On December 28, 2023, in Rīga, the “Entrepreneurship Initiative Hackathon” took place as part of the project “STRONG TOGETHER. СИЛЬНІ РАЗОМ”, ID No. 2023.LV/UKR_KO/06, within the framework of the Latvian state budget-funded programme “Cultural Orientation Courses and Inclusion Activities for Ukrainian Civilians”, led by Daugavpils University Association for Lifelong Learning, Cultural and Science Communication “Intellect Park”.
The aim of the event was to engage Latvian residents and Ukrainian civilians in the collaborative creation of entrepreneurial ideas, forming teams to develop prototypes of business models. The event was moderated by Andrejs Zelčs, the manager of Daugavpils Business Incubator, and entrepreneur Inga Zelča, who motivated hackathon participants to generate new business ideas, come up with a name, assess potential risks, and define clients.
Each of the 5 teams consisted of 6 participants, one of whom represented the host community. During the 4-hour hackathon, the participants created original prototypes of business models. They proposed business ideas through which Ukrainian civilians could successfully collaborate with Latvian residents. The business ideas were developed in the areas of recreation, creating a complex of events and products that would improve human health, environmentally friendly product development, and in the fields of culinary and ethnic clothing design.
At the conclusion of the hackathon, each team presented its prototype of a business model, and event organizers provided expert judgments, highlighting positive aspects and suggesting improvements. Meanwhile, the participants posed stimulating questions and offered comments based on their prior experiences. The best business idea was determined through an e-voting platform, menti.com, through the votes submitted by all participants. All teams represented at the hackathon received valuable prizes provided by the event organizers, which will assist in implementing the developed ideas. The best business projects developed during the event will be presented to potential representatives of the business sector and investors. Thus, the participants strengthened their collaboration and leadership skills during the hackathon, while also assessing opportunities to integrate into Latvian entrepreneurship under expert guidance.
The project is financially supported by the Society Integration Foundation from the allocated funds of the Latvian state budget.
The Daugavpils University Association for Lifelong Learning, Cultural and Science Communication “Intellect Park” is responsible for the content of the project activities.
