CitizensHack2022: citizens and researchers together for a better research and innovation

Simona Cerrato
Jan. 17, 2022, 12:37 p.m.

Citizen science is an expanding field due to its participatory character and the fact that it brings together, on real problems, experts and citizens interested in having a positive impact on their communities. The field of Research and Innovation (R&I) also offers great opportunities, including co-developing new solutions to communities’ needs. CitizenHackaton (https://ultrahack.org/citizenshack-2022) aims at exploring innovative approach to citizen engagement for translating R&I results into value for society. It will enable citizens, taking part as members of their communities, to co-create solutions for challenges they face (through new business models, social innovations, prototypes, tests, proven concepts, demos etc.). This will be achieved by working together during the hack with researchers and innovators who draw from scientific knowledge and research. The 2022 edition of CitizenHackaton is imminent. Registration is open until January 23, 2022 and the event will take place in February.

CitizensHack2022 will provide lessons on how to use this approach to engage with citizens and provide research-based solutions that respond to societal needs. This will inform EU policy, in particular on Knowledge Valorisation and on innovative ways to engage citizens as a driving force to deliver value to society.

The 2022 CitizensHack2022 welcomes all EU citizens, no matter if students, entrepreneurs, developers, or totally new to hackathons, motivated to make a positive impact on their community and society as a whole. Hackathon teams need to include 2-4 citizens and 2 researchers from EU countries. Citizens will be matched with the researchers before the hackathon.

Researchers will gain better knowledge of the needs of industry and society in the EU, and be enabled to better adapt their research to the needs of citizens, while also working to bring to life innovations that benefit all parts of society.

In our times, the need to collaborate, share knowledge, and accelerate the use of R&I results to deliver solutions that matter to citizens has become even more relevant. New models of collaboration among researchers, innovators and citizens as members of communities contribute to a culture of transparency, inclusiveness, and trust, strengthening the value of science for society and informing policy-making.

PRIZES

For all:

Pilot projects can be taken forward and researchers will gain visibility to their contribution.

All the participants will receive an official Ultrahack Certificate of participation.

For winning teams' researchers:

• Researchers will be featured on Ultrahack’s website and CitizenHack challenge page.
• Researchers are granted the opportunity to be considered to submit ''Letter from Industry'' to the Journal of Innovation Management.

All three winning teams:

• Coaching and introductions from Ultrahack, Eurocities, OI-Net and Aalto Startup in the EU network and academia.
• 1 h mentoring session from Aalto Startup Center with Urban Tech Helsinki specialist.
• Support for applying to Urban Tech Helsinki Incubator.
• Invitations to Urban Tech Helsinki Meet&Mix and other relevant events.
• Virtual After-Hack: The winning teams will pitch their project in a virtual after-hack to gain access to present the solution at the EU level to get visibility among potential partners and investors.