i-Days x Care About IT 2024: Sparking Innovation in Health and Biotech
The i-Days x Care About IT 2024 hackathon brought together 67 bright, enthusiastic participants in Tartu, Estonia, to work on 11 transformative ideas, each addressing health and biotechnology challenges. This year’s event marked the seventh edition of Tartu i-Days, held in partnership with the Care About IT project, which focuses on boosting digital skills among healthcare professionals.
For two intense days, from November 1-2, Alexela Loomelava hosted participants – students, healthcare workers, and aspiring entrepreneurs – who joined forces to tackle complex issues and develop solutions that might shape the future of healthcare. Teams dived into workshops, mentorship sessions, and intense brainstorming, guided by experienced mentors and fueled by innovation and a shared passion for health and biotech.
The Top Three Teams
The jury highlighted the following projects:
🥇 ORchestrate – An application for optimizing operating room scheduling and utilization. This time-saving solution enhances operating room efficiency and satisfaction for both healthcare providers and patients.
🏆The winning team won $2,000 in Amazon Web Services (AWS) credits, four tickets to the Budapest iDays winners’ hackathon in November, and entry to the international Care about IT hackathon in spring 2025.
🥈 BactoChip – A rapid antibiotic detection kit aimed at addressing antibiotic resistance by reducing antibiotic use and exploring innovative alternatives for global health.
🏆This promising team secured five hours of consultancy from Tartu Biotechnology Park and €500 in prize money, providing them with resources and guidance to further refine their solution.
🥉Freedom Lab – A sustainable addiction recovery support app that combines science-backed methods with gamification, providing healthcare professionals and patients with a tool to boost treatment effectiveness and patient engagement.
🏆Recognized for their creative approach, Freedom Lab was awarded tickets to sTARTUp Day 2025, offering them a prime opportunity to network and gain further exposure in the Estonian startup ecosystem.
The Hackathon Experience
The hackathon started with an introductory pitching workshop on October 25, preparing participants for the main event. Once on-site, attendees were welcomed by a diverse lineup of speakers and coaches, including Sven Parkel, General Manager of Tartu Biotechnology Park, and Kristiina Sepp, Health Technology and Services Focus Area Manager at the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency and Madis Päev, Head of Business Development at 7Sense.
Throughout the event, participants worked in teams of 4-6, navigating design thinking exercises, developing their problem-solving skills, and engaging in feedback rounds with mentors. Sessions on design thinking by Helen Minařík and pitch training by Vaido Mikheim equipped participants with practical skills to transform initial ideas into viable solutions, ensuring everyone could contribute meaningfully regardless of their background.
Over the two days, teams had several opportunities to discuss their ideas and solutions with the top mentors. At the Tartu i-Days x Care About IT the following experts helped teams with their ideas: Riina Hallik, Ali Ghasempour, Olga Vovk, Maarja-Liis Elland, Kadi Lubi, Liina Harjus-Soostar, Eva Raba, Jekaterina Šteinmiller, Kristo Peetris, Kristel Kivimets and Sven Parkel.
Pitching Competition
To prepare for the final stretch the teams had time to reflect on the insights from the previous days, refining and connecting their ideas in preparation for the final presentation to the panel of judges. The jury included Sven Parkel, Loora Salurand, Kadi Lubi, Madis Päev, Martin Argus and Liina Harjus-Sootsar. After a series of inspiring pitches with questions and feedback from the judges – the event concluded with the award ceremony.
Competing for the Future
i-Days x Care About IT 2024 offered more than a chance to innovate. The winning team, ORchestrate, secured an opportunity to compete at the i-Days Winner Event in Budapest, with travel and accommodation covered for up to four members. ORchestrate will also advance to the second-round international hackathon, Care About IT, set to take place in spring 2025.
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