The “Business Initiative Hackathon” has taken place

On December 7, 2024, for the second consecutive year, the “Business Initiative Hackathon” took place within the framework of the Latvian state budget-funded programme “STRONG TOGETHER – 3. СИЛЬНІ РАЗОМ – 3,” ID No. 2024.LV/UKR_KO/003/L2, aimed at promoting leadership and cooperation between Ukrainian civilians and representatives of Latvian society.

The event aimed to engage Latvian residents and Ukrainian civilians in joint idea generation by forming teams to create business model prototypes. The process was moderated and supported by Andrejs Zelčs, the Head of Daugavpils Business Incubator, and entrepreneur Inga Zelča. They encouraged hackathon participants to formulate a potential business idea and name, assess risks, and define target customers.

Each team included a representative from the host community, who provided support by describing Latvia’s economic, environmental, and social factors. Hackathon participants developed several business ideas where Ukrainian civilians could successfully collaborate with Latvian residents.

At the conclusion of the hackathon, each team presented its business model prototype, receiving expert feedback from the event moderators. They highlighted the strengths of each project and suggested areas for improvement. The participants asked thought-provoking questions and shared comments based on their prior experiences. The team with the best and most successful business idea received valuable prizes from the event organisers, which will support the implementation of their proposed idea. The top business projects developed during the hackathon will be offered to potential business representatives and investors. The event provided participants with an opportunity to strengthen their collaboration and leadership skills while finding diverse solutions to integrate into Latvia’s business ecosystem under expert guidance.