Successful Innothon with HAK Feldkirch

Four key topics were defined as part of the "Pioneering City of Dornbirn": climate-friendly mobility, safe routes to school, new approaches to green space management and aspects of the circular economy and sustainable urban development. In small teams, the participants worked together with researchers to develop concrete solutions, which they presented in a structured way in innovation canvases and presented in short video pitches. Organizer Fadi Dohnal, Head of the Microtechnology Research Centre at the FHV, summed up: "Combining the real needs of the city with fresh perspectives is exactly what drives sustainable innovation. I was particularly impressed by how quickly ideas turned into tangible results. While this was our regional RUN-EU event, the same Innothon format took place simultaneously across Europe, where other RUN-EU partners worked with their regional stakeholders on Smart Cities & Smart Villages.

The event impressively demonstrated the effectiveness of combining real urban issues with fresh perspectives from young people. Within a very short space of time, innovative and practical ideas emerged that can contribute both to climate protection and to improving the quality of life in urban areas. At the same time, the format underlines the importance of cooperation between the city, research and young talent.