In May, CraftHub hosted thrilling events that brought together aspiring hackers, industry professionals, and innovative ideas. CraftHack Hackathon and a special Hackathon Training day provided participants with unique opportunities to showcase their skills, learn from experts, and push the boundaries of innovation. Let’s dive into the highlights of these events and hear from the MediScreen team, who won one of the CraftHack challenges after participating in our hackathon training.
CraftHack Hackathon 2023
CraftHack this year was held simultaneously with the renowned Craft Conference, marking a significant milestone as both events took place at the same venue and time. With over 1700+ attendees, 30+ partners, and 80+ world-class speakers, Craft Conference provided an inspiring backdrop for the hackathon participants. Over the course of 24 intense hours on May 18-19, 200+ participants forming 44 teams seized the opportunity to transform their ideas into tangible projects. The judges had the difficult task of evaluating their projects and selecting the winners. Three challenges were provided, one by SEON and two by CraftHub adding extra excitement to the event. Ultimately, 4 exceptional teams emerged victorious, each claiming a share of the €7,500 prize pool.
Hackathon Training day
Prior to the hackathon, CraftHub organized a Hackathon Training day powered by Omixon. (If you’re unfamiliar with hackathons, you can learn more about them here.) This one-day event aimed to introduce newcomers to the world of hackathons through pitch training, hackathon basics, and a trial task. More than 30 individuals attended this free event, eager to gain insights and explore the hackathon experience.
The Journey of MediScreen Team
Among the participants of the Hackathon Training was the MediScreen team, including Tamás Endrei, Regina Zelei, Nikoletta Nagy, Hanna Vecsera, and Boldizsár Pásztor. Their hackathon journey began when two CraftHub team members walked into one of their college classes, sparking their interest in the upcoming event. Intrigued by the idea of participating, the team decided to attend with some of their classmates.
Reflecting on their experience at both the Hackathon Training and CraftHack Hackathon, the MediScreen team expressed their thoughts:
“Our experience was amazing, the locations, the organization of the event, and the workshops were incredible. We have met so many like-minded people and come across a ton of fascinating ideas and their implementations. From the training workshops, we have gained useful knowledge not only for our hackathon project but also for outside endeavors. The mentors gave a unique insight into the problems and their industry in general. Also, the fact that a conference was held simultaneously with the hackathon was a major plus since we could also meet with industry-leading companies and network with their representatives.”
The knowledge and skills acquired during the Hackathon Training proved invaluable for the MediScreen team during CraftHack Hackathon. They mentioned:
“The fact that we had a general understanding of how to organize our time for the project and how to create and forge together our ideas was a huge benefit. Also, the pitch training helped a lot for us to create a unique selling point and story for why our product should be chosen. So it is definitely a must for first-time hackathoners.”
When asked about the factors that set their project apart and led to their victory, the MediScreen team emphasized:
“Our problem formulation was probably what made it stand out the most. We really hit the nail on its head with the issue of health screenings and their lack of utilization in the Hungarian healthcare system. Also, the fact that we have found a way to mix new AI advancements to simplify this process while also rewarding users was a key factor in our win.” (You can check out their project here.)
Encouraging others to explore hackathons and training programs, the MediScreen team concluded:
“It is an amazing opportunity to test yourself in a creative way and to learn a lot from mentors and like-minded people. Also, regardless of the outcome, this is a unique experience that you can look back on later.”
The collaboration between the two events created an immersive environment for innovation and growth. Congratulations to the MediScreen team as well as the CraftHub challenge winner: CraftSphere team, the SEON challenge winner: Keyper, team, and last but not least the HealthHub team, who came out as the Grand Winner of the hackathon.
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