AET Hackathon 2025

Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Tourism Emerge from 32-Hour Collaborative Event in Padua

The Association for European Transport (AET) successfully concluded its first-ever hackathon in Padua, Italy, on 16-17 May, 2025. This groundbreaking 32-hour event brought together a diverse community of students, researchers, and industry professionals to develop innovative solutions for Italy's sustainable tourism challenges.

Co-organised by Systematica, Transform Transport, and NET Engineering, the hackathon focused on addressing over-tourism – a pressing issue affecting Italy's historic cities and fragile ecosystems. Participants collaborated intensively through brainstorming sessions, ideation workshops, and design sprints to create practical, data-driven solutions.

Congratulations to Team DeTour, comprising Pietro Mariano, Francesco Guglielmi, and Francesco Zuccolo, who emerged as the winning team. Their innovative approach impressed the expert jury and earned them the opportunity to present their solution at the European Transport Conference in Antwerp (17-19 September, 2025), where they'll gain invaluable exposure to industry leaders and policymakers.

The event's success was made possible by all the dedicated participants, our expert jury panel: Pierluigi Coppola, Tania Rossetto, Francesca Sartor, Samuele Camolese, and Silvia Furlan, and the incredible venue of NET Engineering offices in Padua.

This inaugural hackathon demonstrates AET's commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and developing sustainable mobility solutions. The winning proposal may be considered by local authorities for implementation, highlighting the real-world impact potential of innovative thinking in addressing contemporary transport and tourism challenges.