HackniCity - Smart participation of citizens in city life

Design a clear and organized system for managing citizen participation activities in the life of the city of Považská Bystrica, while respecting the necessary processes within the municipal environment.

Prize money for the winner: 3000 €
21st - 22nd March 2025
Cultural Center, Považská Bystrica

Initial situation

The city of Považská Bystrica is looking for a way to automate communication between the city and its citizens regarding the improvement of public spaces and other volunteer activities. The goal is to use an application to inform the public about planned activities, allow interested citizens to sign up directly, monitor the proper execution of activities, and assign rewards—points that citizens could automatically redeem for selected city activities.

Currently, these activities take place only on a personal basis (e.g., directly approaching a school for help with raking leaves), and a structured reward system is practically nonexistent. While citizens can submit a written request to participate in a chosen activity, the process is time-consuming, leading many to carry out activities without permission. This creates various risks, such as damage to underground infrastructure when modifying front gardens or the planting of non-native and invasive species near residential areas.

Aim of the hackathon

The goal of the hackathon is to create an innovative system that encourages active citizen participation in the life of Považská Bystrica. This system will enable simple and transparent communication between the city and its residents, covering the entire participation process—from defining activities and issuing calls for involvement to participant registration, activity execution, and evaluation, including awarding points for participation. The main objective is to create a platform where citizens can actively contribute to the city's development while gaining tangible benefits for their involvement.

Challenge of the hackathon

Expected solution

A well-developed concept for an application or web application for management of participatory activities. From the perspective of the city of Považská Bystrica, the newly developed solution should not impose additional licensing costs on the city's budget.

What features should the new system for citizen participation in city activities have?

Management of participatory activities: Internal system and public portal
Participant registration: Simple sign-up process for activities
User profiles: Tracking individual participation and earned points
Activity monitoring: Uploading photos and other evidence to ensure proper execution

Rewards for participation: Assigning points based on a predefined system
Data collection and statistics: Monitoring facility occupancy, point usage, etc.
Generation and verification of electronic tickets for city sports facilities/events
Integration with the city’s mapping portal: Visual representation of activities

Program

Friday, 21st March 2025

08:00 – 09:00 Registration of participants+ morning coffee
09:00 – 09:30 Grand opening
09:30 – 09:50 Explanation of the challenge
09:50 – 10:00 Introduction of the mentors
10:00 – 10:30 Workshop - How to win a hackathon
10:30 – 12:30 Hacking
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 19:00 Hacking
19:00 – 20:00 Dinner + networking
20:00 – 00:00 Hacking

Saturday, 22nd March 2025

00:00 – 08:00 Hacking
08:00 – 09:30 Breakfast
09:30 – 13:00 Hacking
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 Hacking
15:00 – 17:30 Presentation of prototypes to the jury
17:30 – 19:30 Pitch contest & evaluation by the jury
19:30 – 20:00 Announcement of winners
20:00 – 22:00 Networking

List of Mentors and Experts

Michal Hamar

Chief of the Municipal Office, MsÚ Považská Bystrica

Michal graduated from the Faculty of Law at Comenius University in Bratislava. Since 2011, he has been working at the Municipal Office in Považská Bystrica, and since 2023, he has held the position of Chief of the Municipal Office. His focus is primarily on smart technology implementation, citizen participation, and energy-related topics. He is also responsible for …

Denisa Trnčíková

Project Manager, MsÚ Považská Bystrica

Denisa works in the Department of City Development and Tourism at the Municipal Office in Považská Bystrica, where she is involved in the preparation and implementation of projects funded by the European Structural Funds, the Recovery Plan, and other grant schemes. She ensures the coordination of project activities, financial administration, and communication with …

Jana Muráňová

Department of Culture and Sports, MsÚ Považská Bystrica

Jana works in the Mayor’s Office, within the Department of Culture and Public Participation at the Municipal Office in Považská Bystrica. She is responsible for organizing cultural, sports, and social events, collaborating with communities, civic associations, and regional artists. She prepares proposals and materials related to the city's promotion and development, …

Miroslav Mišík

Department of IT, MsÚ Považská Bystrica

Miroslav works in the IT department, where his responsibilities include installing, configuring, implementing, and debugging licensed software, managing and installing computer servers, collaborating with developers on deploying new applications, conducting regular software and system checks, optimizing and fine-tuning system performance, and overseeing the backup of …

Veronika Holáková

Department of Playground and Greenery Management, MsÚ Považská Bystrica

Veronika works in the Department of Greenery Management and Waste Management, specifically in the Playground and Greenery Management Division. She oversees and directs the maintenance of public greenery and the management and renovation of children's playgrounds in Považská Bystrica. She issues excavation permits for the use of public green areas in connection with …

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 …

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 …

Lucia Lanáková

Project manager

Lucia worked in the Department of Strategy and Project Management at Bratislava Staré Mesto, where she actively participated in the development of the city district by preparing and implementing strategic documents and development projects. With over 15 years of experience, she has been dedicated to the preparation and execution of development projects within both the …

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.

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 …

Become a mentor

List of Partners

Become a partner

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is behind the Hackathon?

The owner of the topics of the Hackathon is the City of Považská Bystrica.

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.

Môžem meniť zloženie tímu aj počas hackathonu?

Zloženie tímov sa môže meniť pred hackathonom. Zloženie tímov je nemenné počas hackahtonu, to znamená, že nemôžu počas hackathonu, po oficiálnej registrácii a check-in pribudnúť nový člen tímu, ktorého meno alebo emailová adresa neboli uvedené pri registrácii alebo pri check-in v úvodný deň podujatia.

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 March 19th, 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 is available throughout the entire hackathon. Shower won't be available. 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 pre víťazné tímy

Prvé tri miesta, ktoré porota vyhodnotí ako najlepšie budú ocenené prize money nasledovne:

Prvé miesto : 3000 Eur
Druhé miesto: 2000 Eur
Tretie miesto: 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.

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.