map of academic mobility. The most exciting moment? When the rector of the University of New Brunswick and the dean of Corvinus spontaneously shook hands on a new research project – before the moderator even finished asking the question, a partnership was born.
8. Business Section – From Trade to AI
In the main hall, the business panel was firing on all cylinders. Dorottya Mártonffy-Nagy kept things dynamic with rapid-fire questions. Dennis A. Ross dropped the quote of the day: “Budapest and Florida are the two propellers of the same drone; if one stops, the other can’t lift off.” The audience tweeted, and the discussion moved straight into the future of AI-powered healthcare – nobody dared blink in case they missed something.
9. HYPE Mind – Lightning Talks That Stuck
As the day neared its end, the HYPE Mind block delivered rapid-fire mini TEDx talks, five minutes each. I heard from a Hungarian marine biologist teaching coral reef ecology in VR, and an American designer decorating Florida yachts with Hungarian folk motifs. So many business cards flew toward the speakers, they had to open a separate table just to collect them.
10. Networking Marathon – 180 Seconds for Your Future
And finally – the speed networking session: three minutes per partner, stopwatch to stopwatch. At first, it sounded crazy. In the end, it was genius. I collected more emails in 20 minutes than in all of last year – and the best part? Every single one sent a follow-up the next morning.
Final Thought – The Countdown to the Next Summit Has Begun
As I stepped out through the glass doors of Corvinus, the city lights were just turning on across the Danube. In my head, “America in My Dreams” still echoed as I boarded the tram. The Hungarian Summit proved that the Hungarian–American connection isn’t some far-off idea – it’s a two-way expressway packed with ideas, friendships, and joint projects. Was it worth it? So much so that I’ve already started counting down the days until the 2026 Summit.
