26/04/2021

Applications for the VIRAL hackathon are open

 Applications for the VIRAL hackathon which will present the possibilities of applying information technologies in agriculture, have been officially opened.

The hackathon organized by IEC Tehnopolis is intended for students who will apply in teams and have the opportunity to win up to 2,500 euros with their innovative solutions!

Modern agriculture is largely based on new technological solutions closely related to the growing use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and various software/hardware solutions, not only for monitoring but also for managing production processes.

In Montenegro, the available technological and technical solutions in the agricultural sector are insufficiently used, so the main goal of the VIRAL hackathon is the intersection of these two sectors, in order to create solutions to the challenges faced by agricultural companies in everyday business.

Five teams will have a unique opportunity to use their knowledge and skills to create a solution on one of two defined topics:

  • Optimization of irrigation systems, including specifics individual plant species;
  • Measuring workforce efficiency.

The solution can be both hardware and software, and the teams will be supported by TechLab Tehnopolis and enable the use of 3D printers for prototyping. On the way to winning the title of the winner of the VIRAL hackathon, mentors from various fields will work with the teams to provide support in finding the best solution.

The hackathon will be held from May 17 to 19, 2021, in the premises of IEC Tehnopolis. On the first day of the hackathon, the detailed rules of the competition will be presented and the teams will have 48 hours to design and develop their software/hardware solution and convince the expert jury that they deserve to take the title of VIRAL hackathon winner. The created solutions will be presented on May 19 at the Demo Day.

During the competition, participants will be provided with food, drinks, internet and space for fun and relaxation.

VIRAL hackathon is intended for students who will apply in a team, and it is necessary to meet the defined criteria:

  • All team members must be students;
  • At least one team member must be a student of the Faculty of Agriculture / Food Technology;
  • At least one team member must be a student of the Faculty of Information Technology / Electrical Engineering;
  • The maximum number of members per team is 4.

All interested students can apply at this link, and the first 5 registered teams that meet the above criteria will have the opportunity to participate in the VIRAL hackathon! The commission for evaluation of received applications will be composed of representatives of four partner institutions from Montenegro – IEC Tehnopolis, UDG, Plantaze 13. jul, as well as MANT.

The application deadline is May 10 at 6 p.m.

Valuable cash prizes are planned for the three first-placed teams, namely 2,500 euros for the first place, 1,000 euros for the second place and 500 euros for the third place!

Special thanks to the general sponsor of VIRAL hackathon – Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group in South-Eastern Europe (SWG) who provided the support within “Diversification of economic activities in rural areas of Southeast Europe through the development of a value chain” project and implements it in partnership with the German Organization for International Cooperation (GIZ); general sponsors – Crnogorski Telekom, ICT Cortex and Coca-Cola HBC Montenegro, hackathon partner – Alter Modus and hackathon friends – The Municipality of Podgorica and Swisslion-Takovo.

Hackathon is organized through the VIRAL project, which is co-financed by EU funds through the Erasmus + programme. The project aims to import and improve cooperation between faculties, students, and the business sector through the use of ICT solutions in the agricultural sector. In addition to IEC Tehnopolis, the project is being implemented by the University of Banja Luka, Donja Gorica University, Dzemal Bijedic Mostar University, University of Mostar, Tuzla University/Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Bijeljina University, University of Wageningen, Maribor University, Bucharest University, Agro-fruit, Jaffa-komerc, Plantaze 13. jul, Western Balkans Institute, Innovation Center Banja Luka, INTERA Technology Park and Montenegrin Association for New Technologies MANT.