Italia-Croatia

As part of the project ECOFOODCYCLE – Reducing Food Waste and its Environmental Footprint through Sustainable Food Systems (ID: ITHR0200316), we invite family farms (OPGs), food producers, students, young professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, and all interested stakeholders from Lika-Senj County and Zadar County to apply for the ECOFOODCYCLE FOODSHIFT Hackathon 2026.

The goal of the hackathon is to develop innovative, practical, and sustainable solutions for reducing food waste, improving the utilization of food surpluses, enhancing cooperation among local producers, and strengthening sustainable food systems.

During the two-day event, participants will work in multidisciplinary teams with the support of mentors from the fields of agriculture, the food industry, business model development, digital solutions, and communications.

Hackathon Topics

• Food surpluses as a new value opportunity
• Smart production and sales planning
• Short supply chains with zero waste
• Digital tools for reducing food waste

Who Can Apply?

• Family farms (OPGs) and food producers
• Students and young professionals
• Entrepreneurs
• Experts in IT, marketing, product development, and sustainability
• Representatives of public institutions, schools, universities, and NGOs

What Can Participants Expect?

• Working on real-life challenges
• Mentorship support
• Development of concrete solutions and prototypes
• Networking opportunities with participants from two counties
• Final presentations before an expert jury

Applications

Applications are open until: 27 May 2026. The number of participants is limited.

Venue

Lika-Senj County Development Center, Pazariška 36, 53000 Gospić (1st Floor, Multifunctional Hall)

Organizer

The hackathon is organized by the Public Institution Development Agency of Lika-Senj County – LIRA and the Zadar County Development Agency – ZADRA NOVA as part of the project ECOFOODCYCLE – Reducing Food Waste and its Environmental Footprint through Sustainable Food Systems.

Final Note

Join us and take part in creating solutions that make local food production more sustainable, connected, and resilient.