Small and medium-sized enterprises are less resilient to crises because they often lack the necessary resources and are thus more affected by supply chain disruptions. The three-year SILEO project aims to help SMEs from the lighting and furniture industry become resilient to crises and better manage market changes with a range of financial and non-financial measures.

Two 1-day international hackathons “SILEO Tech Challenge - Hack Days to Drive Innovation in Lighting & Furniture” were organized within the SILEO Eurocluster project:

• SILEO Hack Day “Navigating Challenges and Tech Solutions for SMEs in the furniture & lighting Industry” organized by Transylvanian Furniture Cluster in Cluj-Napoca, Romania on 13-14.06.2024.
• SILEO Hack Day “IMPACT - Development of innovative business ideas for SMEs in the Furniture & Lighting industry” organized by Rete di Imprese Luce in Veneto in Padua, Italy on 16.10.2024. 

Each SILEO hackathon served as a collaborative platform connecting SMEs in the lighting and furniture sectors with technology providers such as Digital Innovation Hubs, Competence Centers, incubators, and tech-savvy companies. These providers showcased their solutions to tackle the pre-identified “SILEO SME Challenges”, which focus on digital and circular transitions. 

The hackathons aimed to promote lasting innovation by presenting advanced technologies and disruptive solutions to address real-world business challenges within the lighting and furniture industries, supporting post-pandemic recovery and resilience. Participating SMEs gained a valuable opportunity to explore new technologies, gain insights, and engage directly with solution providers offering tailored innovations for the manufacturing, logistics, and trade processes specific to their sectors.

This deliverable is a report on the execution of n° 2 SILEO international Hack days (in EN) and the related Travel-voucher scheme procedures (open call, selection, execution) and impact.

For more detailed information and access to all SILEO public deliverables, click here.