HomeNewsUT students win Pan-European Hackathon, develop app to connect students and mentors

UT students win Pan-European Hackathon, develop app to connect students and mentors

Developing innovative solutions together for coronavirus-related challenges. Students from University of Twente’s DesignLab Gleb Podorozhnyy, David Chiriboga Gaibor and Morteza Kiani Anbouee participated in the Pan-European Hackathon, that was organized by the European Commission. Today was announced that they have won in the category remote working & education.

During the EUvsVirus hackathon the students came up with the app mentor.me. This app offers a solution for primary and high school children. Due to the corona virus, children and teachers are separated from each other. In many cases - especially in underdeveloped countries - parents are not able to teach the children. In another instance students at universities have more time available, as they too are sitting at home during the corona crisis. The app mentor.me matches students with mentors, who voluntarily offer help to younger students.

The DreamTeam students at DesignLab have won a €4,000 prize sponsored by the Association of Nordic Engineers. With this money they can bring their app to the next level. In addition to that the students receive the opportunity to participate in the Matchathon, which takes place from 22 to 25 May and is organized by the European Innovation Council.

EUvsVirus Hackathon

On 24, 25 and 26 April the European Commission, led by the European Innovation Council and in close collaboration with the EU member states, hosted a pan-European hackathon to connect civil society, innovators, partners and investors across Europe in order to develop innovative solutions for coronavirus-related challenges.

20,900 people from across the EU and beyond took part, with 2,150 solutions submitted in areas including health and life (898), business continuity (381), remote working and education (270), social and political cohesion (452), digital finance (75) and other challenges (83).

UT as official partner

The University of Twente (UT) supported this hackathon, as part of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU). On behalf of the UT, DesignLab was involved in guiding the hackathon and connecting the UT community. During the hackathon, Cristina Zaga, researcher and lecturer at DesignLab, was one of the mentors and DesignLab's director Sabine Wildevuur was member of the jury.

More info about the Mentor.me app? https://devpost.com/software/interactive-education-platform

All the winners of the EUvsVirus hackathon: https://euvsvirus.org/results

J.C. Vreeman (Jochem)
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