Smart Cities Council was pleased to support the Re:Łącz Smart City Hackathon in Kraków, a dynamic 48-hour innovation program that brought together developers, designers, urbanists, researchers, and students to develop practical solutions addressing real city challenges.
Held over an intensive weekend, the hackathon challenged participants to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams and rapidly prototype new solutions across key urban themes including tourism, ecology, mobility, and accessibility.
The event attracted around 70 participants forming 16 teams, each working closely with mentors and experts to turn ideas into functional prototypes before presenting their solutions to a panel of judges and city representatives.
Celebrating the Winning Teams
After two days of intense collaboration and development, several standout projects emerged.
1st Place – Team KRK-VISION
The winning team developed an innovative smart city concept focused on improving urban systems through intelligent data and technology integration. Their project demonstrated strong potential for real-world application and scalability.
2nd Place – Team KaucjApp
Team KaucjApp presented a digital platform designed to improve recycling and deposit-return systems. The concept addresses a significant challenge in Poland where only a small proportion of deposit bottles are returned, with their solution providing a marketplace-style approach to facilitate returns and encourage participation.
3rd Place – Team NTT
Team NTT focused on improving tourism management within Kraków by redistributing visitor traffic in real time. Their solution helps tourists avoid overcrowded locations by recommending alternative destinations, reducing congestion in historic areas while supporting local businesses across the city.
Special Recognition – Team EcoFlow
Although not in the final top three, the EcoFlow team was recognised for its strong potential. Their concept focuses on reducing congestion and improving urban mobility through AI-driven route optimisation and data-based traffic distribution across the city.
From Ideas to Real Urban Solutions
Hackathons like this demonstrate the power of collaborative innovation to tackle complex urban challenges. Over the course of the program, teams participated in workshops, mentoring sessions, and prototype development, culminating in a Demo Day where projects were presented to experts and city representatives.
Participants gained valuable experience in applying emerging technologies—including artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital platforms—to real-world urban problems.
Supporting the Next Generation of Urban Innovators
Smart Cities Council is proud to support initiatives that foster innovation and bring together technology communities, city stakeholders, and emerging talent.
Events like the Kraków hackathon play an important role in accelerating new ideas that can improve urban life, strengthen city resilience, and support sustainable development.
Following the success of this edition, discussions are already underway with Kraków City Hall and partners to explore the possibility of organising another hackathon later this year.
Smart Cities Council looks forward to continuing to support initiatives that empower innovators and help translate ideas into solutions for the cities of the future.
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AXIOS website: https://axiosaccel.com/en
About Smart Cities Council
Smart Cities Council is a global network of cities, governments, technology leaders, investors, and solution providers dedicated to enabling city and community transformation through governance, finance, technology, and partnerships that deliver measurable outcomes.
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