GenZ: work vs. vacation – Developing Prototypes in four days

From February 28 to March 2, 2024, ITQ GmbH hosted the SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON on Gran Canaria for the seventh time. This year, a total of 900 participants aged between 6 and 66+ answered the call for innovation and sustainability. Together with the 19th Eurocast Conference, which took place at the same time, Dr. Rainer Stetter, Chairman of the Conference, Founder of the SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON and CEO of ITQ GmbH, gathered over 1,000 participants on the island to promote the digitalization of the future.

The main event, the 7th SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON, attracted a total of over 900 technology enthusiasts. For the 4-day MAKEATHON alone, 587 representatives from industry and science as well as young students registered. They all came together in 33 teams and worked on various industry challenges within 4 days on the topics of Smart Green Mobility, Smart Farming, Smart Automation, Smart Production, Smart Warehousing, as well as Circular Economy, and developed their first prototypes.

In addition, over 300 schoolchildren between the ages of 6 and 18 took part in 25 Educational Workshops held in parallel. The children and young people learned about 3D printers, played with different robots, and gained first programming experience. The workshops were organized by the Canarian foundation Fundación Sergio Alonso, the German Mittelstandsakademie Bayern and students from local schools, who acted as technology coaches.

The organizer Dr. Rainer Stetter, CEO of ITQ GmbH, is proud of the internationality of the event: "We have managed to bring together 70 different universities and vocational schools this year. 47 nations, including India, Colombia and North Africa as well as Europe, are working together peacefully. Everyone here, the GenZ together with the boomer generation, is highly motivated to find solutions for the future. That gives me a positive outlook for the future."

Together with the sponsors of the event, the teams developed 33 prototypes, which they presented during the closing event:

B&R Industrial Automation (LinkedIn Post) worked with a large, interdisciplinary team on the topic of Circular Economy. Together, the team developed ideas for recycling batteries and worked on concepts ranging from automation to visualization. Prototypes were created for measuring, charging, and discharging batteries with the aim of distinguishing functional cells from broken/discharged cells. Any residual energy released was converted into hydrogen, which in turn can be used to recharge the batteries with solar energy.

The teams around Beckhoff Automation (LinkedIn Post) focused on the area of Smart Home Farming. A total of four teams formed the "Vertical Solutions" challenge and developed a kit for aeroponic plant beds that are analyzed and measured using sensors. The plants are automatically fed using a cobot and pump system.

In five teams, igus developed various prototypes with cobot integration on the topic of Smart Warehousing in order to efficiently remove goods from a warehouse shelf and pack them for shipping. The igus robots were also used by other teams to detect and sort waste.

Together with Murrelektronik (LinkedIn Post), a team developed creative prototypes in shoulder bag format to help workers find the right cable. With QR codes and 3D printed hangers, the worker can find the right cable efficiently and quickly.

Vishay (LinkedIn Post) supported several teams in the design of prototypes for plant monitoring. The teams developed prototypes to check the quality of Canarian bananas. By using sensors and LEDs, the health of the plant, the temperature and soil moisture as well as the degree of ripeness of the bananas can be recorded.

Two teams took on another local challenge. They converted an old tractor with an internal combustion engine to an electric drive with a total of 60-volt batteries and a solar module. They also built a hydrogen range extender to increase the tractor’s range.

The realization of the SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON was made possible by ITQ GmbH and the financial and content-related support of 39 national and international sponsors. Special thanks go to the Platinum Sponsors: Government of Gran Canaria (Cabildo de Gran Canaria), B&R Industrial Automation, Murrelektronik, Vishay igus and Beckhoff Automation. Gold sponsors are the leading Canary Islands Fundación Sergio Alonso, MVTec, TRUMPF, Krones, Lorenz, Böllhoff, and Würth Elektronik. Silver sponsors are: SPEGC, IES El Rincon, OPTIMA, ISG, MathWorks, Gruppo ASA, VDMA and Packaging Valley.

With the three formats Eurocast, SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON and Educational Workshops, ITQ GmbH inspires cross-generational participants from all over the world to work together to meet the challenges of digitalization and climate change.

Gran Canaria as ideal venue for the festival

With its different climate zones, Gran Canaria has the ideal conditions for a sustainable and self-sufficient supply of renewable energy. ITQ GmbH is addressing the digital transformation and the necessary global networking to alleviate the shortage of skilled workers with a variety of projects on the island.

More Information:

ITQ GmbH

Dr. Stetter ITQ S.L.U
SMART GREEN ISLAND MAKEATHON
Gerda Stetter Foundation – Technik macht Spass!