EUTOPIA_HEALTH hackathon: innovative solutions to health and nutrition challenges

From online kickoff to prototypes 

The event started with an online kickoff meeting in June, followed by individual prep work over the summer, when teams used learning materials and mentors to explore user needs and develop initial concepts. In September, participants met in Ljubljana, where they began intensive work in interdisciplinary groups on challenges set by two companies: 

• Roche Slovenia: How to present the long-term benefits of prevention in healthcare?  

• Juicy Marbles: How to design the food of the future and ensure greater transparency in the food industry? 

Live hackathon: collaboration, testing, and presentations 

The first day was devoted to team building, introductory presentations of challenges, and the start of the idea phase using the design thinking methodology. On the second day, under the mentorship of the Ljubljana University Incubator (LUI), the teams developed their first prototypes, which they tested among visitors to Innovation Day, organized by the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce in Brdo pri Kranju.  

The last day featured six presentations – three for each company. The solutions included new applications, food products, and innovative technologies that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. An expert committee composed of industry representatives and innovation experts provided the groups with valuable feedback for the further development of their ideas.  

Connecting knowledge for a sustainable future 

The event demonstrated that connecting students, researchers, and companies can lead to the creation of concrete and useful solutions to social challenges. Participants gained new knowledge, experience, and contacts that will be useful in their future work.