The first TECHFEST MUNICH of the UnternehmerTUMAround 300 participants experimented with the latest technologies and materials for three days and two nights. The five best ideas were selected by a jury.
“More than a hackathon” wanted to be the first TECHFEST for the UnternehmerTUM. And it succeeded in convincing attendees with its innovative approach.
The participants were particularly impressed by the MakerSpace, the 1,500 sqm high-tech workshop of the UnternehmerTUM and the hard gadgets in the Hardware Library – from Arduinos to the HoloLens:
"I've never seen such an impressive prototype workshop! We also received great support from the mentors, who were there to help and advise us. There were many things we'd never seen before, and it was pretty cool to experiment with all these tools."
so Raquel De Hora, software developer from Spain.
In contrast to the classic hackathon, at TECHFEST not only code was written – software and hardware products were developed and the first prototypes were built in the MakerSpace.
"The location was really great, and we had a lot of fun. We were able to experiment with equipment we could have only dreamed of otherwise. And the best part: We really created something here."
shows itself Nzengon Desire, founder from Belgium, is enthusiastic about the framework conditions of the TECHFEST.
On the reasons for participating in the TECHFEST, Markus Springer, software developer from Altötting:
"I'm participating in TECHFEST because, in addition to meeting new people, I also want to learn about new ways of thinking and working. I also enjoy the competition."
Safety vest with integrated LEDs convinces the jury
And at the end of the competition, there were, of course, winners. The jury ultimately selected five winning teams from all submitted projects:
The 1st prize went to the adidas Safe Light Jacket – a safety vest with integrated LEDs for cyclists with light display and indicator function.
The 2nd prize won Holo Truck – using the HoloLens, which is connected to the vehicle, the truck driver can carry out a systematic safety check.
The 3rd prize went to FlixFace – FlixFace enables fast and data protection-secure check-in on long-distance buses using facial recognition.
The Special Prize of the City of Munich went to Awesome Disc – a Frisbee disc that lights up in rainbow colors and can write text in the night sky.
The Special Prize of the Technical University of Munich went to the Personal Protein Printer, which opens up new applications in personalized medicine.
“It’s incredible what the teams have developed in just 72 hours.”
Not only the participants were positive about the first Munich TECHFEST, but also the partners. Dr. Stefan Kampmann, CTO of Osram:
"It's incredible what the teams here have developed in just 72 hours. For us, open innovation means networking. We go where the innovators meet—for example, at TECHFEST."
And Garry Pairaudeau from Astra Zeneca admits:
"We had no idea what to expect here. What impressed me most was the energy and commitment of the participants."
After this positive summary, one can assume that the first TECHFEST MUNICH will not be the last.
