Young minds and creative solutions: Nordea partners with University of Łódź for Ideathon

The final of the first edition took place on 30 June at the Training and Conference Centre of the University of Łódź. During the event, students from Łódź were divided into eight teams and asked to find solutions to various social and ecological challenges. The participants exchanged experiences and shared creative ideas to come up with innovative, coherent and effective solutions to the challenges raised by the partners of the event. The solutions were then presented at the forum and the winning teams received awards.

We’re proud to announce that the team that proposed a solution to the challenge from Nordea, titled: “What solutions can be proposed to support the goals of achieving climate neutrality through the implementation of Green IT solutions?”, came second in the competition. 

Their project aimed at hardware reusability and refurbishment, as it is a common practise to utilize equipment after only few years of usage, instead of giving a second life (hardware manufacture represents a significant percentage of CO2 emissions in the lifecycle of IT equipment). The most commendable aspect of the solution was the focus on changing one’s behavioural patterns (thinking green and recycling) that does not require big additional investments from the company’s side.

The participants at Ideathon gain unique experience and competence in teamwork using the Design Thinking method together with creative people from other faculties and universities. Moreover, the event is an opportunity for the participants to improve their communication and presentation skills, while working on real-life challenges. This sentiment is shared by Jakub Bagiński, Nordea’s Country Lead for Technology in Poland: 

“Events such as Ideathon are a forum for acquiring technical skills, developing creative competences and building the ability to work in a team. The participants also learn how to look for quick and effective solutions and use a creative approach to unusual problems,” he says and adds:  

“We became a partner of Ideathon because the whole concept focuses on social issues. Nordea’s strategic goal is sustainable development - it’s an integral part of our business activities. We have introduced measurable goals and actively participate in the global climate transformation. I’m convinced that this year’s edition of Ideathon will bring forward interesting ideas that could have a real impact on the environment and improve living conditions.”