Are you passionate about shaping the future of food? This food hackaton is your chance to step up!
The goal of the hackathon is to create potential business solutions in a short amount of time using design thinking methods, combining academic excellence and specific industry knowledge.
Who should apply?
Students, researchers, entrepreneurs, food and agriculture sector employees, and anyone interested in contributing to the sustainable future of the food system is invited to come up with innovative solutions to important challenges in the agriculture and food sectors.
This is your chance to step up, collaborate, and sharpen your skills at our two-day hackathon! No previous experience is necessary—bring your curiosity and ambition!
When? November 29-30, 2024
Where? Tartu Nature House, Lille 10, Tartu
Register HERE.
Cost: Free – seize this unique opportunity to make an impact!
🌍 The initiative is supported by EIT Food, Tartu Biotechnology Park, Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge (METK), and the Food and Fermentation Technology Development Center (TFTAK). The hackathon aims to address real-world problems linked to the food supply chain, sustainability, and creating solutions that could be implemented in real life.
METK will challenge the participants to create solutions that will accelerate the progress towards sustainable agriculture, food security and promoting food production – while reducing the environmental impact at the same time. TFTAK presents challenges that focus on finding solutions to reduce food waste, raise consumer awareness about nutrition and food composition, and promote healthier and more diverse eating habits. They are also looking for innovative ways to better utilize food industry residues and continuously gather information on the population’s dietary habits.
You can bring your own idea or choose a challenge METK and TFTAK provided from below.
Why join?
Tackle critical food-related challenges
Hands-on experience solving real-life problems
Design thinking and pitch training
Inspirational speakers
Networking with like-minded people
EIT Food and partner prizes:
* Cash prize of 500€ and 5 tickets to sTARTUp Day 2025 for winning team and opportunity to take part of EIT Food's business support programs
* 5 tickets to sTARTUp Day 2025 for the most innovative idea
* 6 hours of mentoring from Tartu Biotechnology Park
* Consultation worth 500€ from TFTAK. The topic of the consultation is chosen in cooperation with the winning team. This can be, for example, product development, packaging labelling, product shelf life, versatile healthy nutrition, professional sensory evaluation of a model product, etc.
Preliminary agenda
I Day | 29 November
15.00-15.20 Registration + coffee
15:15-15:25 Welcome; introduction of the hackathon schedule & activities
15:25-15:35 “Teambuilding”
15.35- 16:20 I idea pitches, ideation and team formation
16:20-17:20 Design thinking training part I (Taavi Tamm)
17:20-17:30 Coffee/Stretching
17:30-19:15 Design thinking training part II (Taavi Tamm)
19:15-21:00 Teamwork
II Day | 30 November
9:30-10:00 Gathering and morning coffee
10:00-10:10 Wrap-up of Day 1 and Intro to Day 2, including presentation of awards and judging criteria
10:10-10:30 Keynote I Mariliis Mia Topp, Raw Edge
10:30-11:15 Teamwork
11:15-11:35 Keynote II Rain Kuldjärv, TFTAK
11:35-12:10 Pitching workshop – Vaido Mikheim/Startup Estonia
12:10-12:40 Lunch
12.40-14:00 Mentor rounds 14:00-15:15 Teamwork
15:15-15:30 Coffee break
15.30-17:00 Presentations of the ideas and progress during the innovation day + jury feedback & prizes
Challenges from TFTAK:
Long Ingredient Lists in Plant-Based Protein Products
Problem: The ingredient lists of plant-based protein products often contain many different components. For example, a plant-based milk alternative may have added calcium and vitamin D as separate ingredients, or a meat alternative may contain plant-based protein. A long ingredient list gives consumers the impression that the product is unhealthy and overly processed.
Expectation: A solution that quickly explains to consumers the nature of the components and/or their necessity in the food composition.
Dietary habits of the population
Problem: Population nutrition surveys are conducted in Estonia approximately every 10 years. As a result, there is a lack of adequate information on the overall nutrition of the population over shorter periods. Expectation: A solution to continuously collect information about the dietary habits of the population, which in turn would help the government and the food industry to respond more quickly to changes in consumers behavior.
