Frequently Asked Questions

• Expand your network with diverse contacts from the scene
• Work with like-minded people on a project idea that is close to your heart
• Find out more about new developments in the energy sector
• Present a project idea and motivate the experts to develop it further with you

Most importantly: Come with a passion for energy and data!

Please remember to bring your laptop. If you are traveling from outside Switzerland, ensure you have a power adapter (Type J) to stay connected.

We’ve got the rest covered: we will provide all the necessary working materials—including paper, flipcharts, and Post-its—as well as plenty of food and drinks throughout the event.

No, the Hackdays are not only for developers.
We welcome designers, analysts, journalists, researchers, energy experts, students, and anyone curious about energy innovation.

No, this is possible, but not required.
At the beginning of the hackathon, various project ideas and challenges will be presented. You can work on the project idea that inspires you most.

Participation in Hackdays is free of charge, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and partners. We provide all the essentials—including meals (starting with breakfast), electricity, high-speed internet, and workspace infrastructure.

To minimize no-shows and ensure a spot for everyone, a small committment fee is required when reserving your ticket; this will be fully refunded within two weeks after checking-in at the event.

No, that’s not necessary either. It is important that you contribute to the success of your chosen project and discuss with your team when and where you work.

The primary language of the event is English. However, when working in your individual teams, you are welcome to use whichever language your group prefers.

We want the resulting Hackdays projects to have a long-term, sustainable impact. Accordingly, partner organizations and Challenge Owners are happy to continue to support and promote promising projects and results to the best of their abilities.

The discussion about energy also goes on within the EDIH Working Group:
Have a look!

We want you to have the best possible experience during the event. We will cover the costs for a hotel stay from Thursday to Friday for all active Hackdays participants. Please be sure to book the ticket with overnight stay included.

By Public Transport

• Metro M2: Take the M2 (direction "Croisettes") to Vennes or Croisettes. It’s a 15-minute ride from Lausanne Train Station.
• Bus: Lines 45, 46, 62, and 64 also serve the campus.

By Car

• Motorway: Take the A9 to exit 10 (Vennes).
• Parking: Use the P+R Vennes parking garage located directly at the exit.

To ensure the successful resolution of our challenges, the use of relevant data sets is essential. In most instances, Challenge Owners are expected to provide their own data for processing.

For security and compliance reasons, all data must be processed exclusively using the programs and servers provided within the event network.

The documentation of the challenges will be published on GitLab and our Webiste.
The data used for the solution will not be published.

Take a look at the past projects:
Archive

The challenges and their results are freely accessible and will be published and archived on this website 
They will be made available to interested parties (universities, engineering offices, developers, challenge owners, participants in the hackdays) for further use.

Primarily with the challenge owner. Publishing the documentation would theoretically make it possible to use them, but this has not yet been done. Complete solutions are also rarely developed as part of hackdays. Rather, they are approaches and MVPs.

Data & Data Sets:
Publicly accessible data sets remain publicly accessible. If challenge owners provide their own data for processing the task, this is generally only available for the event (or their own challenge). The challenge owner can also make certain data sets available for other events depending on their own governance requirements and make these sets freely available.

Models:
This depends heavily on the challenge owner and the challenge itself. The documentation of the challenges is published on Github and on the SwissEnergy website. This means that they are not only available to the challenge owner. As a rule, the challenge owners take the results of the hackdays back with them and use them internally for further development > Sense and added value of open innovation.

As a partner, you gain visibility in a dynamic innovation environment, strengthen your network, access emerging talent, and engage directly with thought leaders, developers, and researchers. Your brand, data, or challenge will be at the center of a hands-on, high-energy event.

We offer several ways to partner with us, depending on your goals and resources:

• Main Partner: Provide financial support and gain high-level brand visibility throughout the event.
• Challenge Owner: Submit a real-world problem and collaborate with bright minds to find innovative solutions.
• Data Partner: Empower participants by providing the datasets necessary for data-driven innovation.
• University / Research Partner: Connect your students and researchers with hands-on, applied challenges in a collaborative environment.

Interested in a different approach? We are always open to custom partnerships and would be happy to discuss a tailored collaboration that works for you.

Depending on your level of partnership, your organization will gain significant visibility across multiple channels:

• Digital Presence: Featured placement on our official website and the event platform.
• Integrated Communications: Brand inclusion in all online and print collateral, including newsletters and brochures.
• On-Site Branding: High-impact signage and branding throughout the physical event space.
• The Big Stage: Recognition during the final pitch presentations, where solutions are showcased to a wide audience.
• Media Reach: Strategic exposure through social media campaigns and targeted press coverage.

By participating, you will engage with a diverse ecosystem of talent and expertise, including:

• Technical Experts: Developers, UX/UI designers, and data scientists.
• Academic Talent: Students and researchers, primarily from leading STEM fields.
• Industry Leaders: Representatives from energy providers, startups, public agencies, and tech companies.
• Innovation Drivers: Professionals specializing in IT, sustainability, and digital transformation.

Absolutely! Many of our partners come from the public or academic sector. We’re happy to support you in crafting a challenge or integrating your institution into the event.

The Hackdays typically take place over two intensive days. Your involvement is key to the participants' success, and our team will be there to guide you through every step:

• Day 1 | Kickoff: You will present your challenge to the participants, sparking interest and setting the stage for innovation.
• Development Phase: During the hacking sessions, you’ll act as a subject matter expert, supporting your team and clarifying questions as they build their solutions.
• Day 2 | The Finale: You will attend the final project presentations to see the results of the teams' hard work and celebrate their achievements.

As a Challenge Owner, you provide the spark for innovation by submitting a real-world question or problem for our teams to solve. Your involvement is straightforward but impactful:

• The Pitch: Provide a concise description of your challenge to inspire the participants.
• The Collaboration: Act as the primary point of contact during the event, offering your domain and technical expertise to guide the development process.

Ready to get started? You can submit your challenge via our online form—the process is quick and straightforward.

To help you craft a compelling proposal, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide to assist you along the way: 👉 View the Challenge Submission Guide

Please note: While we welcome all ideas, submitting a challenge does not guarantee inclusion in the final event unless you are an official partner or sponsor

Have a great idea? We want to hear it! Anyone is welcome to submit a challenge for the Hackdays.

To ensure the event is sustainable, we prioritize challenges from our partners and sponsors. However, we still consider independent submissions—so if your idea is a great fit, please send it our way! While we can't promise a spot for every non-affiliated entry, we value your contribution to the innovation ecosystem.

You may choose to share your challenge with all Hackdays participants or restrict access to specific challenge members. If necessary, team members can sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) before gaining access to sensitive information.