robo.innovate Hackathon 2025: Advancing Robotics and AI Solutions
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The robo.innovate Hackathon 2025 gathered participants to address industry challenges in robotics, AI, and IoT. Held from March 17-20 at Munich Urban Colab, the event brought together students from diverse fields, working on solutions presented by industry and academic challenge hosts. With over 100 participants, the hackathon featured 10 challenges, including a split-team competition in Challenge 02 by BMW. Teams competed for cash prizes, evaluated on business value, market demand, technical feasibility, scalability, and novelty.
The event concluded with pitched presentations and demonstrations, assessed by a distinguished jury. Industry experts included Robert Vogel (Sales & Business Development Manager at TQ RoboDrive), Dr. Katharina Hertkorn (Former Managing Board Member at Startup Netleaf and Robotics Expert), and Milad Malekzadeh (Head of Artificial Intelligence at NEURA Robotics). Representing the academic side were Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Masia (Executive Director of MIRMI/TUM and Professor for Intelligent Bio-Robotic Systems) and Prof. Alexander König (Professor for Robotics and Systems Intelligence at TUM).
GROWBOT (Hackathon-Champions)
The Hackathon Champions: Automated Care for Forest Management
The team GROWBOT received €2,500 and the title of Hackathon Champion for their work on Challenge 04 by MIRMI AI and Robotics. They developed a robot-assisted solution for tree growth optimization designed to improve tree care through data collection and automated intervention. Their autonomous robot gathers images, tests soil conditions, and administers water and fertilizer. A connected platform controls the robot, automates actions, and visualizes data to support plant-specific treatment. Their system integrates AI-driven decision-making and a real-time database to support reforestation efforts.
ExVo (Skalierbarste Lösung)
SEAL Robotics (Beste Problem-Lösungs-Passung)
Most Scalable Solution: Automated Unpacking for Production Processes
The team ExVo (Extract. Evolve) won €1,500 for "The Most Scalable Solution" in Challenge 02 by BMW. Their project presented an innovative robotic system for automating the unpacking of car parts in production logistics. Utilizing a Franka robotic arm, a vision system, and machine learning-based pinch point detection, EXVO offered a modular, scalable unpacking solution. Their Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model was designed to improve production efficiency and flexibility, providing a promising solution for the future of industrial automation.
Best Problem-Solution Fit: Container Securing with Robotics
The team SEAL Robotics received €1,000 for "The Best Problem-Solution Fit" in Challenge 08 by SEAL Robotics. Their project aimed to automate the securing of sea freight containers, addressing labor shortages in port operations. Their system included four custom gripper solutions and a computer vision pipeline to identify and locate corner castings in a video feed. The approach combines AI-based perception and a lightweight robotic system for container handling.
The high participation and strong engagement from both academic and industry partners at the robo.innovate Hackathon 2025 signal a promising future for collaborative innovation. With the event's success, there is now an increased opportunity for continued partnerships that bridge academic research and industry applications. The diverse challenges presented not only addressed current technological gaps but also paved the way for future developments in robotics, AI, and IoT. Moving forward, the hackathon has created a foundation for more targeted solutions, deeper industry collaboration, and a broader platform for nurturing talent and advancing technological progress in real-world contexts.
