The participation of the Greek InnoGo team of the Technical University of Crete in the international Smart City HACK 2025 competition, held in Nova Gorica, Slovenia, was completed with excellent results. The two international teams, in which the Greek representatives participated, achieved 3rd and 4th place in the final ranking, confirming the high level of know-how, innovation and extroversion of the Greek academic ecosystem.
The competition, organized by POPRI and Primorski Technoloski Park with the support of Danfoss, focused on the development of smart and sustainable cities of the future, promoting solutions that combine technology with the green transition and the improvement of the quality of life.
The double distinction of the Technical University of Crete reflects the recognition of the Greek contribution to an international innovation ecosystem:
– 3rd Place & Most Original Idea Award was won by Stergios Haitoglou, member of the Balkans and Beyond team (Greece, Serbia, Bosnia, Hungary), for the ECO TOP project. The system concerns the smart recovery of heat from HVAC systems in combination with green roofs, utilizing artificial intelligence and the principles of urban symbiosis for the exchange of excess energy between buildings.
– 4th Place & Best Data Utilization and Innovation Award was won by Christos Papanastasiou, member of the comfAI team (Greece, Slovenia, North Macedonia), for the development of a smart HVAC management system in large building infrastructures, using sensors and machine learning to optimize energy operation and predict traffic.
It should also be emphasized that the event was an important hub for the exchange of knowledge and ideas for the new generation of scientists and engineers, promoting cross-border cooperation in the Balkans. At the same time, participants had the opportunity to learn about the experience of ECoC 2025 Nova Gorica/Gorizia, discovering how culture, innovation and technology can coexist in the formation of a single European identity without borders.
It is worth noting that the InnoGo team of the Technical University of Crete continues to record significant international successes, promoting the vision of smart and sustainable development through the connection of research with the real economy.
