Smartdest H2020 W/ MITdesignX Venice: Innovation Camp - Ideathon

The SmartDest Ideathon challenges participants to develop viable solutions to address the main issues that have emerged across all 8 participating cities of the SmartDest project. The whole day is dedicated to the identification and refinement of innovative ideas, while creating synergies with other participants, in a dynamic and engaging way so that a diverse group of participants can share skills and insights with one another. The SmartDest Ideathon is a form of participatory, collective brainstorming that fosters networking and co-design with the ultimate goal of identifying specific actions and initiatives that address the problems of social exclusion -- caused by the new models of tourist and transnational mobility -- that emerged across all participating cities during the SMARTDEST research project.

This event will give also the opportunity of facilitating the formation of strong interdisciplinary teams that can make a successful submission into the MITdesignX Venice program. (Submissions are open until July 31, 2023).

The challenges on which participants are called to find ideas and solutions (possibly startup ideas) are dedicated to solving problems experienced in cities that are the hub of tourism and other related mobilities:

• Inclusive Tourism
• Housing Affordability
• Everyday Mobility
• Data Democracy & Community Empowerment

Participants in the Ideathon who already have a well-shaped idea are invited to fill out this FORM (preview here) in advance (by July 3, 2023). The best ideas will be assigned a private corner open for discussions with other participants throughout the event.

Participants who don’t have a clear startup idea or are not already part of a team will be able to forge collaborations for joint ventures. They will be able to join rounds of discussion at each corner.

Idea promoters and facilitators stay at their corners throughout. Every 30’ participants move to another corner. After 6 rounds (3 hours) all participants come back to plenary.

Idea proponents (individuals or teams) & facilitators summarize reshaped ideas and lessons learnt. SmartDest consortium will award the best startup idea with a prize.

Our facilitators will be on hand to help guide the entire process.

(*) At MITdesignX Venice, Intellectual Property (IP) is considered the property of the individuals and/or teams. MIT and SerenDPT will not stake IP or patent claims to new ideas developed at MITdesignX Venice.