8th National Hackathon opened at HIT: Hundreds take part in 36 hours of reality-changing challenges

The 8th National Hackathon, sponsored by the Ira Foundation for the Advancement of Business, Technology, and Society, opened on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at HIT's Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Technology Management, bringing with it a vast scope of innovation, creativity, and action.

The winning team, consisting of Lidor Kalfon, Yehoshua Michael, Simona Amit, Behar Gilad, and Tomer Biton, along with the moderator and lecturer Dr. Gil Greenstein. Photo: Doron Masranu

The hackathon, considered one of Israel's main events of academic entrepreneurship, was initiated by Prof. Ehud Menipaz, Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Technology Management, and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Engineers, Architects and Graduates in Technological Sciences in Israel. Prof. Menipaz is the founder of the National Hackathon by the Ira Foundation commemorating Captain Ira Gertzberg-Lahat - combat pilot, flying instructor and engineer, killed in the Yom Kippur War.    

For 36 intensive hours, dozens of multidisciplinary teams tackled riveting technological and social challenges posed by industrial, academic, and public bodies. Among the issues chosen this year: road safety as related to the use of electric scooters in the city of Tel Aviv; using deep learning to predict cyber-attacks; developing AI tools for personalized learning; correcting strabismus eye disorders in children and infants; and designing a memorial site for HIT students and alumni killed in the Oct. 7 massacre or the Iron Swords war.

Mr. Meir Sheetrit, former Minister of the Interior and MK, Prof. Ehud Menipaz, Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Technology Management, Prof. Eduard Yakubov, President of HIT. Photo: Doron Masranu

More than 200 students participated in the Hackathon – 140 from HIT and the rest from other academic institutions across Israel, including: Ariel University, Tel Aviv University, Ben-Gurion University, Reichman University, the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Sammy Shamoon College of Engineering, Afeka College of Engineering, Lev Academic Center, Azrieli College of Engineering Jerusalem, and others. 

Prof. Adir Pridor, Chair of the Executive Committee at HIT, welcomed the participants with a quote from the Song of Songs (6, 11): "I went down to the grove of nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley, to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom. I am happy to see you here and wish you all great success."

Prof. Eduard Yakubov, President of HIT, greeted the participants in the opening ceremony: "This hackathon is much more than a competition – it is an educational, ethical, and technological arena, representing the spirit of HIT: connecting academia with society, knowledge with action, ideas with reality. We are proud to welcome the future generation of Israeli high-tech and will continue to promote initiatives that break boundaries and advance the whole of society."

The second-place winning team, whose members are Hadar Dayan, Yuval Rajwan, Noa Romani, Eviatar Avrahami and Dolev Seidman, all students in the Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Technology Management at HIT. Photo: Doron Masranu

Prof. Ehud Menipaz, Founder of the Hackathon and Dean of HIT's Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Technology Management, said: "The National Hackathon was devised to encourage innovation and creativity among students and youth in Israel. We are proud to see all the talent, creative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit present in this gathering, representing the future generation of Israeli industry."

Mr. Meir Sheetrit, former Minister of the Interior and MK, who attended the opening event, added: "The human capital we see here – young women and men with a spark in their eyes and a passion for making an impact – is Israel's real hope. Advanced technological education, as provided at HIT, is a fundamental precondition for a stable economic and social future."

The third-place winning team, whose members are Rotem Hajabi, Matan Leker, Elad Segev, Roy Doak, and Noy Cohen, all students in the Department of Digital Technologies in Medicine at HIT. Photo: Doron Masranu

Throughout the hackathon, mentors from industry and academia provided participants with close professional support, complemented by inspirational workshops and lectures on innovation, advanced technologies, and entrepreneurship. Prof. Haim Dotan, an architect of international renown who designed the world's first and longest glass bridge in China, and a faculty member at HIT's School of Multidisciplinary Studies, enthralled the competitors with his motivational lecture. 
Three teams, who displayed an exceptionally creative, innovative, and original approach, ultimately reached the finals, winning prizes for brilliantly addressing the following challenges:
The first prize of 15,000 NIS went to team 129: Lidor Calfon, Yehoshua Michael, Simona Amit, Bahar Gilad and Tomer Biton, all students at HIT's School of Computer Science, who worked on an app for the hospitality sector. 

"The idea for the development was born from a real need we identified in everyday life – people with allergies often face uncertainty regarding the ingredients in the dish they are about to eat, especially in public places like restaurants, hotels, and event halls. We realized that this situation can be dangerous, and stressful, and sometimes even prevent them from enjoying themselves like everyone else. To provide a simple, fast, and accessible solution, we developed an app allowing users to input their list of allergies and scan a code attached to the dish. The app provides immediate and clear feedback – enabling an informed and safe decision." Says Lidor Calfon

The second prize of 10,000 NIS went to team 137: Hadar Dayan, Yuval Arjuan, Noa Romano, Ester Avrahami, and Dolev Zeidrman, all students at HIT's Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Technology Management and Hagit Rabinovich learned product design at the School of external studies at HIT, they took up the challenge of designing a memorial monument for HIT students and alumni killed on Oct. 7 and during the Iron Swords war.

In third place, with a prize of 5,000 NIS, was team 120: Rotem Hajbi, Matan Leker, Elad Segev students of Digital Medical Technologies at HIT, Roi Duek, and Noy Cohen students from the Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Technology Management, who worked on a solution for predicting traffic accidents in urban areas.

The monetary prizes will be awarded at the 24th National Conference on Industrial Engineering & Management, to be held on April 28, 2025.