“Stirring the Waters” hackathon aims to boost local innovation in Rhodope
A one-day hackathon titled “Stirring the Waters” will take place on Friday, July 11, 2025, in Fanari, Komotini, with the aim of fostering local innovation and sustainable solutions in the sectors of fishing, aquaculture, culture, tourism, and local production.
The event is co-organized by Development Agency of Rhodope and Impact Hub Athens, a hub for social entrepreneurship. It seeks to engage professionals, students, and local stakeholders in collaborative problem-solving to generate entrepreneurial solutions with a strong regional focus.
According to Stathis Kefalidis, General Director of the Development Agency of Rhodope, the hackathon will include mentored workshops, collaborative sessions, and final presentations of proposed ideas. At the conclusion of the event, a winning team will be selected.
The winning team will advance to a regional-level Hackathon to be held in Karditsa in September 2025, as part of the wider initiative titled "Cooperative Development." This program is jointly implemented by the Development Agency of Rhodope and Impact Hub Athens, aiming to strengthen cooperative entrepreneurship in fishing and aquaculture communities across the Thracian Sea and Rhodope’s lagoons.
Participants are invited to submit project ideas that address sustainable rural development, the promotion of coastal cultural heritage, and sustainable tourism.
