The power of creativity: Hack the Normal Sustainability Hackathon

At Beko, we have been developing brand new technologies for a sustainable world for years with the motto "A healthier planet for a healthier future". 

With this perspective, we organized the "Hack the Normal 2022 – Sustainability”  hackathon to bring together people who dream of a sustainable world and to reward their projects. Born to encourage ideas for a positive impact on people and the planet and support economies where businesses balance purpose and profit, Hack the Normal online hackathon has been hosted since 2020 by our parent company Arçelik.

As this year’s host Beko, we engaged with hundreds of top entrepreneurs, engineers, and developers to create solutions to some of the most pressing environmental challenges in Europe relating to climate change, water management and circular economy.

Before giving information about the Hack the Normal 2022, let us tell you how much we care about sustainability as Beko.

Our journey starts with our sustainable raw material selection which is followed by bold actions in production. Rainwater harvesting, green electricity, recycled and bio-based material usage are just some of the ways in which we connect nature to Beko.

We think using modern technologies allow us to create products that consider the past and shape the future of manufacturing.  In that order we saved 352,844 m3 of water in just 2020. And very same year, we applied 238 energy efficient projects in global production operations only.

Also, we are continually revising and developing transportation and delivery strategies, in order to diminish our CO2 emissions and reduce our carbon footprint as much as we can.

This is exactly why we hosted "Hack the Normal"

This year, we hosted the Hack the Normal 2022 hackathon, with the main theme of "sustainability." Hack the Normal Sustainability was Europe's largest sustainability hackathon, as well as the first to be carbon neutral. The event attracted over five hundred participants from 70 countries who developed unique and practical solutions to some of the biggest environmental challenges relating to circular economy, water management and climate change.

Focusing on the growing climate crisis and the risks posed by global warming to humans, species and ecosystems, the brightest minds came together at our event to decarbonize emissions.

Here are the HTN 2022 winners;

· Circular Economy winner: Team Salubata

The team aims to provide a solution to the global issue of plastic waste by converting PET waste into desirable, practical footwear. Using patented technology, the team developed a prototype and business pathway to help divert almost 6 billion tonnes of plastic waste from landfills. 

· Climate Change winner: Team 52

Team 52 tackled the issue of energy waste and carbon emissions produced by household appliances left on standby. The team developed an innovative smart plug with user-friendly modes to enable consumers to turn off appliances and reduce energy waste when not in use, driving financial savings for consumer and helping prevent emissions. 

· Water Management winner: Koalas 

The Koalas developed an innovative new washing machine technology which uses oxygen and cold water to clean garments more efficiently than ever before. The new process which is proposed to be used in a future line of Beko washing machines, reduces the need for high levels of detergent and hot water, thus helping conserve water and energy.