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Nurturing tech talent at the 8th SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON

From the 12 to 15 March 2025 invited the ITQ GmbH in cooperation with the Canary Islands Dr Stetter ITQ 986 people interested in technology from the the whole world to the SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON to Gran Canaria. The MAKEATHON is the International Innovation Festival ITQ GmbH, with the aim of inspiring young people to take an interest in technology and to come up with innovative ideas on the topics of Digitalisation and Sustainability (Smart & Green) to take forward. Whilst 546 young students and representatives of well-known sponsors solutions for, amongst other things, the sustainable logistics, recycling processes, smart mobility and agriculture were working, were able to 440 children and young people from Spanish educational institutions to demonstrate their skills at technical workshops. The SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON strengthens the Technical expertise across all generations for a sustainable future and brings young talent together with businesses. In this way, it helps to tackle the current shortage of skilled workers and enables new training programmes to be developed.

The SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON took place in the exhibition hall at Infecar de Feria 546 participants from 36 countries together – including 204 representatives from industry, research and academia, as well as 342 talented young people from 73 international educational institutions. For four days, interdisciplinary teams worked on industry challenges in the fields of smart automation, green logistics, AI and the circular economy. They developed sustainable solutions such as plastic-free packaging made from banana fibres, PET recycling for industry, modular water metering systems and autonomous vehicle concepts for waste management logistics.

In the MVTec Challenge: „Automated Waste Detection“ The teams developed a solution for the automated detection and removal of rubbish. Among other things, a robotic vehicle was fitted with a USB camera for object recognition and infrared sensors for obstacle detection. In addition, a scoop for collecting rubbish was designed using a CAD model and developed through several prototype stages to reach its final design.

The team led by Murrelektronik developed a automated process for recycling PET bottles. The plastic was shredded. The resulting granules were used for overmoulding electronic components. Robotics and mechatronics automated the process to enable an efficient circular economy. A digital product passport helped to trace the recycled materials.

In the igus Challenge it was all about a automated „Smart Greenhouse“. The team developed a system that uses a ReBeL cobot and image processing software to determine the ripeness of fruit. This software-controlled concept demonstrated its potential for sustainable vertical farming with a low carbon footprint. A 3D/AR demo brought the solution to life.

In order to A passion for technology To encourage them from as early an age as possible, the MAKEATHON also offered a wide range of activities for children and young people. More than 440 pupils were able to build on their knowledge and enthusiasm for technology this week and take part in 23 technical workshops take part, including robot programming and Minecraft Education. In addition, Solar-powered boats, cleaning robots, hydroponic systems and demonstrators from the EU-funded research project „EduDemoS“ built for renewable energy from wind, solar and hydro power. The workshops were organised by the Gerda Stetter Foundation „Technology is fun!“, the Canary Islands’ The Sergio Alonso Foundation as well as German-speaking universities.

Special thanks go to the 24 national and international sponsors, in particular the Platinum Sponsors: Government of Gran Canaria (Cabildo de Gran Canaria), MVTec, Murrelektronik and igus. Gold-Sponsors were the Canary Islands Government Government of the Canary Islands, the The Sergio Alonso Foundation, OPTIMA, Vishay, Krones, Lorenz, MEILLER tipper. Silver Sponsors were: SPEGC, IES El Rincón, MathWorks, Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering and Organisation IAO and VDMA.

Highlights

A group of people wearing green and yellow T-shirts are standing around a table in a brightly lit room, chatting, whilst laptops, name badges and bottles are scattered across the table.
Five people, wearing ITQ T-shirts and name badges, are standing in a group in an indoor room, engaged in an intense conversation beneath a high ceiling with exposed beams.
A group of people wearing green „Smart Green“ T-shirts are standing in a corridor, chatting near a sign that reads „Pabellón 7“.
Five young men, all wearing matching green shirts and identical lanyards, are looking together at a laptop screen in a brightly lit room.
Two men are standing by a table with robotics equipment and looking at a laptop screen. One of them is pointing at the screen, whilst the other is holding some documents. Several people can be seen in the background.
A group of people wearing matching green T-shirts are chatting and smiling at an event in a hall; tables and banners can be seen in the background.
At a „Smart Green Island“ event, two speakers take to the stage and deliver their closing presentations to the audience seated in the auditorium.
Three young women in green T-shirts are standing in a room, smiling and chatting whilst holding their mobile phones and notepads – in the background, other people can be seen at a lively event.
Three people in green shirts are inspecting and adjusting a robotic arm at an event in a hall; banners and chairs can be seen in the background.
Two young men in green shirts are working together at a workbench, assembling a small robot on wheels and examining it, surrounded by tools, electronic components, laptops and papers.
A group of people wearing green and yellow T-shirts are posing outside near some palm trees; some are standing, others are sitting on the lawn, with their arms raised and smiling.
A man in a green shirt is speaking into a microphone at a lectern with a blue sign on it, whilst giving a presentation to the audience.
At a technology event, a group of people in green shirts are working on electronics at a table covered with laptops, cables and devices.
Two men in green shirts are concentrating on a laptop at a table covered with electronic devices, mugs and lanyards, in a bright, modern workspace.
A group of people wearing green „Smart Green“ T-shirts are standing outdoors in a circle, whilst a person holding some papers is speaking to them.
A small robotic vehicle with blue wheels and exposed cables is standing on a desk next to a laptop; a gripper arm is holding a piece of cardboard.
Children in blue uniforms are working on an electronics project at a table in a classroom, assisted by an adult in a yellow shirt.
Two children in school uniforms are sitting at a table, using a laptop to programme a small robot on wheels. Both are completely focused on the screen.
Four pupils are gathered around a laptop in a classroom, discussing something they can see on the screen, whilst others are working in the background.
A group of children are sitting at a table, putting together small wooden models; they are completely absorbed in their work, whilst sitting in a brightly lit room.
Three young people are assembling small wooden models at a table, completely absorbed in their work. In the background, two adults are standing in a spacious, brightly lit room.
Two young people are sitting at a table indoors. One of them is holding a sunflower-shaped object, with a small solar panel in the centre. They are both smiling. There are some papers and a box on the table.
A large group of people in yellow T-shirts are standing outside under some palm trees, all raising their arms at the same time. Some are holding signs bearing the words „TQ“, „SMART GREEN“ and „Technology is fun!“.
A man in a suit is talking to reporters holding microphones, whilst another man in a yellow shirt and a cap is standing next to him in a large function room.
Three men are standing in a room at an event; one is wearing a suit, and two are wearing yellow branded shirts. The man in the middle is gesturing, whilst the others are listening. In the background, people are sitting in green shirts.
People in green shirts are working at tables in a large, bright function room on laptops and electronic devices, whilst others are standing in the background chatting.

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