Hackathon: Digital State Future Solutions

October 10-11, 2023, Mektory, Innovation Hub (Raja 15)

Come and contribute your innovative ideas to shape the future of Estonia's digital state and have a chance to win €5000 with your team! 🚀⚡️

TalTech's Next Generation Digital State research group from the ICT faculty, in collaboration with the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, is organizing a hackathon for advancing Estonia's economy, society, and governance through digital technologies. During the hackathon, teams will develop ideas into validated prototype solutions.

We welcome you to hack on various topics:

  • Use of blockchain in the digital state
  • Implementing software usage in the public sector
  • ChatGPT as a tool for the digital state
  • Gesture recognition for sign language (AR) in e-services
  • Voice-based identity verification tests for identification solutions
  • Speech synthesis for ensuring integrity and authenticity
  • Use of artificial intelligence in e-services (propose your own topic)
  • Implementation tools for more efficient bureaucracy

You are not limited to these suggestions - if you have another innovative solution in mind, it's more than welcome!

Why should you participate?

  • By participating, you get a chance to contribute to the development of Estonia's digital state alongside your team. Your ideas will reach industry specialists, potentially shaping the future of Estonia's digital society.
  • This meaningful and practical two-day event comes with mentorship by digital experts.
  • Participation is free! Additionally, during the two days, a comfortable atmosphere, catering, and an exciting and engaging program are ensured for you and your team.
  • The best team will be awarded €5000, and special prizes selected by the jury will also be awarded.

What type of background are we looking for from you?

For us, it is important that you are interested in contributing to the development of the digital state which involves interdisciplinary backgrounds in IT, social sciences, healthcare, public administration, and more!. Through digital technology, we can advance various sectors in the country, which is why students from different study programs and fields are welcome to participate.

Registration is open until October 6 at 23:59. You can register with or without a team.

NOTE! LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE – REGISTER FAST! đź’Ą

Program

October 10, 2023 (Tuesday)

9:00 - 9:20Registration and morning coffee
9:20 - 9:35Welcome words (Luukas Ilves, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications)
9:35 - 10:00Inspirational speakers (Kaire Kasearu ja Mehis Sihvart)
10:00 - 10:30Introduction of the ideas and organizational overview
10:30 - 12:45Team formation and sketching the ideas (hacking)
12:45 - 13:30Lunch
13:30 - 14:30Checkpoint 1. Team presentations (resolutions for the problem statements)
14:30 - 16:30Sessions with the mentors
16:30 - 16:45Energy break
16:45 - 19:00Hacking
19:00 - 20:00Dinner
20:00 - 23:00Hacking
23:00Event ends/doors close

October 11, 2023 (Wednesday)

8:30 - 9:00Morning coffee
9:00 - 9:30Preparation and hacking
9:30 - 11:00Checkpoint 2. Team presentations
11:00 - 12:30Hacking
12:30 - 13:15Lunch
13:15 - 14:00Pitching tips (Eric Blake Jackson)
14:00 - 15:00Teamwork (preparation of the presentations)
15:00 - 16:30Checkpoint 3. (concept design and prototypes capability check)
16:30 - 17:30Teamwork (final touch for the prototypes)
17:30 - 19:00Final presentations of the concept design to the jury
19:00 - 19:15Inspirational speaker (Kedi Välba, Aktors)
19:15 - 19:30Energy break
19:30 - 20:00Prizegiving and feedback
...
Introductory Speech - Luukas Ilves

Undersecretary for Digital Transformation, Government CIO
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications for Estonia (MKM)

...
Host - Rasmus Kalep

"I invite everyone who feels that Estonia, as a digital nation, can become even more innovative, to participate in the hackathon. My experience shows that you never know where new and exciting ideas or collaborations may arise, so seize every opportunity!"

Mentors

Margus PĂĽĂĽa

Margus PĂĽĂĽa

Margus Püüa is the Head of the Personalised Learning Path Initiative, managing it´s infrastructure development at the Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia. During his 18-year career in the public sector, he led the development of Estonia's e-Governance for 8 years and served as the Head of Strategy at the IT and Development Centre, Ministry of the Interior (Estonian: Siseministeeriumi infotehnoloogia- ja arenduskeskus, SMIT) for 4 years. As a senior expert at the e-Governance Academy, he has shared Estonia's e-governance experience with several countries. As a member of the board of the Information Technology Foundation for Education (HITSA), he initiated the development of a personalised learning infrastructure in 2018. While working at the end of the last century at the then Eesti Telefon (telecom company), he developed the bank authentication solution and direct debit, which were precursors to today's e-invoicing solution. Since 2001, he has been a contract lecturer at the IT College of Tallinn University of Technology.
Read more
Indrek Kotkas

