Innovations for Ružinov - From Digital Twin to Energy Efficiency

Design a digital twin of the Bratislava-Ružinov municipal building—or selected parts of it—along with an application that enables monitoring and management of occupancy parameters for clients and employees in the most frequently used areas.

Prize money for the winner: 3000 €
23rd - 24th May 2025
Simplicity, SKY Park Offices, Bratislava

Aftermovie

Initial situation

The municipal office building was constructed in the 1980s and is both physically and morally outdated. The leadership of the Ružinov city district aims to increase the efficiency of its operations, including achieving greater energy efficiency in the buildings it manages, while also improving the comfort of their users. In terms of citizen presence in the municipal office, the most intensively used areas are the entrance spaces, which connect to the client center offices providing public services, and the so-called large meeting room. This room hosts weddings, welcome ceremonies for newborns, life jubilees, public meetings to discuss various topics, and more.

To enhance visitor comfort while also optimizing energy consumption and improving the overall experience of those using the building, a model has been chosen to create a digital twin of the building, focusing on energy and occupancy-related parameters.

Aim of the hackathon

The goal is to create a digital twin of the Bratislava-Ružinov municipal office building (or selected parts of it), along with an application that enables monitoring and management of occupancy parameters for clients and employees in the most frequently used areas. The aim is to improve the experience of both clients and staff in the municipal office while optimizing energy consumption required for the operation of selected areas of the building.

Challenge of the hackathon

Expected solution

A functional prototype of a digital twin of the municipal office building, along with an extension for monitoring parameters and enabling certain services to improve citizen comfort. The system should include an information system/application for monitoring and managing occupancy and energy parameters of the building, management dashboards with insights into the status of individual parameters, and a proposal for additional hardware required for parameter tracking.

Hackers can choose to address the following topics:

Simulation capabilities – a solution capable of simulating various operational scenarios and their impact on energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality.
Historical data analysis – a solution that can predict energy consumption and identify potential operational anomalies.

IoT integration – the project includes the integration of IoT devices and sensor systems that enable real-time data collection and analysis of energy consumption and indoor environmental parameters.
Predictive models – the solution includes predictive models based on historical data and is capable of suggesting effective strategies for energy management and operational optimization.

Winners

First place
Team I2M

They developed a scalable open-source solution for intelligent collection, processing, and analysis of IoT data using a Lakehouse architecture. The solution enables telemetry collection, automated data cleaning and processing, storage in an efficient and versioned format, fast analytics, visualizations, and predictive analytics capabilities. The result is a powerful, flexible, and cost-effective system—separate from production IoT systems—that supports building automation, energy consumption reduction, and scaling to hundreds of facilities.“

The topic was more challenging than we expected, and by halfway through the hackathon, we didn’t have a concrete solution. In the end, we managed to figure it out. We were really surprised by the high level of the competing teams and the friendly jury. We’re glad it worked out, and thank you,” said team member Ivan Pjatko.

Second place
Team Pucwoll

During the hackathon, they created a digital twin of a building, which, using IoT sensors, their custom Hackbox device, and an intelligent web application, collects and analyzes data in real time. The system monitors energy consumption, room occupancy, and air quality. Based on this data, it proposes optimizations that lead to lower costs, greater comfort, and more sustainable operation. After just a few days, it can identify energy inefficiencies and automatically suggest saving measures. The entire platform is also ready to scale across other public buildings.

“Our team worked really well together, once again we stayed late and slept little. Since the topic also required a hardware solution, it was actually the first time we developed one, which was a new experience for us. We’re happy we placed in the top three,” said team member Lukáš Nemec after receiving the prize.

Third place
Team KAVO.WAR

They designed a digital twin of a local municipal office in the form of an interactive 3D building model that allows real-time visualization and interaction with all systems. The application tracks energy consumption, temperature, lighting, and device status, and allows immediate action when necessary. Predictive analytics also help identify areas for improving energy efficiency. The solution is built on the open-source Home Assistant platform, ensuring flexibility, security, and easy integration with various devices.

“We’ve participated in four hackathons and have been awarded twice. But this hackathon was clearly the hardest. The topic was completely new to most teams, including ours. We changed plans three or four times once we realized we were going in the wrong direction,” explained team member Andrii Kyrychenko. “It was a challenge, we sweated through it, but I have to say, getting third place is still a success. I’m glad this was a hackathon where the solution wasn’t obvious from the start. We really felt like serious hackers, because in two days we had to hack our own minds and teach them something completely unfamiliar,” added Oskar Vereš.

