On May 17, Kazimieras Simonavičius University (KSU), in collaboration with Lazy Hack and the Entrepreneurship Academy, will host Students Hack Vilnius 5.0 — a hackathon focused on developing innovative solutions to support sustainable and green economic growth.

This year’s event invites student teams to tackle real-world challenges in four key areas:

• Sustainable Aviation
• Green Fashion
• Smart and Sustainable Cities
• Open Innovation (Wildcard Track)

The hackathon is open to students from all Lithuanian universities, and the working language will be English.

Building a Culture of Innovation and Impact

According to Deimantė Žilinskienė, KSU Vice-Rector for International Relations and Development and one of the event’s initiators and jury members, the hackathon aligns with KSU’s broader mission to integrate academic learning with real-world application.

“At KSU, we regularly incorporate practical challenges into our study programmes. Hackathons like this one not only boost student engagement and performance but also create space for experimentation and innovation,” she says.

KSU students, particularly those in the Fashion Industry and Aviation Management programmes, are expected to actively contribute, leveraging their subject knowledge to develop creative and meaningful solutions.

Žilinskienė also emphasizes the importance of the Smart and Sustainable Cities track, especially in light of Vilnius’s aspirations to earn the title of European Green Capital 2025.

Teamwork, Mentorship, and Real-World Outcomes

During the hackathon, participants will work in multidisciplinary teams, each supported by an experienced mentor who will help guide their project from concept to presentation. The strongest solutions will be evaluated by a professional jury, and winning teams will receive prizes.

“A strong idea never goes unnoticed. Many previous hackathon solutions have evolved into startups or further entrepreneurial initiatives,” Žilinskienė notes.

Successful projects  were born at Hack4Vilnius, such as:

• Fuxai – a search tool for lost pets
• Finis.lt – a financial literacy game for schoolchildren
• Draugystė – a personalized learning assistant
• Duster 5 – a social impact app for students assisting seniors
• Tap Vision – a device converting text into Braille
• Aispect.ai – a business-oriented AI solutions platform

“It’s inspiring to see how hackathon ideas are implemented in real life. Events like this foster a culture where failure isn’t feared, and experimentation is encouraged. That’s the foundation of any innovation ecosystem,” she adds.

About the Partners

• Lazy Hack is a creative hackathon brand known for curating engaging and fast-paced innovation events.
• Entrepreneurship Academy focuses on nurturing student-led innovation and practical business skills through experiential learning.

Students Hack Vilnius 5.0 is more than a competition — it’s a launchpad for student creativity, mentorship, and sustainable change. With real-world relevance and interdisciplinary collaboration, the event is set to generate ideas with lasting impact.