10 December 2024

With the fourth edition of the hikeathon X Company - AI Edition, the university incubator at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, or hike for short, has once again provided an impressive example of the synergy between science, business and society. With over 80 participants, the two-day makeathon on 29/30 November 2024 broke all previous records and impressed with creative approaches, collaborative work and forward-looking solutions.

This year's HIKEathon stood out from the previous year due to significant improvements. Targeted optimisations were implemented based on the findings of the last retrospective:

• Generative AI tools supported the participants throughout the entire design thinking process and accelerated the development of ideas.
• Each team was assigned a permanent coach and dedicated experts for specific challenges.
• The university's Audimax became a vibrant innovation hub where creativity and team spirit could unfold to optimum effect.

These innovations were enthusiastically received by participants and companies alike.

Diversity of challenges - diversity of solutions

Without an overarching theme, this year's HIKEathon stood for maximum thematic freedom. A total of nine company challenges were worked on and presented in three-minute pitches. The jury was impressed by the variety of solutions developed. Here are some examples:

• AWO Regionalverband Mitte-West-Thüringen e.V.: "Alltagsengel" - An AI-supported platform for support services in rural areas.
• Digitalagentur Thüringen GmbH: "Ask the coach" - Automated communication between amateur players and coaches.
• Maximator Hydrogen Inc: "Hydropolis" - An energy-packed business game to promote sustainable action.
• Leipziger Stadtwerke: "My Energy App" - gamification to engage young people with local energy suppliers.
• Future Forest Initiative: Platform for climate-stable forests and better insurance models for forest owners.
• EY: Automated ESG certification platform for SMEs to strengthen their competitive position.

The jury, consisting of experts such as Christian Böduel (IHK Erfurt), Christian Simon (Microsoft) and Anke Hartung (ThEx Enterprise), praised the range of ideas and provided valuable feedback.

The HIKEathon pushed many participants to their limits - and beyond. Thanks to the tight timeboxing, the interdisciplinary teams and the use of generative AI, they experienced how user-centred solutions can be developed in a very short space of time. The focus was on teaching future skills such as design thinking and the sensible use of generative AI. The participants will be able to use these skills in their professional and personal development beyond the HIKEeathon.

"The HIKEathon was challenging, but that's exactly what makes it so special. The support from the coaches and the targeted use of AI showed us what is possible when science, business and society work together," reports one participant.

Three brave HIKEathon teams will pitch their ideas at the hike-Demoday in the Audimax on 11 December 2024. These teams are:

• "Hydropolis" (Team Maximator Hydrogen)
• "Ask the coach" (Team Digitalagentur Thüringen)
• "My Energy" (Team Stadtwerke Leipzig)

A public vote will decide which team wins the prize money of 500 euros from Kreissparkasse Nordhausen and b-mt. You can register for the free event here: https://www.eventbrite.de/e/hikedemoday-tickets-1034803393807?aff=oddtdtcreator

The HIKEathon X Company - AI Edition 2024 has proven that the combination of creativity, technological innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration unleashes enormous potential. Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences is already looking forward to the next edition of this inspiring format in 2025.