Hackathon, build stuff, have fun
Few years ago, a new type of event emerged with the aim of giving quick solutions to technologic challenges. Nowadays this event, the hackathon, is organized by companies, universities and entrepreneurs that wish to solve a problem by using new insights.
Source hypepotamus
Today we would like to present to you the Endesa Hackathon. But first…
What is a hackathon?
“The word hackathon is a portmanteau of the words hack and marathon, where hack is used in the sense of playful, exploratory programming, not its alternate meaning as a reference to computer crime.” – Wikipedia
Source tecnidiario
Whether building a website, mobile app, or even hardware hack, the goal is to start from scratch and end with a working prototype.
Hackathons take place at least for a few days, normally over a weekend, and generally no longer than a week. Once the time is over, teams show what they’ve built and compete for prizes.
These events are addictive, and the community building around them is growing faster than ever. Basically the main objective is to use technology to turn ideas into reality.
Hackathons allow development teams to work on chosen projects. So… you are participating in a project that you love while developing and showing your skills to the world.
Source tecnidiario
Hackathons are innovative proving grounds for new ideas. They’re especially good tools to stimulate the creative and problem-solving juices of developers.
They are marathon brainstorming sessions that encourage group creativity, foster problem-solving and risk-taking in a casual environment. Moreover, the diversity of participants guarantees a multitude of perspectives.
One of our technology team, Fernando Álvarez- Uria, is a hackathon fan. He has participated, and win, in many of them: C.A.R.S., Endesa Energy Challenge, IBM Futurehacks, Spacehack Berlin,etc.
Endesa Hackathon
In November 2015, an amazing two-day challenge took place. The intention was to create an innovative solution for energy efficiencies. 40 participants worked in groups of 4 for 72 hours to develop an innovative idea that will allow the consumer to use energy in a more efficient manner.
Fernando was in the winning team! They won the first prize, which amounted to 6000 €.
Endesa hackathon winners
“Our project was defined as an application that locates inefficiencies and energy loss within the home through the use of a thermographic sensor that detects differences in temperature” – Fernando said.
“The goal was to develop a low cost thermographic camera that allowed the monitoring of rooms, learning about its users’ habits and detecting waste.
“This data, cross-referenced with external inputs, would generate recommendations to achive the most efficient use of energy.”
Would you be interested in participating in a hackathon? We are cooking one! Stay tunned for more info in our Facebook page, Twitter feed and Instagram account!