Indrek Kotkas

Indrek Kotkas holds a degree in IT from Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) and graduated from Estonia Business School (EBS) in 2022 with a bachelor´s degree in Entrepreneurship and Business Administration. Indrek has worked in the IT sector as a tester in several reputable companies such as Swedbank, Finestmedia, Axinom, and Net Group, where he has been involved in both private and public-oriented developments. To combine the knowledge gained at TalTech and EBS, Indrek joined the Republic of Estonia Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications´(Estonian: Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium, MKM) Digital State team, where he contributes to make Digital State services more sustainable. In order to reduce what is commonly referred to as "reinventing the wheel", and to steer future developments towards greater reusability and shareability, including by listening to the problems, solutions and wishes of various IT sectors.
Read more
Ott Sarv

Ott Sarv

Ott Sarv is one of the pioneers in the field of digital transformation, focusing on the development of digital identities and data exchange infrastructure. Since 2008, Ott has been working on several projects and products that have strengthened digital identities and trust frameworks for the country. As an independent expert, Ott collaborates with organizations that aim to move beyond discussions and actually solve problems.
Read more
Silvia Lips

Silvia Lips

Silvia Lips, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the Department of Software Science at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), specializing in e-Government Technologies and Services. Silvia has a background in law and holds a master's degree in e-Governance Technologies and Services. Her main research interests are electronic identity (eID), various authentication solutions, and their cross-border applicability. Concurrently, she works as an expert at the Estonian Information System Authority (Estonian: Riigi InfosĂĽsteemi Amet, RIA). Silvia is a member of the European Commission's cooperation network and is involved in the evaluation of electronic identity systems at the European Union (EU) level. Previously, she worked for more than ten years in the field of internal security, with five of those years responsible for overseeing the production and procurement of Estonian ID cards and travel documents at the Police and Border Guard Board. She values professionalism and believes that lifelong learning (LLL) ensures continuous personal development.
Read more
Mehis Sihvart

Mehis Sihvart

Mehis Sihvart, head of the software company Wisercat Estonia, studied information technology at Taltech. He began his career at Uptime as a programmer, later rising to become the head of the country's first IT institution, the Center of Registers and Information Systems (RIK). Nearly 12 years in this role provided him with a unique perspective on the client's role in the IT industry, both in leading his own team and in procuring developments from external sources, and now in a private enterprise.
Read more
Kaire Kasearu

Kaire Kasearu

Kaire on Audrust Pärnumaalt pärit tüdruk, kes alustas bakalaureuse õpinguid Tallinnas Eesti-Ameerika ärikolledžis rahvusvahelise turismi erialal ning liikus edasi 2011 aastal magistrikraadi tegema Tallinna Ülikooli riigiteaduste erialal. Tänaseks töötab ta Majandus – ja Kommunikatsiooniministeeriumi juhtkonnas diginõunikuna, kuigi 6 aastat tagasi oli Kairel tegelikult null teadmist digivaldkonnast. Kuna kogu digimaailm on see, mis tema silma särama paneb ja on suure potentsiaaliga, siis on ta väga kompetentsete ja inspireerivate kolleegide abil ennast arendanud ja läbi kogemuste õppinud. Kaire nägi vajadust ikkagi ka teadmisi ülikoolis täiendada. 2021 aasta lõpetas ta teist korda magistriõpingud ja seekord TalTechis informaatika valdkonnas ja „Digimuutused ettevõttes“ erialal. Tema tugevuseks on uudishimu ning uute lahenduste, ideede, eksperimentide katsetamine ja mõtlemine tihti raamist välja. Kaire hoiab alati silmad lahti, et leida erinevate ettevõtete, ülikoolide, riikide või inimeste häid praktikaid ja kogemusi ning oma töös panna kõige paremad tükid kokku ning moodustada uus tervik. Kolleeg on iseloomustavalt kirjeldanud teda järgnevalt: „Trügid kogu aeg kastist välja“. Digiriigi visiooni „Eesti täis digiväge“ ellu viimine on tema sisemine missioon, et tulevikus oleks kõik Eesti elanikud rahul ja õnnelikud riigiga suhtlemisel ning me saaksime kõiki digiriigi tugevusi elanike jaoks maksimaalselt ära kasutada.
Read more
Andrea Giudici

Andrea Giudici

Andrea Giudici has a master's degree in Computer Science from the University of Genoa (Italy) and a PhD in Civil Engineering from TalTech. He is a researcher at the Laboratory of Wave Engineering in the Institute of Cybernetics at TalTech, and an IT consultant in the Medical/GxP field. His main interests are numerical simulations of marine wave fields and the management of processes of data migration and preservation. In the past, he has worked with several startups in Estonia, focusing on product development and software engineering. He has experienced what it feels like to be a hackathon participant himself and what are the next possible steps with the initial idea development.
Read more

