Chorzów, 20th January 2016 – More than a dozen people,  24 hours of work, three stages of project and one ambitious goal: to solve the winter difficulties which haunt many drivers. This is the aftermath of the marathon of creating the prototype for the innovative product, which was held at Chorzów, between 18th and 19th January. –. What is the outcome of this unusual project? Does the Hackathon work formula fits the automotive branch? And how can cheerleaders enhance the technology behind car batteries?

On 18th and 19th January 2016 in Chorzów, at ProfiAuto headquarters the event called Dev’s Kitchen, was held. A 24 hour marathon, based on the idea of hackathon aiming to create a prototype for a technological solution. The project participants were students selected during preceding meetings at the various Universities. Alongside with mentors, representatives of the DotConnect business accelerator and technological experts from automotive company ProfiAuto, they worked on a creative solution to the problem, that emerges every winter – the sudden discharge of car batteries. Innovative solutions require an equally innovative work system, however, and so the formula of the event loosely based upon a Hackathon – the marathon of creative work. As in case of many similar events, this edition was filled with periods of intense work, intertwined with short moments of relax. Participants could let off some steam in various ways, and one of them included watching the performing cheerleaders. Organizers praised the team for staying sharp and focused on the task, despite such pleasant distractions.
 
– We are pleased with the contestants. They rose up to this difficult task of creating all planned system components, the device for communicating with the server and the Internet application. In addition, as a  bonus, a dedicated mobile application was also created, – relates Marcin Franc from DotConnect business accelerator.
 
The goal of this edition of Dev’s Kitchen was to develop a solution based on the idea of „Internet of Things” and the Microsoft Azure computing cloud. Its primary function is to predict potential difficulties with the car battery and react accordingly – inform the driver about the possible problems with ignition and offer him a suitable service. The participants were tasked with achieving the proof of concept within 24 hour, which is first phase of creating an innovative product.

– The automotive industry isn’t sitting in place, instead it accelerates onwards with rapid velocity. It picks up additional passengers as it goes. Advanced IT technology is such one passenger. In the era of Internet of Things and the development of the idea of connected cars events such as this are essential. Cooperation between business and the scientific sector is a key to innovation, says Ilirjan Osmanaj, from ProfiAuto and one of the organizers.

The task presented to participants was very practical and it is highly probable, that it will be accepted for implementation. Organizers emphasize, that the project will now be analyzed and if the results will be satisfactory, it will pass to the next phase. In order to prepare this proof of concept, the team used the latest cloud technologies by Microsoft, which makes it more convenient to scale.

–As soon as we learned about the project and its formula, we knew that we wanted to be a part of it. We are eagerly participating in modern and sometimes unusual endeavors and we want to support young talents. I hope, that the final result will be a breakthrough and will make a life of many drivers a lot easier – added Adam Potępa, representative of the VARTA car batteries manufacturer, partner for the event.



TWIST DIGITAL is the H2020 action, under the Startup Europe umbrella, that provides Transregional Web Innovative Services for Thriving Digital and Mobile to web entrepreneurs aiming at scaling up and competing in the global market around 4 interconnected web entrepreneurship startup ecosystems and hubs (Rome, Lille, Stockholm and Warsaw).
 
Startup Europe aims to strengthen the business environment for web and ICT entrepreneurs so that their ideas and business can start and grow in the EU. Startup Europe contributes to the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan.
Startup Europe's objectives are:
  • to reinforce the links between people, business and associations who build and scale up the startup ecosystem (e.g. the Web Investors Forum, the Accelerator Assembly, the Crowdfunding Network) 
  • to inspire entrepreneurs and provide role models (e.g. the Leaders Club and their Startup Manifesto, the Startup Europe Roadshow)
  • to celebrate new and innovative startups (with Tech All Stars and Europioneers), help them to expand their business (Startup Europe Partnership, ACE Acceleration Programme), and give them access to funding under Horizon 2020.