On 3 and 4 March 2026, the RUN-EU Innothon will bring together young innovators at the Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences (FHV), in Dornbirn, for two days of creativity, collaboration and solution design centred around the theme of Smart Cities & Smart Villages.

Organised by the Research Centre for Microtechnology with real-life tasks from the City of Dornbirn (Pionierstadt Dornbirn), this in-person innovation hackathon invites students to work in small multidisciplinary teams on authentic urban and rural challenges. By combining digital innovation, sustainability and economic perspectives, participants will explore how smarter, greener and more liveable communities can be shaped for the future.

Across two full days, participating teams will immerse themselves in problem discovery, concept development and storytelling as they refine concrete proposals and communicate their ideas. With guidance from mentors and real-world stimulus, students will not only identify pressing local challenges but also prototype forward-thinking solutions that are impactful, scalable and rooted in both technological and societal insight.

The overarching challenge of the Innothon is framed around designing a smart, climate-fit and circular quartier of the future. Each team will explore this shared context from a distinct angle, focusing on elements such as climate-friendly daily mobility, digital platforms for circular building materials, data-driven green infrastructure management, or smart land use and parking optimisation. Despite these different perspectives, all solutions will contribute to a cohesive vision of future-ready neighbourhoods where innovation meets sustainability and community benefit.