site.btaHackaton with Students from Three Bulgarian Universities Brings Knowledge and Businesses' Practical Needs Closer

A hackathon with students from three universities in Bulgaria is organized for the second consecutive year to bring closer the knowledge acquited in higher education and the practical needs of businesses. The event is organized by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Bulgaria. 

The AmCham Bulgaria Hackathon initiative is held in partnership with the Technical University of Sofia, the Faculty of Economics at St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia and the Faculty of Physics and Technology at Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv.

The initiative also aims to engage students in solving specific business cases, to show good practices of established companies in the country, and to retain students in Bulgaria. The hackaton gives the opportunity for subsequent engagement in the three universities' programmes as well as the opportunity to find professional development in the participating companies.

This year, the participating companies are IBM Bulgaria, Kamenitsa AD, Curtis Balkan, Moto-Pfohe, Paysafe, and Sensata Technologies. Students from the three universities have  until March 9 to enroll to join company and case study teams. 

The official opening of the hackathon will be on March 11 at the Technical University's Center for Excellence in Mechatronics and Clean Technologies. Student teams will present the solution to their business case in front of a jury from April 7 to 9, and the awards ceremony will take place on April 10. "We believe that the specific case studies they will work on will receive solutions that will combine what they have learned at university and will be practically enriched by the active support of the mentors coming from the participating companies," said the co-chairs of the AmCham Human Capital and Education Committee, Boyka Docheva and Vladislav Marinov. "Our aspiration is that for these four weeks of active teamwork, both parties - students and mentors - will both challenge each other in the field of practical business and technology solutions and learn from each other."