List of Mentors and Experts

Tomáš Hanus

Energy Specialist, External Consultant, Bratislava–Ružinov District

Tomáš is an experienced energy specialist with over 20 years of practice in smart solutions, energy efficiency, and distribution systems. As an external consultant for the Ružinov District, he focuses on optimizing energy consumption, reducing costs, and implementing modern technologies. He has previously held managerial positions at Atos IT Solutions and Západoslovenská …

Juraj Biely

Head of IT Department, Bratislava–Ružinov District

Juraj Biely, as the head of the IT department, has extensive experience and deep knowledge of the information technologies used at the Ružinov Municipal Office. He is responsible for the administration and operation of IT systems in the context of local government, introducing new procedures, technologies, and information systems. He has also participated in projects …

Tomáš Funtík

Vice President and IT Expert, BIM Association Slovakia

Tomáš specializes in information technologies in construction, scheduling, and Building Information Modeling (BIM). He currently serves as Vice President and IT Expert at the BIM Association Slovakia, which leads the systematic implementation of BIM in the country. He contributes to the development of BIM standards within the CEN TC 442 BIM working group and represents …

Peter Remiš

Consultant, MIRRI SR

Peter is a passionate fan of digital technologies and innovations. He is actively involved in prototyping, design, and development of web applications, content portals, custom IT solutions, and digital marketing. Within MIRRI, he currently works as an expert IT consultant for the Hackathon project. In the past, he spent a long time in the telecommunications sector, where …

Tomáš Ludwig

UX Expert, jabono s.r.o., MIRRI SR

Tomáš is dedicated to business process analysis, UX design, and software, web, and mobile application prototyping in the UX company jabono. Additionally, he works as a consultant for the mass deployment of Apple technologies in schools and businesses. Currently, he is working at MIRRI on prototyping designs for selected citizen life situations and expanding the ID-SK …

Martin Nemeček

Founder, Potom.sk

Martin comes from the startup world. As a startup scout, he worked for the venture capital fund ZAKA and, together with partners at Katalyst, invests in promising projects. Currently, he is focusing on innovations in Sweden and launching a project to support people coping with the loss of a loved one. He also trains presentation skills and, as a winner of multiple …

Matúš Súlovec

Deputy Director for IT and Innovation, Bratislava-Petržalka District

Matúš is responsible for optimizing and digitizing internal processes and developing online services for the public. He leverages his extensive experience from various IT projects, both in and beyond public administration, to improve services within Petržalka. He is actively involved in designing and developing online solutions.

Andrej Aleksiev

IT Expert, KSAA, COGITANS Technologies

Andrej is a digital transformation and cybersecurity expert with over 13 years of experience in the IT field. He is the owner of KSAA and COGITANS Technologies, companies focused on AI-driven solutions, automation, and security technologies. He studied international relations at the University of Bologna in Italy, completed his PhD in St. Petersburg, Russia, and later …

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is behind the Hackathon?

The owner of the topics of the Hackathon is Bratislava - Ružinov district.

How is the "team" defined?

The minimum of 2 people including a speaker e.g. a person that will present the idea, and understands the business and the challenge; and a tech expert who is able to create a prototype or a clickable version of the application / web / product.

What are the ideal roles for our hackathons?

The goal of our hackathons isn’t to program an entire solution but to develop a comprehensive concept. It’s crucial to focus on the feasibility of the solution during its creation and presentation, as this heavily influences the jury’s decision on the winning project. Before arriving at the hackathon, define the roles within your team. Leverage each member’s strengths to save time and avoid conflicts. One person can take on multiple roles, but having clarity helps.

