SmartAging x GT4T Hackathon Day 1— A day of inspiration, innovation, and collaboration

Today marked the exciting start of our joint SmartAging and GT4T hackathon, hosted at SAMK (Satakunta University of Applied Sciences) — a day filled with inspiration, creativity, and meaningful discussions on how technology and sustainability can together shape a better future for aging societies.

Ali Tavakoli opened the event as coordinator and lead of both initiatives, introducing how SmartAging and GT4T intersect in their missions:

• GT4T (Green Transition for Territories) empowers higher education institutions to lead in sustainable innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal transformation.
• SmartAging, part of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme, explores sustainable, inclusive, and environmentally responsible solutions for indoor environments in assisted living — advancing bio-based materials and user-centered design.

This shared vision connecting deep tech, green tech, and human-cantered design is what inspired this joint hackathon. It provides students and experts from across Europe a platform to co-create ideas that are both digitally advanced and environmentally conscious.

Following Ali’s introduction, Professor Sari Merilampi, the main initiator of SmartAging project from SAMK’s RoboAI Health, nicely enlightened everyone by presenting what SmartAging means at the first place!

After that Jauke Buijs from the GT4T project introduced the Design Thinking process, guiding participants on how to move from identifying real-world problems to generating and testing innovative solutions.

Teams were then formed, and students began collaborating on their ideas — supported by mentors and experts from both projects.

The day continued with an inspirational keynote by Harleen Kaur from CareHand , a young entrepreneur in health technology, who shared her startup journey and reflected on the challenges and opportunities of being an innovator in the health tech sector.

We were also joined by Tiina Ruuska from IKIGIA Finland, who emphasized the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset to transform ideas into impactful, real-world solutions.

From Albertinen Haus in Germany, Denise and colleagues introduced practical insights into gerontechnology, showing how technology can enhance quality of life in elderly care. They emphasized that accessibility, usability, and empathy must remain at the heart of all innovations designed for older adults.

In the afternoon sessions, Anastasija from GT4T introduced the concept of circular design, stressing the need to integrate circular economy principles into every stage of the design process. Sean Barret from Interesting Times Gang, a SmartAging project partner, followed with an inspiring session on biophilic design, highlighting the powerful connection between nature, well-being, and human-centered innovation.

Finally, professor Beata Fabisiak from Poznan University closed the day by underscoring the importance of inclusive design — reminding us that designing for the future means walking in the shoes of the elderly and understanding their experiences deeply.

As teams continue to develop their ideas, this joint hackathon stands as a strong example of how European collaboration, research, and education can come together to create meaningful, sustainable, and inclusive innovations.

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