From Inclusive Education to Sustainable Logistics - Highlights from the 2024 ESCP Green Hackathon

2024 Green Hackathon

The 5th edition of the ESCP Green Hackathon showcased the ESCP Turin Campus as a vibrant hub of innovation, bringing together 120 international students, industry experts, and leading companies. This inspiring event underscored the importance of collaboration between academia and the business world, with participants working on real-world challenges to develop solutions aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Set against the backdrop of Turin—designated as the European Capital of Innovation for 2024-2025, a recognition that underscores our city's commitment to fostering innovation—the hackathon was opened by with an inspiring message from Professor Alberta Di Giuli, Dean of the Turin Campus, highlighting the shared mission of ESCP and Turin to drive sustainable development.

A Day of Innovation and Collaborationcademic 

The hackathon journey unfolded in four key phases: brainstorming, development, consolidation, and output definition. Guided by Professor Fabrizio Granà, the event’s Game Master, teams worked intensively to create prototypes and conceptual solutions with the potential for real-world application.
The day concluded with pitches of the three standout projects selected by a jury of esteemed professionals and academics. 

Finalist Projects: Creativity Meets Purpose

• EduBridge - For People, From People: Developed by Team Green Eyes—Lukas de La Trobe, Luca M. Wartini, Yongqi Fan, Ruowei Gan, Zeno Ragazzoni, and Dante Perinotti—EduBridge aims to make education more inclusive for students with ADHD and underserved communities in Nigeria. This solution combines personalised tutoring sessions with cross-cultural connections between students in the UK, Ireland, and Nigeria, breaking down barriers to education and fostering mutual growth for learners and tutors.
• PACK4U - Greener Logistics for a Better Tomorrow: Created by Team Greeners—Marianna Pia Aruta, Tomaso Bonadei, Elias Casartelli, Emanuela Manganella, Alice Paletto, and Vincenzo Sebastiano—PACK4U is a smart app that reduces the environmental impact of parcel delivery. By optimising routes and connecting users with sustainable delivery options, PACK4U proves that logistics can be both efficient and eco-friendly.
• From Leftovers to Lifesavers: Team ESG—Udyant Aggarwal, Leon Chen, Riccardo Franco, Giacomo Gumiero, Gherardo Pelosini, and Giacomo Pietro Sorichetti—tackled food waste and insecurity with their project. Powered by generative AI, their platform connects food suppliers with NGOs and community organisations, ensuring surplus food reaches those in need.

The jury, composed of Prof. Francesca Pucciarelli, Francesca D’Angelo, Matteo Oldani, and Simone Marino, ensured that the finalists were selected based on the impact and feasibility of their solutions.

The winning project, EduBridge, earned its creators an exclusive visit to KPMG’s offices, where they connected with industry leaders and explored future career paths.

The Power of Collaboration: Industry and Academia Unite

The hackathon was supported by an impressive roster of companies, including AlixPartners, Bain & Company, BNL BNP Paribas, KPMG, BIP, Caffè Vergnano 1882, DOLDER LTD., Facile.it, Eurofins, TeamSystem, and U.G.A. Nutraceuticals. Their involvement, along with keynote speeches from Francesca D’Angelo (Founder & General Manager of Sostenibilità Consulting) and Enrica Arena (CEO of Orange Fiber), provided invaluable guidance to participants.

Innovation with Purpose

Events like the ESCP Green Hackathon are essential for shaping the next generation of leaders. By fostering collaboration between students, academics, and businesses, the hackathon creates a platform for innovation that not only addresses sustainability challenges but also prepares participants for impactful careers.
Through creativity, teamwork, and the support of industry partners, the hackathon demonstrates how business and education can join forces to drive meaningful change. As ESCP Business School continues to champion sustainability and innovation, the Green Hackathon remains a shining example of its mission to make a difference.