Analyst
Thinks analytically and can quickly understand and map out processes or data structures. Often, technical problems stem from flawed processes, so it’s beneficial to outline, comprehend, and propose adjustments to these processes before suggesting a technical solution.
Designer
Understands the design process and knows that a picture is worth a thousand words. By creating sketches or wireframes, the designer quickly brings the proposed product to life. This makes it easier to iterate on ideas and test solutions with users. Whether you stick to sketches or refine the design, it’s an excellent way to present your product.
IT specialist
Has a strong grasp of technical matters. If you’re designing a software product, this could be a software architect or developer who outlines the technical architecture of the solution. While coding is a plus, it’s not the primary goal. If you decide to code, focus on components that can be completed within the timeframe and set you apart from the competition.
Product manager
Rozumie biznis potrebám a problémom zákazníka. Spoluprácou a spájaním informácií od ostatných členov tímu potom smeruje výsledný produkt tak, aby riešil problémy ako zákazníka, tak aj koncového používateľa a bol realizovateľný v stanovenom čase a rozpočte.
Salesperson
Actively communicates and represents your team during the hackathon, especially when presenting your product to the jury. They believe in the product, can highlight its strengths, address customer business problems, and emphasize the benefits for end users.
Energy Efficiency Expert
The person responsible for the energy part of the project has a good understanding of how to read energy consumption data in buildings, identify areas of energy inefficiency, and propose sustainable, technically and economically effective solutions. They ensure expert input, data collection and analysis, and oversee that the measures implemented lead to real savings and improved user comfort.

Can I change the team composition during the hackathon?

Team composition can be changed before the hackathon. During the hackathon, the team composition is fixed, which means no new team members can be added after the official registration and check-in if their name or email address was not provided during registration or at check-in on the opening day of the event.

What will happen after filling out the application?

As soon as you submit your application, a member of the hacknime.to team will contact you within 24 hours (either by email or by phone) with further information and the procedure.

Can I be not selected for the hackathon?

If you register after the capacity is full or you will not match the criteria for the participating teams, you will not be chosen as the participant.

What are the selection criteria for contestants? What do I have to fulfill?

The basic scoring scale includes:

Experience in the IT and TECH industry or
Experience in design thinking procedures or
Experience in the so-called sprint procedures, SCRUM master certificate or
Experience in drawing up business plans, new businesses, creating prototypes or MVP or
You are a high school student focused on computer technologies, economics, business or design (both product and digital) or
You are a student of a university focused on computer technologies, economics, business or design (both product and digital)
If you do not meet any of the above criteria, you can still prove that you have personally participated in at least two hackathons in the past (it is necessary to prove the output of these events)

If as an adept (or combined your team) meets at least two requirements from the above criteria, you have the right to participate in the hackathon. The more requirements you fulfill, you move up in the ranking.

What is a conflict of interest?

A conflict of interest represents a situation where a personal interest motivates or could motivate a judge/mentor/organizer employee/topic owner/competitor to act against the best interests of the hackathon. Involvement of these individuals in activities where a conflict of interest occurs or may occur is not allowed. Such activities include:

Influencing mentors and judges to gain an advantage for themselves or a close person, financially or otherwise,
Influencing individuals working for the organizer, the ministry, or a company with a supplier or partner relationship with the organizer,
Intentional modification of solutions by mentors or possible one-sided mentoring in favor of some participants,
Formation of a competition team by a mentor, judge, or person working for the organizer, topic owner, or the ministry,
and others.

If a participant identifies a conflict of interest, they are required to immediately and verifiably inform about the conflict of interest. If a participant fails to report circumstances that could lead to a conflict of interest, this fact will itself constitute a violation of these principles and may result in the disqualification of the competition team at the hackathon. The decision on disqualification is made by the organizer.

Can I participate in the event if I am under 18 years old?

A person under 18 years of age may participate in the event only after completing and submitting a parental/legal guardian consent form to the organizer or when accompanied by a parent/legal guardian throughout the entire duration of the event.

When is the deadline for registration?

Teams or individuals will be able to register until May 21st, 2025, or until the maximum capacity is reached.

Is there capacity for the attendees?

The attendee capacity is up to 60 people.

How will the best solution be evaluated at the hackathon?

Task Fulfillment / Relevance / Functionality:

Score by the jury: 1 to 20
The solution / POC / MVP / Software relates to the theme of the hackathon and the defined challenges.
The solution / POC / MVP / Software works and meets at least the basic user functions.

Idea / Originality, Uniqueness, Creativity

Score by the jury: 1 to 15
How creative is the idea behind the solution / POC / MVP / Software?
How original is the solution / POC / MVP / Software?
Is it something that hasn’t been done before, and unique compared to competitors?

User Experience / Added Value (or technical design for solutions without a frontend)

Score by the jury: 1 to 15
Is the overall user experience intuitive?
Does the solution / POC / MVP / Software make sense from a UX perspective?
What will be the impact (in terms of scope) and added value of the solution / POC / MVP / Software for the target audience?