Food Waste in Restaurants and Supermarkets
Problem: A large amount of food waste is generated in restaurants and supermarkets. This waste contains food from various categories mixed together. In Estonia, restaurants generate approximately 11,000 tons of food waste annually, and supermarkets generate around 20,000 tons annually. The largest proportion comes from fruits and vegetables, but these are mixed with bakery products, meat, dairy products, and processed foods.
Expectation: Find ways to valorize mixed food waste beyond composting and animal feed.
Reuse of food residues
Problem: Estonian food industries generate an average of 32,000 tons of food residues per year, which are still edible. Currently, a large amount of by-products from food production ends up as waste, which constitutes both food waste and a cost to the industry.
Expectation: Find ways to valorize specific food production residues for human consumption. This would allow the reuse of large amounts of valuable raw materials.
Consumer Misunderstanding of "Best Before" and "Valid Until" Dates
Problem: Consumers still do not correctly understand the difference between "best before" and "use by" dates, resulting in a large amount of edible food being wasted.
Expectation:
A solution for consumers that clarifies the difference between "best before" and "valid until" dates.
A solution that encourages consumers to use "best before" expired products (food rescue).
Low Consumer Awareness of Food Nutritional Value
Problem: Consumers have low awareness of the nutritional value of food and food products.
Expectation: A solution that easily raises consumers' awareness of the nutritional value of food.
Lack of Diversity in Estonian Household Diets
Problem: The average Estonian household mainly uses only 7 different recipes at home. The Estonian diet lacks diversity, with too few fruits and vegetables in meals.
Expectation: A solution that encourages people to diversify their diet according to national dietary and exercise recommendations.
Challenges from METK:
AI-Based Crop Disease Detection and Prevention
Problem: Crop diseases can destroy large harvests, leading to food shortages and economic damage.
Expectation: Develop an AI-based system that uses data from drones and satellites to detect early signs of diseases in crops in real-time, offering precise preventive treatments. This reduces pesticide use and supports sustainability.
Fully Automated Vertical Farms
Problem: Urbanization is reducing the land available for traditional farming.
Expectation: Design a system of vertical farms powered by AI and robotics, which enables food production in urban environments on smaller areas of land, using fewer resources such as water and energy.
IoT- and Blockchain-Based Food Supply Chain Transparency
Problem: Consumers demand more information about the origin, production conditions, and ecological impact of their food.
Expectation: Develop an IoT-powered system integrated with blockchain technology to ensure complete transparency throughout the food supply chain. This system tracks food from farm to table, allowing consumers to scan product packaging and access detailed information on the product's journey, including sustainability certifications, environmental impact, and ethical practices.
AI-Based Personalized Nutrition through Sustainable Food
Problem: Consumers lack access to personalized nutrition recommendations based on local and sustainable products.
Expectation: Create an AI-based application that analyzes consumer health data, lifestyle and dietary habits, providing recommendations for consuming local and environmentally friendly food.
Carbon Footprint Reduction Tools for Farmers
Problem: Farmers need tools to measure and reduce their CO2 emissions.
Expectation: Design a carbon footprint tracking platform that provides real-time data and practical solutions to reduce carbon emissions in production processes, such as optimizing fertilization and fuel usage.
Digital Platform for Local Food Production and Distribution During Crises
Problem: Crises like COVID-19 show that global supply chains can unexpectedly break down, leaving local communities without access to food.
Expectation: Develop a digital platform that connects local farmers, warehouses, and consumers during crises to ensure safe and fair food distribution through short supply chains, using technologies like robotics and smart storage systems.
Improving Food Security Through Predictive Data Analytics
Problem: Climate change and supply chain disruptions affect food production and supply, threatening food security.
Expectation: Create a data analytics-based system that uses satellite data, weather forecasts, and supply chain information to predict potential production issues (such as yield declines or transportation disruptions) and provide solutions to mitigate risks before crises occur.
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