Joel Kojma and Jonasz Lazar from our Faculty won the university's competition for the best student business idea at ABi – Business Academy. The first place was awarded to our students for their ScrollPay project. They proposed a mobile application that aims to help the user manage the time spent on using their phone.

Smartphone addiction is a well-known problem. In today's world, many people spend time, for example, scrolling through social media and are often unaware of how many hours a day such an activity consumes. This problem is addressed by applications for digital detox, which have already appeared on the market.

Joel Kojma (studying algorithmic computer science) and Jonasz Lazar (a student of applied computer science) have also focused on this subject. Initially, the idea was to create an app that analyses phone usage, and then employs AI to calculate the extent of our addiction. Over time, however, the focus shifted to financial motivation, which is intended to distinguish the student solution from others.

– The assumption is this. We download our app, top up our user wallet, and then we ourselves set the time limits and the penalties we are ready to pay. Our application analyses the amount of time spent on a particular app, such as Instagram or TikTok, and deducts money from the user's account for exceeding the time limit – explains Jonasz Lazar, our Faculty's student and co-creator of the ScrollPay project.

The application is intended to have a charitable aspect. 80% of the deducted money will go to foundations or charitable organisations. The remainder will be allocated for the maintenance of the application.

Growing needs

Analyses show that by 2032, the digital detox market will grow by 18% annually, emphasise Joel and Jonas. Our students have already taken their app idea to the Academic Entrepreneurship Incubator at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. After consultations, they have preliminary ideas for further development.

– We definitely need to conduct a survey now, a market research study, to see if people would actually be willing to use our app. To pay money for using the phone beyond the limit and whether it could be profitable – says Joel Kojma, the second creator of the ScrollPay project.

The intended target group would be young people or parents and children. Money is needed to develop the application. The authors of the idea will now seek funding.

– There are various programmes that subsidise such ventures. However, one must submit documents and find someone to sponsor it. We are capable of creating the application prototype ourselves – says Jonasz Lazar.

The best idea!

The ScrollPay project won the university's competition for the best student business idea: ABi – Business Academy, organised by the Faculty of Management at Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

– We are really proud about this victory. The competition also gave us a chance to make contacts with people who got to know our idea and are willing to help us – notes Joel Kojma.

The competition consisted of three stages. The first one was more formal. The participants had to submit an application, describe the idea, the target group, and the business model. Then there was an online semi-final, in which after the presentation of ideas there were 20 minutes for questions from the competition committee. The final stage had a similar formula.

– We thought there were some chances of winning. But we weren't focusing on that. We just wanted to present ourselves well – adds Jonasz Lazar.