As part of the H.I.L.L. – Habitat in Living Landscape project, supported by the Cariverona Foundation, more than 30 young people gathered in Monte di Malo, Italy, on 29 May for a Hackathon dedicated to designing innovative ideas for sustainable tourism and youth entrepreneurship in the Alto Vicentino area.
The initiative, co-organised by ALDA Italia APS and Elevator Innovation Hub, encouraged participants to develop creative solutions capable of enhancing the natural and cultural heritage of the territory while contributing to its long-term social and economic development.
The H.I.L.L. project aims to protect and enhance the environmental and cultural assets of the municipalities of Monte di Malo, Cornedo Vicentino, and Castelgomberto. One of its flagship actions is the creation of a larger protected area by connecting and expanding the Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) Buso della Rana and Le Poscole. Alongside biodiversity conservation and scientific monitoring, the project includes the refurbishment of the Priaboniano Museum with new digital tools, as well as a range of educational and awareness-raising activities targeting citizens, businesses, and young people.
The Hackathon represented one of these initiatives, giving young participants the opportunity to become active contributors to the future of their territory. Working in multidisciplinary teams, they explored how innovation, digital technologies, and entrepreneurship can help promote sustainable tourism while strengthening local communities.
The event opened at the Monte di Malo Theatre with welcome remarks from representatives of Elevator Innovation Hub and the Mayor of Monte di Malo. Participants were then inspired by three keynote speakers with different perspectives on the relationship between nature, local identity, and entrepreneurship:
- Giovanni Bombieri, forestry scientist and herpetologist;
- Valeria Ricci, entrepreneur and manager of Malga Davanti;
- Giancarlo Ferron, writer and nature photographer.
Following the keynote sessions, participants were introduced to four mentors who supported the teams throughout the challenge:
- Matteo Pozzi, CEO of Elevator Innovation Hub;
- Edoardo Santi, President of SFClub Padova and innovation enthusiast;
- Andrea Silvello, management engineer specialising in artificial intelligence and start-ups;
- Martina Burlando, application consultant and innovation expert.
Divided into four multidisciplinary teams, participants spent the afternoon transforming ideas into concrete project proposals through brainstorming sessions, collaborative design, and prototype development. At the end of the challenge, each team presented its solution to a jury for evaluation.
The Hackathon generated a wide range of creative concepts, demonstrating both the participants’ entrepreneurial spirit and their commitment to promoting the local territory. Among the proposals were immersive escape rooms inside the Priaboniano Museum, outdoor treasure hunts designed to encourage visitors to explore the surrounding landscape, a digital platform for sharing recommendations and discovering local attractions, and an experiential hub where visitors could create and share personalised itineraries.
The winning project, Arboris, proposed an interactive outdoor treasure hunt platform suitable for participants of all ages. Through different levels of difficulty, users would explore the territory by locating checkpoints, completing challenges, and discovering the area’s natural and cultural heritage in an engaging and educational way.
By placing young people at the centre of the innovation process, the H.I.L.L. Hackathon demonstrated how creativity, collaboration, and digital solutions can contribute to building more sustainable, resilient, and attractive rural territories. The ideas developed during the event represent an important source of inspiration for the future implementation of the H.I.L.L. project and for strengthening sustainable tourism across the Alto Vicentino area.