There are events that end with the award ceremony. And there are those that leave behind smiles, new friendships, excitement, and the feeling that you were part of something truly meaningful.

For us, the hackathon “Idea for the Future” was just such an experience!

On November 3 and 4, Veliko Tarnovo brought together 30 talented students from 10 schools in Veliko Tarnovo, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Svishtov and Pavlikeni. Young people who did not know each other at the beginning, but in just two days managed to become teams, overcome challenges and create ideas worthy of the attention of business.

It all started with a draw and three real business challenges.

Esri Bulgaria invited participants to look at Veliko Tarnovo through the eyes of modern technology and create an interactive map of its landmarks.

AK Plastronic challenged them to look for applications of artificial intelligence in real production processes and to propose a smarter way to prepare commercial offers.

And KBC Group Bulgaria raised a question that concerns young people themselves – how technology can help them manage their money more wisely and build financial security.

     

And then the real magic began!

There were lively discussions, different opinions, difficult decisions, many questions for the mentors, and those special moments when an idea gradually begins to take shape.

We’ve seen strangers become teammates. How anxiety gives way to confidence. How young people discover that they can not only dream about the future, but also propose solutions for it themselves.

And at the end came the big challenge – to stand before the expert jury and defend their ideas!

Six teams, six different approaches, a lot of excitement and only three minutes to convince the jury of the potential of their solutions.

And here are the winners!

FinStart – winner of the KBC Group Bulgaria case study

BusinessInnovators – winner of the AK Plastronic case study

Travellogic – winner of the Esri Bulgaria case study

The grand prize of 500 euros, provided by the Regional Innovation Center “Ambitious Gabrovo”, deservedly went to the FinStart team! Congratulations!

But if there is one thing we are convinced of after these two days, it is that all 30 young people who accepted the challenge are winners!

Because the most valuable reward is not measured in money. It is in the confidence gained, the new knowledge, the friendships, and the courage to stand in front of others and say: “This is our idea and we believe in it!”

And to you, dear participants, we want to say something special:

Thank you for your courage to try, for your energy, for your imagination and for all the ideas you surprised us with!

We hope that after these two days you will leave not only with certificates and awards, but also with new friendships, inspiration, and confidence that you can achieve much more than you ever imagined.

Don’t stop asking questions. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. And never underestimate the power of your own ideas!

Because “Idea for a Future” was not just a hackathon.

It was an encounter with the future. And it inspired us for more!

The hackathon is implemented within the framework of project BG16RFPR002-1.002-0001-С01 “Accelerated digitalization for SMEs in the Central and Eastern European Regions through the creation and development of ECIH”, funded under the Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Smart Transformation Program 2021–2027, co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.

 

This news item has been created with the financial support of the Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Smart Transformation Program 2021-2027, co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund under project BG16RFPR002-1.002-0001 -C01 “Accelerated digitalization for SMEs in the Central Region through the creation and development of EDIH.” The Regional Innovation Center “Ambitious Gabrovo” bears full responsibility for the content of the document and under no circumstances can it be assumed that this document reflects the official position of the European Union and the managing authority.