Events

Athena Research Center is joining forces with the British Council and Microsoft Greece for the second year to deliver a hackathon,  during which participants will have the opportunity to explore and showcase the power of artificial intelligence for the common good.

The hackathon will take place on Friday 15, Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 December 2023 at INNOVATHENS, Technopolis, City of Athens (100 Pireos Street, 118 54 Athens). Green Cities is the theme of this year’s hackathons. Participants will be invited to generate creative ideas aimed at improving people’s lives in urban areas by making them more sustainable and eco-friendly. 

Applicants must be aged 18–35, have a good understanding of English and a background in one of the following fields:

• Computer science/engineering/mathematics /architecture/urban development etc. – people who study or have a background in one of these fields.
• Climate activism/environmental or social sciences – people who support social justice, are proponents of environmental sustainability and are aware of the Sustainable Development Goals .
• Social innovation or entrepreneurship – people who design solutions that aim to improve the welfare and well-being of individuals and communities.

Participants will form teams and receive training from our UK expert Mike Lloyd on how they can use artificial intelligence to design solutions to the contemporary challenge of making cities sustainable. There is no need to be an expert on AI or on climate change/social justice topics to participate as the hackathon will involve training in fundamental AI principles. Mentors will support each team through the process.

The teams will try to generate creative ideas and design a solution through AI tools to respond to the challenges of the global climate crisis, create an original idea and present it in front of a jury that will select a winning team. 

The winning team of the hackathon will be awarded with a study visit to Bristol – one of the leading sustainable cities in the UK – in March 2024. Bristol was the first British city to be named European Green Capital, an award that celebrates and promotes innovative responses to urban environmental challenges. The winning team will have the opportunity to visit relevant institutions and expand their knowledge about how AI is being used to find solutions for sustainable urban living. Participants will also meet the winning teams from other countries where hackathons took place, facilitating the exchange of ideas and networking.

During the study visit to Bristol, participants will be invited to join a youth policy dialogue event, where they will engage with experts in AI, sustainability and social impact, as well as policymakers, researchers, companies and academics. The purpose of the event is to explore the potential of artificial intelligence in creating social value and initiate discussions about the role of youth as leaders for social change and drivers of the new technological era.

The hackathon is powered by Microsoft Hellas and is delivered in collaboration with Athena Research Center, Laboratory of Management Science and Technology, Department of Management Science and Technology, Athens University of Economics and Business, AD and PR Lab and CID-CCS lab, Department of Communication, Media & Culture, Panteion University and CREATIVE+ Entrepreneurship & Innovation Hub, Panteion University, under the auspices of the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation and the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports. The hackathon is hosted at INNOVATHENS, Technopolis, City of Athens.