A good presentation can open doors – in your studies, in your professional life, and sometimes even on the biggest stage. Anton Baranov, a 22-year-old student in the StudiumPlus program, has turned this into a business idea. With his app "Pitch Coach," which helps people practice giving presentations, he is now among the winners of Apple's prestigious "Swift Student Challenge" programming competition. For the up-and-coming developer, a fourth-semester student in the Bachelor's program in Software Technology, this is not only a personal accolade he is very proud of, but also proof of how modern technology can solve very practical, everyday problems.
Anton Baranov is attending Apple's WWDC26 developer conference in California until June 10th, by personal invitation, to present his project to Apple engineers. He previously gave an interview to Apple Germany about the development of "Pitch Coach" and the app's global success.
Anton Baranow introduces his app like this: "My app is an AI trainer for presentations: It recognizes body language via AirPods, filters out filler words like 'ums,' and uses Apple Intelligence for direct coaching—all completely private and on-device." Anyone who has ever been nervous before an important presentation knows the typical pitfalls: speaking too quickly, constantly using filler words, or an insecure posture. This is precisely where "Pitch Coach" comes in. The app analyzes presentations in real time and provides targeted tips on how to improve one's impact. Users receive recommendations on speaking pace, are alerted to frequently used filler words, and can optimize their presentation technique step by step.
The use of Apple's AirPods is particularly innovative. Using the motion sensors built into the earbuds, the app can monitor the speaker's posture. Anyone who slumps or appears restless during a presentation receives corresponding feedback. The analysis is performed directly on the iPhone. The AI models used for this run locally on the device, so no personal data needs to be transferred to the cloud. This allows the application to combine modern artificial intelligence with a high level of data privacy.
The idea also impressed Apple's top management. At WWDC, Apple CEO Tim Cook recognized the 50 winners of the competition and singled out Baranov's project for special praise. The app is a "wonderful example of how technology can help people achieve things they never thought possible," Cook said. For a young developer, such praise from the Apple CEO is hard to beat.
Anton Baranov is completing a dual study program in software technology at StudiumPlus in Bad Vilbel in cooperation with Deutsche Bank. StudiumPlus has been the dual study program offered by the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen and the CompetenceCenter Duale Hochschulstudien – StudiumPlus eV, based in Wetzlar, for 25 years. Combining studies, practical experience, and his own development projects requires a great deal of discipline – but for the 22-year-old, the effort is clearly paying off.
Anton Baranov currently offers his app for free. However, he envisions marketing additional features through a subscription model in the long term. For now, though, his focus is on further developing the product. He already has his sights firmly set on international expansion: using artificial intelligence, he has made "Pitch Coach" available in more than 20 languages. This allows users worldwide to benefit from its features without having to wait for a translation.
It's no coincidence that a young developer is specifically using AI to enhance his app. The software industry is undergoing profound change. Systems from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are becoming increasingly powerful and are now capable of handling complex programming tasks. Consequently, there is intense debate within the industry about whether artificial intelligence could replace human programmers in the future. The StudiumPlus student has a nuanced view of this development. While he himself uses AI tools extensively and recognizes their enormous potential, he remains convinced that humans will continue to play a central role.
StudiumPlus is the dual study program offered by the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen and the Competence Center for Dual Studies – StudiumPlus e. V., the association of over 1,000 partner companies. The program comprises a full Bachelor's or Master's degree at one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Hesse, combined with intensive practical experience. With over 1,900 students, StudiumPlus is the largest dual study provider in Hesse, headquartered in Wetzlar with branch campuses in Bad Hersfeld, Bad Vilbel, Bad Wildungen, Biedenkopf, Frankenberg, and Limburg. Further information is available at www.studiumplus.de.