The Blue Way Hackathon 2025 – Blueslinks.
As part of Interreg’s Blueslinks project – new skills for the blue economy, from May 22 to 23 we participated in The Blue Way Hackathon in Ancona, which was organized as part of the renowned festival Tipicità in Blu – an event dedicated to the promotion of innovation and sustainability in the marine and coastal environment. The Blue Way Hackathon is designed as a two-day competition that brings together young innovators, students, entrepreneurs and experts from different sectors to jointly devise creative and feasible solutions to the challenges of the blue economy – a concept that involves the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources.
This year’s topics were focused on:
- Digital valorization of the marine environment
- Sustainable tourism in coastal areas
- Smart use of resources through digital solutions
- Connecting communities through blue values
Through 48 hours and guidance from expert mentors, the groups developed their solutions and prototypes, which they then presented in front of an expert jury made up of representatives of institutions, universities and the business sector. The evaluation was based on the criteria of innovation, feasibility, relevance for the blue economy and impact on the community.
Our students and SMEs directly participated in the development of one of the awarded projects, thus demonstrating how Croatian participants can contribute equally to international innovation processes.
As partners in the BLUESLINKS project, we actively participated in the hackathon, bringing with us two students and two representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who acted as expert consultants. Their participation enabled the practical application of knowledge and experience in the development of innovative solutions, and contributed to strengthening cooperation between stakeholders in the Adriatic region.
