Hackathon Lifbee Academy brings innovative solutions for corporate and municipal purchasing processes
- Jakub Malachovský
- Sep 2
- 7 min read
Updated: Sep 9
A circular future won't just happen on its own! With summer in full swing, Circular Slovakia and Lifbee Academy have joined forces to combine expertise in systemic challenges in green procurement with the creative potential of interdisciplinary teams of young innovators.
As part of the Lifbee Academy Summer Hackathon, seven teams engaged in intensive teamwork over 10 days and two Saturdays, four of which brought new perspectives on how companies and local governments can approach the procurement of selected goods and services for internal needs. They were assisted by expert mentors from the Circular Slovakia platform and its members from creatio eu, as well as Lifbee Academy partners ENVI-PAK and VÚB banka. For the first time, they are presenting specific methodologies that can influence procurement processes with the potential to contribute to environmental sustainability. With growing pressure for environmental responsibility and the need to transition to a sustainable economy, these innovative ideas and analyses come as a response to the urgent challenges of today.
From office supplies and laptops to comprehensive waste management services, four interdisciplinary teams from the Lifbee Academy program worked together to find answers to the question: How can theoretical knowledge be turned into practical solutions that have a real impact?
In response to growing environmental challenges and the need to transition to a more sustainable economy, participants embarked on in-depth research and development of innovative methodologies that would enable
companies and local governments to make more environmentally friendly and economically advantageous procurement decisions. The entire hackathon was held in cooperation with the organization Circular Slovakia, which provided expert support and connections to experts in the field—Juraj Tkáč from creatio eu, Katarína Kretter and Janka Sásfaiová from ENVI-PAK, and Laura Martonová from VÚB bank. Thanks to their intensive mentoring, the teams were able to familiarize themselves with previously unknown topics and discover new connections.
The Summer Hackathon was also professionally supervised and supported by Laura Martonová (patron of EnviroTech Lab VÚB banka) and Katarína Kretter (Envi-PAK long-term partner of the program and patron of EnviroTech Lab).
The first team (consisting of scientist Miriam Dojčárová, tester Lenka Medovčíková, animal physiology student Rebecca Radič, creative industry and digital culture student Anita Pudmerická, and gastronomic technology student Natália Gőrcsová) focused on the methodology of green purchasing of office pens. Although it may seem like a negligible product, office supplies are among the most frequently purchased items and have considerable potential to reduce the environmental footprint and build a culture of sustainability within an organization. The team's task was to find pens that are functional, durable, ethically produced, made from environmentally optimized materials, and at the same time correspond to the values of the model company. As part of the methodology, the team defined strict criteria for selecting both the product and the supplier. The pens were evaluated on technical parameters, ink type, refillability, and, above all, the material of the pen body, such as wood, bamboo, recycled paper/cardboard (with a warning about greenwashing), corn-, cellulose-, or wheat-based materials (requiring proper composting), recycled or bio-plastic, and metal (with the longest service life). Product and manufacturer certifications (e.g., Blue Angel, Nordic Swan, FSC, EU Ecolabel) were also important. The criteria for suppliers included the location of production in Europe (due to carbon footprint and standards), the manufacturer's environmental certificates, the locality of the supplier, and bonus criteria such as protected workshop status or the elimination of greenwashing.
Based on its scoring and market research, the team recommended a recycled all-plastic ballpoint pen with at least 50% recycled plastic content and a replaceable refill, which represents an optimal compromise between affordability, durability, and environmental responsibility. Four Slovak suppliers were identified among Slovak suppliers. The team also proposed alternative options such as all-metal or digital pens, and concepts such as pen collection and recycling through companies such as TerraCycle. The team also recommends pilot testing of pens by employees and promoting the idea of green purchasing through internal company communications as part of ESG goals.
The task of the second team (formed by Viktoria Blahova, PhD student of molecular medicine, Katarína Majerík Behinská, PhD student of agrobiotechnology, junior data scientist Ester Kollárová, student Šimon Debnár, and freelancer Martin Macko) was to create a methodology for green purchasing of new laptops in companies, with the aim of finding devices that are technically suitable, but also environmentally and socially responsible, and at the same time economically advantageous in the long term. The methodology introduced a comprehensive 100-point system, divided into two main categories: "Cost of Ownership" (ACO) with a 60% weighting and "Environmental and Social Criteria" with a 40% weighting.
