The Centre for Monitoring and Protection of Waters in Borucino, Poland, will host the second Baltic Hackathon from June 6-8, 2025, bringing together students and industry leaders to address critical challenges in the Blue Bioeconomy sector. The three-day event aims to foster innovation and collaboration between academia and industry in the Baltic region.
The hackathon primarily targets Master’s and Ph.D. students from European universities, though exceptional Bachelor’s students are also encouraged to apply. Participants can come from diverse academic backgrounds, including marine sciences, environmental economics, technology, programming, and biology. The student application period opens in March 2025, with participants required to submit a motivational statement of up to 500 words or a three-minute video.
For industry participation, companies and institutions can submit their challenges between February 6-28, 2025. Challenge owners are expected to send representatives to mentor student teams during the event. The challenges should address real-world issues in the Blue Bioeconomy sector, ranging from aquaculture sustainability to digital innovation in marine data management.
The event is fully funded for student participants, including accommodation and meals throughout the weekend. Travel expenses will be partially or fully covered based on location and available budget. Industry mentors will also receive accommodation and potential travel reimbursement.
The initiative is supported by a consortium of five European partners, including two universities (SDU and UG), Pole Mer Bretagne Atlantique, the Portuguese Blue Biotechnology network (BBA), and the SUBMARINER Network. This collaboration ensures broad regional representation and expertise in maritime innovation.
During the 48-hour event, multidisciplinary teams will work with industry mentors to develop innovative solutions, with opportunities to win prizes and gain exposure to potential future employers in the Blue Biotechnology sector. The format emphasizes practical problem-solving and helps bridge the gap between academic training and industry needs.
Interested parties can obtain additional information by contacting hackathons@bluebiotechpreneurs.eu.
