The project, which we supported with €15,000 through the MSM ĽUĎOM civic association, was also showcased at the international Formula Student competition.
Student-built single-seater racing cars are nothing new in Slovakia, but in recent years, most attention has focused on electric powertrains. Students at the Faculty of Special Technology at Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín decided to take a different approach. They built their own formula racing car with an internal combustion engine, currently the only one of its kind among Slovak student projects. They have already competed against international teams at Formula Student Czech Republic 2026.
The project is the work of TnUni TechDrive, a team established in September 2024 that now brings together around 30 students. During the vehicle’s development, they divided responsibilities across areas ranging from frame and chassis design to the powertrain and aerodynamics. Alongside the technical work, they also had to manage funding, component purchases and cooperation with industry partners.
The result is a single-seater weighing approximately 320 kilograms and powered by a Suzuki engine. Its design must comply with the strict rules of the international Formula Student competition, where university teams present their own racing cars. Teams are assessed not only on technical execution, but also on engineering design, manufacturing costs and their business plan. This year, at the event in the Czech Republic, the students from Trenčín had their first opportunity to see how their work measured up before an international panel of expert judges.
MSM ĽUĎOM contributed €15,000 to the project
Our support also has a personal connection. Jakub Krchňavý, CEO of ZVS holding, part of MSM GROUP, is himself a graduate of the Faculty of Special Technology at Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín. Today, he leads an industrial company and supports students at the faculty where he began his own journey years ago.
“As a graduate of this faculty, I am particularly delighted by this project. It is inspiring to see what a group of young people can achieve when technical enthusiasm, determination and a willingness to push their own limits come together. The TnUni students went beyond theory — they turned their knowledge into a real single-seater racing car that made it to the starting line of international competitions,” says Jakub Krchňavý, CEO of ZVS holding.
When building their racing car, the students face challenges similar to those encountered by engineers in the automotive industry. They must ensure that individual technical solutions work together, stay within budget and continually address issues that arise during the vehicle’s development. They gain experience not only in engineering, but also in organising their work and managing a project.
From student racing cars to careers in industry
The partnership between ZVS holding and the Faculty of Special Technology at Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín is long-standing and extends beyond support for individual projects. The faculty trains qualified specialists who also pursue careers at ZVS holding. Both partners thus connect academic learning with industrial practice and plan to continue their cooperation in the future.
“At ZVS holding, we recognise that the future of Slovak industry depends on talented young people like these. We are therefore pleased to have supported this project with €15,000. Our cooperation with the university also brings tangible benefits — we plan to welcome more of its students to our company soon. I believe projects like this demonstrate that Slovakia has young people with enormous potential who deserve opportunities to develop,” adds Jakub Krchňavý of ZVS holding.
For industrial companies, cooperation with technical universities is an opportunity to get to know future specialists while they are still studying. Students, in turn, gain experience that would be difficult to acquire through regular coursework alone. Having completed its first international competition, TnUni TechDrive can continue refining its racing car. MSM GROUP’s support enables the team to keep developing the vehicle and prepare for the challenges ahead.
