Europe Tech Hackathon 2025: Artificial Intelligence for a Sustainable Future

The Europe Tech Hackathon 2025, organized by Sustainista GmbH as part of the ViennaUP Festival, was all about applied artificial intelligence this year. The focus was on two pressing challenges of our time:

● Challenge 1: AI Agents for Sustainable Mobility
Goal: a greener, smarter, and more human-centered mobility system

● Challenge 2: AI Agents for Climate Risk Analysis
Goal: identify climate risks early on and systematically strengthen resilience

Learning platform for the next generation

Students in the Master’s program in Business Informatics at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien took advantage of the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a highly practice-oriented setting. The hackathon offered real-world problems, intensive teamwork, direct exchange with leading experts, and visibility in the innovation scene.

“The development of intelligent solutions in particular demonstrates the importance of interdisciplinary thinking, user centricity, and technological excellence.”
– Stefan Bauer, lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien and co-organizer (Sustainista GmbH)

Evaluation criteria: Innovation meets implementation

The jury was made up of renowned personalities from the technology and innovation scene:

● Stefan Bauer – University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien & Managing Director of Sustainista GmbH
● Jan Hilmar – ÖBB
● Jan Juriga – Vienna Business Agency
● Erich Sageder – Google Cloud
● Ella Walzer – European Youth Forum

The teams were evaluated according to four clearly structured criteria:

● Challenge Fit & Innovativeness
● Prototype Quality & AI Integration
● User-Centered Design
● Pitch & Q&A Performance

A hackathon with heart, depth, and networking potential

A total of over 200 visitors and hackers took part in the hackathon. The pitch event, which was opened by opera singer Franz Gruber, and the moderation by Anna Fabrizy provided emotional and professional highlights. Students engaged in exciting discussions with Erich Sageder about AI and Google Cloud, among other things, and took advantage of opportunities such as job speed dating with ÖBB. In open Q&A sessions, teams provided deep insights into their prototypes and challenges.

Part of ViennaUP – Europe’s hotspot for innovation

The Europe Tech Hackathon was part of the ViennaUP Festival, which once again made Vienna the center for startups, innovation, and networking in May 2025. Over 35 program partners put together a diverse program ranging from deep tech to creative entrepreneurship.
With the active participation of its students, the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien positioned itself as a leading institution for practical, future-oriented education in business informatics and digital innovation.

Education meets practice

The hackathon not only enabled students to learn technical skills, but also gave them deeper insights into socially relevant challenges. The combination of AI, sustainability, and entrepreneurship opened up new perspectives—both academically and professionally.

Further links:

Master’s program in Business Informatics

Faculty of Computer Science & Applied Mathematics

Blog post: Europe Tech Hackathon – A Glimpse into the Future of AI and Innovation

Practical insights for students at the Europe Tech Hackathon 2024

ViennaUP Festival

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