On September 28–29, a hackathon titled “Youth Business Ideas for Improving Energy Efficiency”, organized by the Vidzeme Planning Region, will take place in Smiltene. The aim of the event is to develop young people’s entrepreneurial skills and motivate them to start their own business ventures.
In true hackathon format, everything will be provided for participants — a comfortable environment, materials, support staff and meals — so they can fully focus on the main objective: to create innovative and viable ideas that increase energy efficiency in sectors important to the economy, society, environment and culture. A total of 38 students from Smiltene Secondary School and Smiltene Technical School have registered and will work in eight teams.
The hackathon will be led by Vita Brakovska, chair of the Association “Society of Knowledge and Innovation.” Idea development will be supported by mentors from local Smiltene businesses, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences and the LIAA Valmiera Business Incubator. At the end of the event, a jury will evaluate all team presentations and the top three teams will receive special prizes.
Special guests will include partners from Norway involved in the “Entrepreneurship in Vidzeme” project. Representatives from Elverum municipality and school will observe the hackathon with the aim of implementing a similar model in Norway. It is planned that next year, Norwegian students will also take part in one of the Vidzeme Planning Region hackathons — making the competition for the best and most sustainable business ideas even more exciting.
This hackathon is the second in a planned series of four within the “Entrepreneurship in Vidzeme” project.
The hackathon format has gained popularity worldwide — it brings targeted groups together in teams to quickly generate solutions to real-life challenges in a short time.
The event “Youth Business Ideas for Improving Energy Efficiency” is implemented within the project “Entrepreneurship Support Measures in the Vidzeme Planning Region,” funded by the EEA Financial Instrument 2014–2021 under the program “Local Development, Poverty Reduction and Cultural Cooperation.”