Jury

Kedi Välba

Kedi Välba

Kedi Välba is the CEO and a member of the board of the Estonian software company Aktors. Kedi holds a master's degree in e-Government Technologies and Services from TalTech in 2017 and is currently a member of the Programme advisory committee. Her previous education is in business administration and foreign languages, and before joining the IT sector she worked in marketing and training. Kedi has been working at Aktors since 2013 and over the past ten years, she has held various project roles, worked as a Human Resources and Communications Manager, and from 2018 until March this year she was the Regional Manager for Africa and the Middle East. Kedi has been involved in numerous data exchange or other digital solutions projects and has been an active spokesperson for e-Estonia, representing the competencies of Aktors, TalTech, and the Estonian ICT cluster on a broader scale. Topics close to Ked's heart are secure data exchange, digital transformation of countries and related knowledge transfer, and emphasizing the importance of public and private sector collaboration. Aktors is one of the creators of X-Road (Estonia's national interoperability platform), and the company develops software mainly for the e-governance, financial, justice, and defence industries. Today, the company also participates in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) GovStack initiative as an interoperability expert. Since 2014, Aktors also has a branch in Iraq, in the Kurdistan Region, where it set up a court information system, along with the associated infrastructure. Aktors is an active member of the Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications and the ICT export cluster, as well as a member of the Estonian Defence and Aerospace Industry Association, the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and FinanceEstonia.
Read more
Gert Jervan

Gert Jervan

Gert Jervan is the Dean of the School of Information Technologies at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) and a professor of dependable computer systems in the Department of Computer Systems. He has been the coordinator of several national and international research projects, a member of the steering committee of the Centre for Integrated Electronic Systems and Biomedical Engineering (CEBE), and coordinator of the European Union´s project EU-FP7-REGPOT-2011 programme with CREDES (Centre of Excellence for Dependent Embedded Systems). Gert has been a member of the evaluation panels of the Estonian Science Foundation (ETF), the Estonian Research Council (ETAG), and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD). He is a regular reviewer for several journals and a member of the programme committee of several conferences. In addition, Gert Jervan is one of the authors of the Strategic Plan of Tallinn University of Technology 2011-2015 and 2016-2020.
Read more
Jana Silaškova

Jana Silaškova

Jana Silaškova is the Head of Internationalization at the Estonian ICT Cluster, supporting the cluster's partners in their export ambitions. She places a strong emphasis on development cooperation and partnerships with international and regional organizations and clusters, such as United Nations organizations, Smart Africa, D4D Hub, and others. She has organized numerous practical workshops, trainings, and forums on digitalization, raising awareness in developing countries about e-Governance technologies to support their economy, democracy, and good governance. She has the background of working with foreign funding in the Estonian Ministry of Finance for 9 years, organizing and hosting high-level visits of business delegations to and from developing countries, and organizing events and trainings that support companies in their business and export ambitions in the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for 5 years.
Read more
Karl Andreas Sprenk

Karl Andreas Sprenk

Karl Andreas Sprenk holds a master's degree in e-Governance Technologies and Services from Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech). Since December 2021, Karl has been working on digital skills development at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (Estonian: Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium, MKM), working daily to ensure that the public sector has the necessary knowledge and skills for bold and significant digital transformation.
Read more
Kristiina Maasik

Kristiina Maasik

Kristiina Maasik is the Head of Telia Estonia's Legal Unit and a member of the management team, with one of her areas of responsibility being sustainability (ESG), among other things.
She has graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tartu and has also participated in the international Business Management Master's program (MBA) at EBS. Among other things, Kristiina actively contributes to the activities of one of Estonia's most active professional associations, the Information Technology and Telecommunications Association (ITL), where she also serves as the head of the ITL Telecommunications Working Group (Operators' Council). She is also a member of the Board of the Estonian Broadband Foundation.
With over 20 years of experience in the ICT sector, she has witnessed rapid technological innovation and advised on a wide range of digitalization and transformation projects. Kristiina is passionate about creating a more sustainable and opportunity-rich future through digitalization.
She believes that technology can make people's lives significantly easier and more convenient. Telia is Estonia's largest telecommunications company, offering a wide range of IT and cybersecurity services in addition to its telecommunications activities. Telia's mission is to contribute to the development of society, making Estonia a better place to live and work.
Read more
Allan Allmere

Allan Allmere

Allan Allmere is a Project Director (Architecture and Infrastructure) at the Estonian Government CIO office at he the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications for Estonia.
Read more

Register for participation

If you wish to participate with your team and focus on specific topic development, please inform us

Miks osaleda?

Contact Information

Pirjo-Andra Põõsaste
Project Coordinator of Digital State Technologies and Architecture Research Group
pirjo-andra.poosaste@taltech.ee

Supporters