Feasibility / Implementability / Viability

Score by the jury: 1 to 35
Does the solution / POC / MVP / Software actually work? Is the solution / POC / MVP / Software easy to scale?
Is there potential for the solution to be realized with the resources that are realistically available?
How relevant and applicable is the use of the solution / POC / MVP / Software for solving the given challenge?

Presentation to the Jury

Score by the jury: 1 to 15
Quality of the presentation, visual aspects, content, and delivery in an engaging manner.

The maximum number of points a team can earn is 100.

What happens if the participating team comes to the hackathon with a pre-prepared solution?

The organizer and owner of the hackathon theme has the motivation to bring, based on the innovative hackathon event, new solutions for our company, improvement of existing available solutions or otherwise innovate the current state. The competition team can come to the hackathon with a ready-made solution, but it must be visibly demonstrated that, thanks to the hackathon, consultations with mentors and experts, the transformation of its ready-made solution into the final form for the requirements of the Topic Owner took place.

Can I be disqualified?

A team may be disqualified by the organizer if caught cheating, copying solutions from other teams, making audio or video recordings, plagiarism, or any other form of copying from other teams, misusing information from other teams, illegally obtaining data from other teams, creating content with the intention of harming other participants, or otherwise violating the ethics of the competition. Anyone who witnesses unfair behavior must inform the organizer.

Suspicion of disqualification can be reported by members of the competition teams, mentors, or the theme owner’s team or the Organizer. Suspicion of unfair behavior must be reported personally to the Organizer. The team or team member who has violated the rules will be asked to leave the hacking area. To ensure the smooth progress and continuation of the hackathon, the disqualification of a team will be announced to other participants during the next break.

Can I withdraw my team during the hackathon?

Teams can withdraw at any time during the hackathon. Merging of teams is not allowed after the initial check-in of the teams. A team that wishes to withdraw must notify the organizer in person.

Is it possible to hack both physically and online during the event?

For the physical hackathon, in-person attendance of the team is required. However, in case of need or personal circumstances, it is possible for a team member to participate and hack online.

Is there a fee for attending the hackathon?

Participation is free of charge. All costs are covered by the organizer.

Can the hacking continue during the night?

Yes, participants will be allowed to continue hacking during the night.

The organizer does not provide sleeping bags, mattresses, beds, or other accommodation directly at the hackathon venue. Drinking water and showers are available throughout the entire hackathon. Each competing team is assigned one access card, allowing them to enter and exit the designated hacking area at any time during the event.

What is required from the attendee and what will be available in the premises?

Each participant needs to bring his / her own laptop or any other hardware that he / she needs to work on challenges. Other things will be provided by the organizer such as WiFi, food for the whole day (buffets, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks).

What is the official language of the hackathon?

The official language is Slovak. However, some keynote lectures and workshops may also be held in English.

Is there any catering during the event?

The hackathon organizer guarantees full meals and snacks throughout the entire event in the form of buffets. Drinks are provided as well.

Prize Money for winning teams

The top three teams, as selected by the jury, will be awarded prize money as follows:

First place: 3000 Eur
Second place: 2000 Eur
Third place: 1000 Eur

What will happen after the hackathon in case I win?

Winning teams will have a chance to participate in the development and implementation of the solution in cooperation with the topic owner.

What does it mean to win a hackathon and what are my requirements afterward?

The winning teams enter into a licensing agreement for their solutions developed during the hackathon (the license applies only to what was created during the hackathon). This is a non-exclusive license that is limited to the territory of the Slovak Republic and is unlimited in time. This means, it does not limit the author at all in the dissemination of his work as part of his commercial activities. On the contrary, the owner of the topic (always a public administration institution) is authorized to distribute the license in the interest of the economy within public institutions. The author remains the owner of the work, the owner of the topic has only such a non-exclusive license. In addition, if the winning teams do not agree on the implementation of the winning solution with the Theme Owner, the winning prize money may not be returned to the Organizer.

Gallery

Do you want to be part of the next step towards Slovakia’s digitalization?

Prize money

First place 3 000 €
Second place 2 000 €
Third place 1 000 €

Simply fill out the registration form, and we will contact you in due time with all the details. You will receive information about the competition, updates, and specifics of the challenge.