On 13 and 14 November, Open Geneva organised the 2nd edition of the Sustainable Finance Hackathon, 100% online, supported by the Canton State of Geneva and in collaboration with the Geneva School of Economics and Management (GSEM) of the University of Geneva and the Career Centre of the University of Geneva.
130 international participants from Colombia, Ghana, Brazil, Poland, the United States, the Netherlands, Italy, Singapore, Switzerland... took part in 24 hours of co-creation around 15 projects on sustainable finance. To discover these innovative projects, go to https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeDeWynzrHgEZRIWL2Ov1zueshi8z2qUv
This hackathon was a turning point for Open Geneva on three levels:
- We have created bridges between the academic world and the business world, between the business world and international organisations. Our desire to use hackathons as career development tools resonated with the Geneva School of Economics and Management and the UNIGE Career Centre. We trained a first team of students to organise a hackathon.
- This hackathon was an opportunity for Open Geneva to experiment the hackathon as a training place, a place to learn digital and soft-skills for the participants. Thematic workshops, such as learning how to use design tools and mobile app creation, were offered to participants throughout the hackathon. We are convinced that digital literacy has to be learned and that hackathons are the right place to do it.
- This hackathon was our first international experience. A very enriching experience for the participants and proof that online events open the door to new opportunities for collaboration, sharing and open innovation!
Romain Zappella, Private Partnerships & Philanthropy Specialist, for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) participated for the first time in a hackathon, read his testimony:
"For us, this hackathon has obviously allowed us to address a different audience than the one we are used to talking to, to be more accessible, but also and above all to benefit from the point of view and ideas of specialists in the field. In a constantly changing world, the ICRC strives to anticipate new trends. More personally, I must admit that after these 24 hours, I am convinced and admiring the experience of the hackathon; bringing together a group of remarkable people with diverse intellectual and practical skills, and the methodology of working with collective interactive tools. In these uncertain times, I am quite excited to see how a group of people, who do not know each other, can exchange and smoothly agree on common goals, in a friendly environment of mutual learning while having fun."