On October 20-21, Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Center LITEXPO will host the unique format hackathon “Hack4ReStart”, that is seeking to solve the challenges arising in the manufacturing industry. The event is unique because the hackathon participants are not individuals but small and medium-sized (SME) companies and startups. The first event of its kind is organized by the Lithuanian Engineering and Technology Industry Association LINPRA, Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) startup incubator Startup Space, and international partners.
The hackathon “Hack4ReStart” aims to boost collaboration among traditional and tech-savvy SMEs. This cooperation is expected to stimulate innovation in the manufacturing industry and deliver solutions to the challenges in specific areas.
The unique format event: technologically advanced companies and startups will create solutions for the traditional manufacturing industry.
“Many of us are aware of the traditional format hackathon when the main participants are the teams assembled by individuals. However, this time hackathon will be different from the usual format: the participants here will be not newly formed teams but technologically advanced (tech-savvy) small and medium-sized companies that aim to tackle the challenges raised in the manufacturing industry. The challenges in this event will be practical and presented by traditional manufacturing industry stakeholders, who want to find innovative solutions and modernize the company’s production processes”- the event organizers described the event’s uniqueness as “Hack4ReStart.”
The cooperation works in two ways: traditional manufacturing SMEs propose a challenge they are facing in the company; Tech-savvy apply to provide the possible offer for the challenge. That kind of cooperation in a later phase might grow into commercially beneficial business relations.
During the event on October 20-21st, the tech-savvy SMEs will aim to hack the challenges and deliver solutions for traditional manufacturing businesses, transforming the obsolete manufacturing process into more innovative!
Organizers will act as the mediator between SMEs to achieve the most effective results and will help to connect just before the hackathon.
Geopolitical and energy challenges are incentives for the industry to look up for long-term solutions
“The main goal of Hack4ReStart is to promote innovation and cooperation between traditional and technologically advanced SMEs. By participating in the hackathon, European manufacturing SMEs will have a chance to get acquainted with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, digital twins, big data, etc. These technologies help to increase productivity, reduce costs, create new digital business models and even facilitate the transition to a green economy. Today the results delivered from such cooperation are important more than ever: when the industry is facing multiple crises, it is very important to react adequately and dynamically adapt to the situation. But also, it is important to search not only short term but to look up for new, innovative and long-term efficiency-increasing solutions”, – about nowadays situation in the manufacturing industry talked one of the main organizers of the event, the head of LINPRA, Darius Lasionis,
Companies are invited to register until the beginning of October. Traditional manufacturing SMEs are welcome to provide the challenges they are dealing with in the areas of Digitalization, Robotics, and Systems Interoperability. In the registration form, companies should describe the challenge in a more detailed way. Tech-Savvy SMEs/startups should choose in which challenge area they are interested. After the registration, the specific challenges of the chosen area will be delivered to the company by e-mail.
It is planned that the hackathon will be delivered in a hybrid way: at Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Centre LITEXPO (Laisvės pr. 5, Vilnius) and online, therefore, applicants are welcome from over Europe. . The hackathon will take place during the production, innovation and engineering solutions exhibition BALTTECHNIKA 2022.
