The INNO2MARE Titanic Challenge, a two-day international innovation challenge, brought together creative minds from Croatia, Slovenia and Belgium to tackle the maritime challenges inspired by the well-known story of Titanic.
Held online and coordinated by the STEP RI Science and Technology Park and the University of Rijeka, the event kicked off on December 7, 2024, with a dynamic training session focused on building participants’ innovation and pitching skills. Led by experienced mentors from STEP RI, the session prepared participants to tackle the proposed challenges.
Out of more than 40 applications, 17 participants attended the session, eager to put their skills to the test. Their concepts of innovative solutions were developed based on three distinct challenges inspired by the Titanic story, which participants could choose from:
Challenge 1: Escape the Engine Room!
Participants had to design a solution to help crew members escape the engine room safely during a fire, using modern technologies to avoid hazards like smoke and flames.
Challenge 2: Keep the Titanic’s Lights On!
The task was to come up with a way to manage the ship’s energy more efficiently, ensuring power remained stable under all circumstances, possibly with tools or apps to optimize energy use.
Challenge 3: Avoid the Iceberg!
Teams had to create a system that would detect icebergs earlier and warn the crew in time, focusing on preventing disaster with innovative detection tools or improved crew training.
The second day, December 8, was dedicated to team pitches. Eight teams presented their ideas to a jury of university representatives from Croatia, Slovenia, and Belgium. After two days of hard work and creative problem-solving, the jury awarded prizes to the top three teams:
- First place: Team Parish Office
- Second place: Team Lux
- Third place: Team AlphaQ
The winners received rewards for their outstanding contributions and innovative ideas. The INNO2MARE Titanic Challenge offered participants a unique opportunity to work on meaningful problems, develop new skills, and showcase their creativity. It showed the value of teamwork among participants, and we can’t wait to see more creative ideas and experiences coming from future INNO2MARE events.
