Contents

• Track
• Participants
• Tasks
• Changes this season
• How to prepare
• Benefits for winners
• Opportunities for product managers

Track

Product managers create and develop digital products to improve customer service in retail and increase profit. In particular, they research the market and clients to identify unmet needs and predict which product will be in demand. To test an idea quickly and without spending much, these professionals turn it into an MVP (a minimum viable product); if it proves successful among potential buyers, they proceed to calculate unit economics: how much it costs to attract a client and what sum they will bring in. Additionally, product managers track various metrics – such as customer retention and purchase frequency. Based on this data, they map out a product development strategy and test solutions on small groups before considering scaling.

Product managers rank among the most sought-after roles in today’s job market. The demand is on the rise for specialists who are skilled in user experience and data analysis and can quickly adapt to change. One way to improve these skills and take the first step towards a career as a product manager is through the I Am a Professional competition. 

Participants

The competition is open to Bachelor’s, Specialist’s, and Master’s students in offline, hybrid, or online programs. There are no strict requirements: the organizers welcome participants of various backgrounds with an interest in product management. 

Registration for the competition is open until November 10, 2026. Fill out the form on the official website and choose the tracks you want to pursue; you can choose as many tracks as you like. To complete registration, you’ll need to upload a scanned copy of your student ID or a certificate confirming your student status.

Tasks

There are two rounds in the track: selection and finals. The first one is held online via the Yandex Contest platform and includes three blocks: first – 10 multiple-choice questions and matching exercises, second – a mini-case with four open-ended questions, and third – a mini-essay on a debated question. Participants can earn up to 100 points in the selection round.

The final round includes a test and a case-solving challenge. The written test is held in person, and each participant receives their own individual score in the finals. A total maximum for the round is 100 points.

As part of the case, participants look for ways to improve the company’s financial performance under current conditions as if they were an X5 product team. Their task is to find a solution to address one of the five problems facing the Peterkrestok chain and show growth in key metrics and potential in scalability. Among the stated problems are shifts in customer behavior, a decrease in supermarket visits, competition between X5 chains, poor market penetration of Select Perekrestok, and a low share of ready meals in receipts. Participants will go through all phases of the development life cycle: from analyzing problems and customer needs to developing a working prototype, including a financial model, a pilot program, and a roadmap. Each solution is evaluated against three core criteria: financial impact, feasibility, and customer centricity. Teams (up to five people) have four hours to complete the case, then they will pitch their solution to the expert board that will rate it on a 100-point scale.

Changes this season

This season, the educational part of the track will feature talks by industry leaders and lectures, including X5 experts. Otherwise, there are no changes.

How to prepare

Study previous years’ demos and tasks. This should be your first step to understand the format and types of tasks to expect, as well as the contest’s requirements. Tasks for Bachelor’s and Master’s students are posted separately.

Watch the contest’s webinars. There, task developers and experts explain the tasks of previous seasons and highlight the important parts.

Look through the reports by X5 and analytics agencies, as well as e-commerce and e-grocery markets to better understand the case.

Benefits for winners

All medalists, winners, and diploma holders of the contest will get the following:

• A diploma and an opportunity to enroll at Russia’s top universities tuition-free and without exams;

• An opportunity to intern at major Russian companies;

• Access to the I Am a Professional career portal with job and internship postings, career consultations, and all kinds of online events and tours from partner companies.

• Medalists will also get monetary prizes: 100,000-150,000 rubles (bronze medalists), 150,000-200,000 rubles (silver medalists), and 200,000-300,000 rubles (gold medalists).

Opportunities for product managers

ITMO offers several Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in innovation, business informatics, and digital product management. In these programs, students study business transformation, digital finance, intellectual property (IP), and smart cities and simultaneously build their careers at major companies.

• Technologies and Innovations (Bachelor’s program). In the program, students learn to develop and implement innovative solutions at companies. The program offers four tracks – from Sustainable Bioresource Management to Artificial Intelligence – to help students become experts in a technological field of their choice by graduation;

• Design and Development of Digital Products (Master’s program). The program trains product designers who understand the entire user journey, rely on data, and know how to use AI. Each semester, students work on real-world cases, and by the end of their studies they will have a portfolio full of complex business cases;

• Digital Business Product Management (Master’s program). During their studies, students master the roles of managers and product owners and explore the end-to-end cycle of product development: from idea generation and research to scaling-up. They learn to test product hypotheses and apply analytics and AI in their practice. There are three tracks to choose from: Development Management, AI in Products, and Product Analytics.

Explore relevant Bachelor’s and Master’s programs on the admissions website.