Lukas Atstupėnas and Benjamin Dieckmann, third-year students studying Finance Analytics at Vilnius University’s Kaunas Faculty, founded the student business club “KAPITALAS.” The idea for the club arose during a discussion among classmates after class. Both students had already carried out their own projects, so they wanted to share their experiences, analyse business decisions, and learn from one another. This is how they brought together a community where students can present their ideas, receive feedback, and work together to find solutions.
Business Is Learned Through Practice
At “KAPITALAS” meetings, it is important for club members to share not only their successes but also their failures and the challenges they face. According to club founder L. Atstupėnas, such discussions help members better understand the business-building process and learn from others’ experiences.
“The club brings together students from different fields of study and different countries, so the meetings are held in English. ‘KAPITALAS’ is a great opportunity to gain a better understanding of the business world. For other international students and me, these activities provide an opportunity to learn from entrepreneurial people, build connections, and share business ideas,” says Ahnaf Tahmid, a first-year student in Information and Cybersecurity and a club member.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Rūta Klimaitienė, chair of the Bachelor’s program in Financial Analytics, also welcomes the student club’s activities: “In my opinion, simply establishing the VU business club ‘KAPITALAS’ and ensuring its successful operation is already a true entrepreneurial experience for the students themselves. They get to know other students, alumni, and business representatives who share common interests. Such connections can later help them find their first job, which is probably one of the best investments in their future. It’s especially gratifying that this is an initiative driven by the students themselves, rather than an activity carried out on someone else’s orders.”
From Idea to Operating Business
Lukas, one of the club’s founders, says he’s been interested in business since childhood. What attracted him most was the opportunity to create something on his own, take on responsibility, and see an idea turn into a tangible result. After graduating from high school, he began to take a more serious interest in business opportunities and wanted not only to observe what others were doing but also to test his own ideas. He drew inspiration from Lithuanian business success stories—Vinted, Tesonet, and ACME Group. These companies interested him not only for their achievements in international markets but also for their connections to the academic community. For example, the founders of “ACME Group” are alumni of the Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University.
“When you study at the same faculty and develop your own projects, you get a very tangible sense that impressive success stories can begin right here,” says L. Atstupėnas.
Together with another Vilnius University student, Ugnius Maželis, L. Atstupėnas founded the tutoring platform “Protingi.lt.” The idea for this project arose from their experience working with students. According to him, when building the business, they had to address issues also discussed at “KAPITALO” meetings: how to identify a problem, determine user needs, assemble a team, and turn an idea into a working product.
According to L. Atstupėnas, an understanding of business fundamentals is beneficial not only to those who want to start a company. It is important to understand financial processes, collaborate effectively, and identify problems that can be solved with valuable solutions. “Every student should understand that business is not just about starting a company or making a profit. First and foremost, it’s the ability to identify a problem and create a solution that people would be willing to pay for,” he says.
The club’s founders aim to build an active student community where ideas are turned into concrete projects. Anyone interested in business is welcome to join, regardless of their experience or knowledge.
“It’s very important to me that someone who joins the club can say: ‘Not only did I learn a lot here, but I also got the chance to put it into practice,’” says L. Atstupėnas.
Club meetings are held on Fridays at 11 a.m. in the J. Jasaitis Auditorium at the Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius University. Meeting times are subject to change, so please check the “KAPITALO” website at www.kapitalas.eu for the latest information or contact us by email at .