AI Agents for a Sustainable Future
From May 9 to 11, 2025, the Europe Tech Hackathon 2025 welcomes designers, innovators, and tech enthusiasts to the ÖBB Open Innovation Factory in Vienna. As a proud part of ViennaUP, Europe’s most dynamic startup festival, and hosted by Sustainista, this event challenges you to redefine the potential of AI agents. Together, we’ll tackle pressing challenges in sustainable mobility and corporate sustainability, shaping solutions that create real-world impact. No matter your background, this is your chance to innovate, collaborate, and make a difference. Take part and be part of the transformation! Register by clicking here!
What is a hackathon?
A hackathon is a collaborative event where programmers, designers, and entrepreneurs come together to develop software or hardware projects, often within a tight timeframe, to solve specific challenges or create innovative solutions.
The Europe Tech Hackathon, organized by Sustainista, stands out as the premier event by emphasizing sustainability in tech, attracting top-tier talent passionate about creating impactful, eco-conscious technologies.
This hackathon offers a unique platform for cross-disciplinary collaboration, access to cutting-edge resources, and mentorship from industry leaders, fostering an environment where groundbreaking green solutions are born.
Don’t hesitate. Start your partnership with Sustainista!
Register for the hackathon here!
The Challenges
Challenge 1: AI Agents for Sustainable Mobility
The future of transportation demands a fusion of advanced technology and environmental responsibility. ÖBB invites you to pioneer this evolution by developing AI agents that will drive the shift toward a greener, smarter, and more human-centric mobility ecosystem.
Your Mission
Imagine a fleet of intelligent AI agents that work in real time to optimize routes, balance energy usage, and enhance passenger experiences. Your task is to create digital entities capable of analyzing vast datasets, learning from patterns, and autonomously making decisions that reduce carbon footprints and improve efficiency.
What Are AI Agents?
AI agents are autonomous systems engineered to process complex information and execute tasks without constant human intervention. In the context of transportation, these agents can:
Optimize Routes: Calculate eco-friendly paths that minimize energy consumption and emissions.
Enhance Efficiency: Adapt in real time to fluctuations in demand and infrastructure conditions.
Improve User Experience: Deliver tailored travel recommendations and seamless service experiences.
Your challenge is to harness the power of these agents, integrating them within ÖBB's operations to create tangible environmental and operational benefits.
Creative Use Cases
Take your innovative spirit further with these inspiring use cases:
Intelligent Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) Platforms:
Create AI agents that integrate various modes of transport—such as public transit, car sharing, and bikesharing—to craft dynamic, personalized travel plans based on current traffic data and user preferences.Optimization of Public Transportation and Multimodal Approaches:
Develop solutions that combine timetable data and live traffic information to create integrated, seamless mobility offers, facilitating eco-friendly and efficient commutes.
The linked white paper offers key insights into the trends and challenges shaping the future of international travel, providing valuable context for your hackathon solutions. Click here for the whitepaper.
ÖBB Data Platform - click here
Join the Challenge Now and Let Your Innovation Drive the Future!
Challenge 2: AI Agents for Climate Risk Analysis
In this challenge, your task is to create intelligent AI agents that assess and predict the impact of climate-related risks, enabling businesses to safeguard their operations and secure long-term resilience proactively.
Your Mission
Develop autonomous digital entities capable of sifting through vast and varied climate and operational datasets. These AI agents should predict potential climate-related disruptions and offer actionable insights to guide critical business decisions. Your challenge involves:
What Are AI Agents in This Context?
AI agents in climate risk analysis are autonomous systems engineered to digest, interpret, and act upon complex environmental and operational data streams without continual human oversight. In the realm of climate risk, these agents can:
Monitor and Analyze: Continuously track data from diverse sources—including weather forecasts, climate models, infrastructure health metrics, and even regulatory updates—to identify early warning signs.
Predict and Simulate: Employ machine learning and advanced simulation techniques to project potential risk events.
Advise and Optimize: Formulate strategic recommendations, allowing organizations to adjust supply chains, anticipate market changes, or reallocate resources before crises occur.
Creative Use Cases
Here are some inspiring examples to help kickstart your innovative projects:
Predictive Analytics for Extreme Weather:
Develop agents that forecast hurricanes, floods, heatwaves, or drought conditions, generating early alerts and mitigation plans that protect assets and ensure business continuity.Dynamic Risk Simulation Platforms:
Build simulation tools that model diverse climate scenarios—from gradual warming to sudden, severe weather events—helping organizations stress-test their strategies and build robust contingency plans.Supply Chain Resilience Mapping:
Create solutions that assess the vulnerability of global supply chains by analyzing climate trends and infrastructure stability, providing companies with a dynamic roadmap to optimize logistics and distribution networks.
Join the challenge now and be the catalyst for a resilient, sustainable future—where innovation turns climate risk into strategic opportunity!
Agenda I Europe Tech Hackathon 2025
Friday May 9th 2025 I Kick-off, Ideation, Team building
16:00: Official Kick-off I Hackathon Introduction
16:30 Workshops I tailored to each challenge with our incredible mentors
17:30: Begin hacking I mentoring sessions
17:30 to 19.30 HR Corner: Apply at ÖBB!
Work until 23.00 (or longer at home)
Saturday May 10th 2025 I Full Day Working
9.00 Space opens
10.00 to 14.00 Mentoring from 15+ Mentors
17.00 to 19.00 Pitch Training I Pre-Selection of pitching projects
Work until 23.00 (or longer at home)
Sunday May 11th 2025 I Finalize your Project & Pitch
9.00 Space opens
10.00 to 12.00 Pitch Session I Start 10.30 Pitching
Jury Jan Juriga (Wirtschaftsagentur Wien), Josip Grubesic (Google), Kati Schneeberger (BEJ)
12.30 Award Ceremony & Media corner
Communication 2025
Sponsorship Packages
1. Innovation Leader | Challenge Sponsor
Define a challenge for teams to solve using your technology. Gain exposure as an innovation leader with a jury seat and pre- and post-event interviews. Benefit from marketing, PR, and networking opportunities at ViennaUP and beyond.
2. HR Partner | Connect with Tech Talent
Meet over 50+ hackers and 100+ students at the HR Corner. Participate in university visits, deliver talks, or organize job speed-dating.
3. Tech & Community Partner | Visibility & Networking
Showcase your technology, engage with participants, and join the community at our event. Use our network of partners for communication efforts starting January 2025.
Ready to make an impact? Get in touch today!
