On November 15 and 16, 2024, the Hanseatic Hackathon took place during the Week of AI at the Hanse Innovation Campus Lübeck. Over 70 participants from various disciplines - including students, academic staff and professionals - worked together on real tasks from the regional economy. The aim was to develop innovative solutions with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) in just two days.

Seven interdisciplinary teams impressively demonstrated how quickly and effectively solutions can be developed.

“Team Stralsund” was awarded the jury prize: Their project “MeetingMinder” offers an AI-based solution for transcribing and structuring meetings in order to make them more efficient. The audience award went to “Team Wismar” with the idea “Waste:Wise”: This application analyzes leftover food in the catering industry in order to adapt food offerings and reduce waste.

Other teams developed approaches for automated supplier searches, for optimizing customer experiences, for supporting funding research and for efficient planning of building renovations.

The Hanseatic Hackathon showed how valuable the exchange between business and university is. While students benefited from the practical knowledge of professionals, companies received fresh perspectives and new impulses from the academic world. The event underlines how successful collaboration can lead to innovative and practical results.

The participants worked with real data and complex challenges from the Hansebelt region. Supported by work labs and exchanges with mentors, applications were created that not only demonstrate current problem-solving approaches, but also potential for future developments.

The Hanseatic Hackathon is a central component of the Week of AI and will also take place in 2025 to once again combine the spirit of innovation, knowledge and practice.

Text source: Project team of the IHS project HI Lübeck