The second edition of the Students’ Innov’Up 2024 Innovation Hackathon, focused on the theme “Transforming water stress into an engine of resilience”, ended Tuesday at the Euromed University of Fez (UEMF).
Supervised by trainers and coaches from the world of entrepreneurship, participants were able to structure and refine their project ideas around the environment and sustainable development.
At the end of this competition, the jury of experts selected three teams during the final phase of the Hackathon. The first prize was awarded to “Hydrovision” for its project “Aqua لنا”, which raises awareness about water conservation through an interactive application.
The second prize was awarded to “Pure Aqua White” for its ecological filtration system based on industrial waste, while the third prize went to “Créatech” for its Aquatech project, which transforms air humidity into water. drinkable.
A “favorite” prize from the jury was also awarded to the “Raha” team for its educational game “HydroPoly”. The winners will benefit from post-hackathon support to refine their projects.
Organized by the delegation of the European Union to Morocco in collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the UEMF, this event brought together talented and innovative student entrepreneurs, who came to propose sustainable solutions to the water stress experienced by the Morocco.
Speaking during the closing day, the Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union in Morocco, Mr. Daniele Dotto, underlined the commitment and dynamism of the young participants who, in parallel with their studies, worked for weeks to develop innovative, sustainable and economically viable projects, having a positive impact on the environment and society.
He insisted on the importance of bringing together teams capable of providing concrete responses to the challenge of water stress, a problem which affects not only Morocco, but the entire Mediterranean basin.
Mr. Dotto highlighted the dual value of this hackathon which allows students to develop their business model skills and apply their academic knowledge in a tangible way, while identifying solutions that can be exported beyond Moroccan borders.
The diplomat said he was “impressed” by the quality of the projects presented, expressing his optimism about the future, seeing in this youth a lively force in the making, training not only academically, but also operationally.
In a statement to MAP, the Vice-President of the Euromed University of Fez in charge of research, innovation and partnerships, Mr. Othmane Benmoussa, highlighted the richness and diversity of the ideas presented by teams from different regions of Morocco.
He noted that innovation is not limited to the technical or technological aspect, but also encompasses the marketing and commercial aspect, thus highlighting the commercialization potential of the projects developed.
Mr. Benmoussa recalled that the theme of water stress, addressed during this hackathon, is a major issue not only for Morocco, but also for the entire Mediterranean basin and beyond, exacerbated by global warming.
According to the organizers, this last stage held on December 16 and 17, 2024 at UEMF marked the end of a pre-hackathon period of almost three weeks during which 11 teams selected from more than 200 applications benefited from an intensive training program. .
LNT with Map
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