Chemnitz students rock the Smart Green Island Makeathon on Gran Canaria!

Chemnitz students rock the Smart Green Island Makeathon on Gran Canaria!

From March 11th to 16th, 2025, three mechanical engineering students from Chemnitz University of Technology, Elias Kruse, Moritz Ziegenbalg and Marcus Gerber, took part in the “8th Smart Green Island Makeathon” on Gran Canaria. This event brought together over 500 technology-loving participants from Europe and provided a platform for innovative ideas and projects. The Makeathon, a combination of “Make” and “Marathon”, focuses on developing and presenting solutions in interdisciplinary groups.

As part of the event, the Chemnitz students worked in two teams. Their goal was to create viable prototypes. Team 1 developed an automated system for overmolding an electronic component with recycled plastic, while Team 2 focused on the sensors of an autonomous garbage collecting robot. Participants worked in long shifts of up to 12 hours to optimally develop their projects.

Diverse topics and challenges

The Makeathon included topics provided by sponsors in the form of “Industry Challenges”. These included, among others, Smart Farming, Smart Green Energy, Smart Green Mobility, Smart Automation, Internet of Things, Robotics, Smart Production and Circular Economy. The event was organized by ITQ GmbH and Dr. Stetter ITQ organized and offered participants free professional support, materials and catering.

The intensive working days were filled with exchange and networking. Marcus Gerber put a positive emphasis on his experience and emphasized how enriching the contact with other students and companies was. The cultural highlight of the week was the visit to the carnival in Las Palmas, which offered the participants a welcome change.

An innovative educational event

The concept of the Makeathon, in which teams develop technological prototypes and solutions, has proven successful. It is an innovative educational format that brings together young talents from different universities and countries. The challenges are not only provided by sponsors, but also by the participating teams themselves.

In addition, there was an ambassador program aimed at students, young professionals and leaders interested in digital education, sustainability and technological innovation. This structure supports future-oriented training and engagement in various areas of technology.

The provision of platforms such as the Mini-Makeathon, which took place on February 13, 2025 at the Didacta trade fair in Stuttgart, shows the continued interest in sustainable innovations and renewable energies. Here, students had the opportunity to intensively engage with modern technologies in order to learn and actively shape a sustainable future.