Palfinger’s digitalization hackathon

On 4th and 5th March 2017, the Palfinger Group hosted Austria’s largest hackathon. More than 100 participants, grouped in 24 teams, competed for the chance to further develop their ideas

On 4^th and 5^th March 2017, the Palfinger Group hosted Austria’s largest hackathon. More than 100 participants, grouped in 24 teams, competed for the chance to further develop their ideas together with Palfinger.

“The event was a huge success,” related Martin Zehnder, Palfinger AG’s Chief Operating Officer in charge of digitalization. “Even though the participants were fully focused on both days, there was an amicable and cheerful atmosphere. I am delighted with the concepts that the participants have developed and particularly impressed by the fact that they were ready for presentation after only two days.”

“Hackathon” is a portmanteau of the words “hack” and “marathon” and describes a forum for the joint development of innovative concepts for hardware and software. The Palfinger hackathon, which was organized in cooperation with the IT consulting firm Tieto, took place in Vienna at the headquarters of Microsoft Austria.

With more than 100 participants, this hackathon was the largest to be held in Austria to date – and its magnitude was also quite impressive on an international scale. The participants came from all over Austria and also included teams from abroad. They were free to present their ideas either in German or English. While some participants had already registered as teams, individual applicants formed their teams on site. The hackathon was attended by students from universities of technology, universities of economics and business, and universities of applied sciences, as well as by young start-ups. During the two-day event, support was provided by around 30 coaches, representing various areas of the Palfinger and Tieto companies, who provided information and shared practical tips with the participants.