A “Hackathon” for innovating paper

Last 24 October the Mondi group (integrated producer of cellulose materials and packaging) welcomed 50 Phd students and researchers from 20 European Universities and higher education institutes for a first “Mondi Speed Data Hackathon”, challenging them to explore the reality of big data and draw up innovative concepts, capable of furthering the progress of the paper industry.

Following the rules of “hack day” (a short event attended by various experts from different IT sectors, Ed.), the attendees - all researchers in the field of cellulosic materials, divided into eight groups and supervised by Mondi leaders - had to devise a project that, starting with the big data analysis, could affect production processes and energy consumption, taking the financial, maintenance and sustainability implications into account. And if the brainstorming was only supposed to last two hours, the speaker of each group had only one minute to explain their project to the jury.

Among those presented the concept called “Smart Value Chain” was the one to convince the jurors, because it covered the entire packaging value chain, creating a virtuous closed loop between goods producer, packaging and final consumer.
Mondi’s hackathon was part of the “Cellulose Materials Doctoral Students Conference 2017” program, a three-day event organized by the Graz University of Technology under the auspices of EFPRO - European Fiber and Paper Research Organization.