The Rebuild Green Hackathon 2024, set to kick off this Saturday, aims to promote sustainability in the reconstruction of Ukraine by giving participants a chance to develop green projects that focus on biomaterials and eco-friendly technologies.
Behind the project is the Rebuild Ukrainian Cities Green Initiative, launched by Lithuania-based straw panel maker Modulina, the Ukrainian hackathon organizer Synchro Space, and FIABCI-Ukraine - the Ukrainian chapter of the International Real Estate Federation.
The organizers of the hackathon first asked war-damaged Ukrainian municipalities to submit proposals for the projects to be developed through the event, in accordance with their needs. During the hackathon, the participants will work on selected projects in groups and the winning team will see its project developed.
For Modulina, which will donate its straw panels to the hackathon's winning project, the initiative was an opportunity to showcase its product and its approach to construction on the Ukrainian market, said the company's strategic business development advisor Kateryna Pylypchuk, who also serves as vice president of FIABCI-Ukraine.
She said that, since the initiative was launched in 2023, representatives from 12 countries have joined, including the Danish Institute for Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Netherlands-based WorldStartup, among others. The initiative is slated to last until 2030, with a number of hackathons to be held by then.
The hackathon is an opportunity for companies and organizations that do not have subsidiaries or affiliates in Ukraine to enter the market by developing a project that eventually may be implemented, Pylypchuk said in an interview with Ukraine Rebuild Newswire.
"This is the facilitative way to help companies enter the market without special consideration of risk of investment," she noted.
The Rebuild Green Hackathon has received more than 20 applications from communities and municipalities from Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Ternopil, Rivne, and other Ukrainian regions, it says on its website. Based on the applications, three key areas on which the participants will focus their efforts have been identified, namely Eco-Housing and Industrial Parks, Rehabilitation Centers, and Educational and Cultural Institutions.
The hackathon's demo day is scheduled for Oct 23.