The ACO category takes into account all financial costs during the life cycle of a laptop, including purchase price, transport, extended warranty, energy consumption (with an innovative conversion to actual use), carbon footprint compensation, post-warranty repair costs, and battery replacement. For environmental and social criteria, the team relied on internationally recognized certifications such as EPEAT (which evaluates, for example, energy consumption, recycled materials, and reusability) and TCO Certified (which includes climate, chemicals, circularity, and supply chain responsibility, with an emphasis on annual carbon footprint and recycled material content). Other important criteria included reusability (resale potential and device flexibility, e.g., due to the absence of vendor lock-in) and device repairability, assessed using the iFixit Gold Standard methodology (availability of parts, instructions, and design).
The market survey compared three leading manufacturers—Dell, HP, and Lenovo—based on certifications, materials, carbon footprint, reusability and repairability, as well as potential litigation. It found that all three manufacturers have relevant environmental certifications and actively implement measures to reduce the environmental impact of their products. The methodology is configurable and open to adaptation to company preferences.
The third team (composed of pharmacy assistant Nikola Bujnová, PhD. student of pharmacology Andrea Marciníková, manager Silvia Perez Hector, manager Lucia Kurcz, scientist Jana Lapinová) focused on the procurement of refurbished laptops, which are not only an environmentally friendly but often also a more economical solution compared to purchasing new devices. Refurbished devices can be 30-60% cheaper, and their procurement directly fulfills the environmental and social pillars of ESG policy by reducing the carbon footprint, extending the life cycle of products, reducing electronic waste, and creating new jobs. The methodology for refurbished laptops defined technical requirements (e.g., business class, min. Intel i5 7th gen, SSD ≥ 256 GB, RAM ≥ 8 GB, min. 24-month warranty, Grade A quality) and KO criteria for suppliers (e.g., supplier origin in Slovakia, no negative reputation). Key criteria for comparing suppliers included price (weighted 60-80%), warranty length, supplier ESG criteria (certifications, CSR, refurbishment authorization, green policy, social impact), and service (service in Slovakia, buyback, replacement equipment). Due to the lack of standardized environmental data for specific refurbished models, the scoring focused on the supplier's ESG profile.
Although the market survey encountered problems with data availability, it identified potential suppliers. As a result, one of the suppliers compared achieved the best score in terms of price, while another appears to be the ideal candidate when environmental criteria and warranty length are taken into account. The team emphasized the need to consider the entire product life cycle and involve the ESG team in setting the criteria.
The last team (Oksana Kuberko, a student of European studies and politics; Tatiana Petríkovič, a student of computing and social science; Simona Almášiová, a nutrition therapist; and Veronika Mlčeková, a student of immunology) focused on a particularly important and complex topic: the methodology of green procurement of waste services for local governments. Effective waste management is key not only for sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint, but also brings financial savings, improves public health, and increases the attractiveness of the environment. The methodology proposed that local governments conduct an internal "self-audit" before the actual procurement. This includes an analysis of needs (volumes and types of waste, own infrastructure) and the definition of performance and environmental requirements for the supplier (KPIs, certifications, additional services such as mobile collections or educational campaigns). The team specified in detail the legal obligations that the provider must meet (e.g., waste collection and transport, material recovery, use of low-emission vehicles, reporting, compliance with labor rights). In addition, it proposed additional criteria (e.g., provision of collection containers, operation of a collection yard, maintenance) and specific criteria reflecting long-term strategies and trends (e.g., information and education campaigns, support for home composting, innovations such as mobile applications or sensory monitoring, social responsibility, ISO 14001 and EMAS certificates, supplier locality, and fleet modernization).
When verifying suppliers, the methodology recommends checking certificates, auditing environmental reports, verifying technical capacity, the supplier's registered office, demonstrating innovative solutions, and analyzing SLA (Service Level Agreement) documents. The team also identified potential risks such as vendor lock-in, greenwashing, economic instability, and reputational risk, and proposed ways to address them. Given the obstacles to obtaining data directly from companies, instead of conducting direct market research, the team created a practical questionnaire that local governments can use to systematically obtain the necessary information from potential suppliers.
The outputs of all four teams from the Lifbee Academy Summer Hackathon underscore the complexity and multi-layered nature of green procurement. Their methodologies and market research provide valuable tools for companies and local governments that strive not only to meet legislative requirements but also to proactively contribute to environmental sustainability and the development of a circular economy. These practical outputs demonstrate how the innovative approach of young scientists and innovators, in collaboration with partners such as Circular Slovakia, ENVI-PAK, and VUB Banka, can bring concrete and applicable solutions to the real challenges of today.
In the near future, all outputs will be assessed by experts and clients from Circular Slovakia and will become part of a broader project that will serve as a practical tool and inspiration for companies in implementing sustainable purchasing processes.
If you would like to get involved as an innovator or, conversely, as a partner and support the young generation of scientists and innovators, please do not hesitate to contact us and visit our website: https://www.lifbee.com/.
Comments