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E³UDRES² Hackathon 2026

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Applications open soon

E³UDRES² Hackathon: From Challenges to Possibilities: What Else?

What else can plywood become? What else can a bobsleigh track be? What else can textile waste do?
 

What Else? Hackathon invites students to look at familiar resources with fresh eyes and ask one deceptively simple question: What else could this become? As part of the E³UDRES² Autumn Summit 2026, bringing together an international community around collaboration, knowledge and real-world challenges, teams will tackle challenges from Latvijas Finieris, the Sigulda Bobsleigh and Luge Track, and ZAAO: exploring new applications for thick birch plywood, imagining year-round uses for an iconic sports venue, and finding new value in textile waste. The setting itself will be part of the experience: the hackathon begins at the University of Latvia Botanical Garden, surrounded by nature and a living reminder of transformation and regeneration, and continues at Viskaļi, a creative community where ideas, disciplines and people meet, set in a former urban building that has been reimagined for a new purpose. Two unconventional places, three very different challenges, an international community of problem-solvers, and one shared invitation: What else is possible?

Programme dates

On-site Hackathon
19 – 20 October 2026 

Venue: University of Latvia Botanical Garden & Viskaļi, Riga, Latvia

Online Sessions
Kick-off meeting:
5 October 2026

ECTS

Students who complete the Hackathon successfully will receive 3 ECTS.

All students have to verify whether the ECTS points will be recognised for their curriculum by their home university. For details, you can contact your local E³UDRES² team.

Costs

Participation is free! Find more information concerning financial support and accomodation costs in our FAQ section.

From Challenges to Possibilities: What Else?

Riga, the host city of the What Else? Hackathon, brings together layers of history, culture, nature and contemporary creativity. Organised by Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences as part of the E³UDRES² Autumn Summit 2026, the hackathon invites students from across Europe to meet in Latvia and look at familiar resources, places and challenges from new perspectives.
 
The idea behind What Else? is simple: what happens when we stop seeing things only for what they are and start imagining what else they could become? Working in international and interdisciplinary teams, participants will tackle real-world challenges from Latvijas Finieris, the Sigulda Bobsleigh and Luge Track, and ZAAO. They will explore new applications for thick birch plywood, imagine how an iconic winter sports venue could gain new life throughout the year, and search for new value in textile waste.
 
Just as the challenges cross the boundaries between materials, industries and disciplines, the hackathon brings together students with different cultures, experiences and fields of study. Their diversity becomes a resource in itself – a way to challenge assumptions, combine perspectives and develop solutions that might not emerge within a single discipline or context.
 
Two unconventional places, three real-world challenges, an international community of problem-solvers and one shared question: What else is possible?

Questions about this activity?

Send an e-mail to the organizer to learn more.

FAQ

The E³UDRES² Hackathon is a co-creation format, where students from different backgrounds and different countries work together to develop a common solution for current regional challenges under the guidance of mentors and experts. 

E³UDRES² Students, stakeholders and staff members from

  • JAMK — Jamk University of Applied Sciences
  • SAXION — Saxion University of Applied Sciences
  • HFD — Fulda University of Applied Sciences
  • UCLL — UCLL University of Applied Sciences
  • VIA — Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

Date & Time:

19 October 2026 - 20 October 2026

Venue

External Location

Open for
E³UDRES² Students|E³UDRES² Staff|E³UDRES² Stakeholders
Language
English

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