Change4Future Hackathon was held for the first time in Ukraine: Demo Day Results
On November 25-28, the first hackathon with a focus on mineral and metallurgical processes for sustainable development took place – Change4Future Hackathon.
The event was organized by the Ukrainian Startup Fund together with EIT RawMaterials.
Scientists and young scientists, PhD students and students, Ukrainian startups from more than 10 cities of Ukraine took part in the hackathon.
For four days they worked on finding technologies and solutions within five challenges:
- Improved and new mineral exploration;
- More efficient, responsible and sustainable modern mining;
- Mineral and metal processing and for improved materials production;
- Optimization of the mining and production processes of metals and minerals (increasing process efficiency, using less energy and water, reducing costs and waste generation);
- Alternative materials for the pipes.
The program of the Hackathon included theoretical (more than 10 workshops and panel discussions from industry leaders) and practical (mentoring) parts to improve the projects of the participants.
During the first three days, the teams actively prepared for pitching, worked intensively with mentors on challenges and received valuable advice on the development of their products.
The final stage of the Hackathon was Demo Day, during which 15 finalists presented their initiatives.
Speakers at the Demo Day were:
- Oksana Krukevych – Head of the Expert Group of the Directorate of Science and Innovation of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine;
- Andriy Zaikin – Founder and CEO of YEP Startup Incubator;
- Evelina Komarnytska – Moderator of the event, representative of the Ukrainian Startup Fund.
According to the results of pitching, the winners of 5 challenges were:
- Critical HydroMinerals Calculator (CHydroMC) is an idea that consists in the development of software for the calculation and evaluation of projects for the extraction of minerals from the associated formation water of oil fields.
- Fenite haloes of alkaline rocks and carbonatites is a project dedicated to the comprehensive study of phenitic aureole rocks surrounding alkaline and carbonatite complexes – potential sources of phosphorus and rare metal raw materials.
- ThermoSalt is a combination of salt extraction from brines and geothermal energy production with carbon capture and storage technology, which will help to create “green” projects with zero emissions, high added value, significant social impact and mitigation of environmental risks. This is a sustainable project life cycle with the production of some CRMs important for the future reconstruction of Ukraine.
- The MACSIO Expert System is a system based on unique data on the technological properties of multicomponent oxide systems. It can evaluate new raw materials or waste, which makes it possible to use them in the technological process in metallurgy.
- Geoscaninform is a geophysical method of prospecting and exploration of mineral resources, which is protected by national patents, and its accuracy has been proven in geological exploration both on land and offshore.
Grants from the Geological Investment Group in the amount of $1000 were awarded to Critical HydroMinerals Calculator and Evaluation and Ranking of Zircon-Ilmenite Placers.
The hackathon was organized by the Ukrainian Startup Fund in cooperation with EIT RawMaterials with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, ReThink, Greencubator, Geological Investment Group, DTEK Oil&Gas, European Business Association and the National Association of Extractive Industry of Ukraine.
