Join the University of Tartu’s hackathon of sustainable digital solutions in Ida-Virumaa

On May 10-12, 2024, a hackathon aimed at all those interested in sustainability and digital topics will be held in Ida-Virumaa. The goal of the event is to find ideas for leveraging digital tools and data that would help manage and support the green transition. 

According to Elis Vollmer, the project manager at the University of Tartu and the organizer of the hackathon, the event focuses on the question of how to use digital skills, knowledge and data in such way that they promote and support the social and sustainable changes we strive for. "All those interested can think along in an inspiring format and contribute to proposing such solutions. At the hackathon, specialists in their field and experts from the public sector are involved, while supporting and guiding the brainstorming and pitching of innovative ideas so that they do not remain only as visions but rather specific feasible solutions," said Vollmer. 

Everyone interested is welcome to the hackathon, there is no age limit for signing up for the event. 

"We welcome everyone who is interested and would like to think along and actively seek cutting-edge tools and services to facilitate the transition from fossil fuels and help advance the green transition journey. All ideas for policy-making and creating a general positive impact in the future are welcome. We also encourage all entrepreneurs to join us, as they play a significant role in the use of data and development of services that could make Ida-Virumaa more attractive and promote a more vibrant ecosystem," said Vollmer. 

Ideas related to local governing are also warmly welcome. "Local governments often face challenges brought about by major changes they are going through due to climate change or energy crisis. Ideas about how small changes in local governance can increase efficiency and lead to better outcomes are extremely important. In order to fully achieve a green and fair transition, we need, among other things, a better understanding of individual behavioural changes and impact of broader macro-level changes, and that's where the data can really help us," Vollmer emphasized. 

More detailed information about the hackathon will be announced on March 20, when registration opens. 

The event is organized by the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu in cooperation with Garage48. The authors of the best ideas will be awarded prizes, and efforts will be made to further develop these ideas together with the university, the Estonian accelerators, or the companies in this field. 

The hackathon is organized by the ERA Chair in e-Governance and Digital Public Services funded by the Horizon 2020 programme (Grant No. 857622). It is supported by the CEESEU-DIGIT project, which started in December 2022 and will last until the end of November this year, financed under grant agreement No. 101077297 of the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE 2021-2027).