Full overview of hemp hackathon "Hemp Hack: Innovate to Elevate”

Nordic Hemp is not seeking conventional solutions like using hemp hurd for hempcrete, dust for briquettes, or fibers for clothing. Instead, we challenged people and companies to develop innovative approaches that push the boundaries of current applications. By proposing novel uses for these hemp by-products, everyone could showcase creativity, sustainability, and economic viability. The goal was to find the most optimal and efficient ways to valorize hemp fibers, dust, and hurd obtained during the decortication of hemp stalks by Nordic Hemp.

Nordic Hemp Hackathon timetable

January 14, 2025 Publication of the challenge in a launch webinar.
February 14, 2025 Deadline for submitting an application.
February 17, 2025 Selection of teams published
February 28, 2025: Kick-off event (online) where the participating teams met each other and representatives of the sponsoring company. At the kick-off event, representatives of the company told the participating teams more about the challenge.
March 13-14, 2025: Hackathon Days (2-day event). At the end of the last day the winning team was chosen. Participation was possible in the Hackathon event either in agreement of venue or online.

The Hackathon took place in Estonian University of Life Sciences at F. R. Kreutzwaldi 1, Tartu, Estonia.

Check out the Hemp Hack:

Check out the launch webinar:

Teams chosen to participate in the hackathon

International and scientific teams that came on board: revoltech, Ekopolimeras, Natural Element Oy, Finnmycel, HEJMAS Agrifibre Technologies, Mycoloop and Shroom Shell.

Meet the Innovators: Hemp-Based Solutions from the Hackathon

During the event, several forward-thinking companies and teams showcased how hemp can revolutionize various industries. From construction to packaging and biotechnology, these pioneers are proving that hemp is much more than just a crop – it’s a sustainable solution with endless possibilities.

Finnmycel
Finnmycel is growing mushrooms using hemp hurd and dust as a substrate. By integrating hemp into their process, they’ve created a time-efficient and energy-saving method to cultivate their final product. It’s a smart, circular solution combining two sustainable industries: fungi and hemp.

HEJMAS
Using their own proprietary technology, HEJMAS is producing paper from hemp stalks. The main advantage? Significantly reduced water and energy consumption compared to traditional paper manufacturing. A promising step toward greener paper production.

Shroomshell
One of the most dynamic developments of the event came from the young inventors at Shroomshell. Over just two days during a hackathon, they completely pivoted their original idea and came up with a new concept: using mushroom cultivation by-products to create biodegradable packaging materials. It’s fast innovation with real environmental impact.

Ekopolimeras
Ekopolimeras is exploring how to use hemp hurd as a material for 3D printing. Their goal is to replace traditional mined resources with plant-based alternatives that grow in the field. The result? Fully biodegradable products made with renewable, local materials.

Mycoloop
Mycoloop is taking an entirely fresh approach to enzyme production. As far as we know, no one else in the world is currently producing enzymes from hemp stalk components. This innovation could unlock a whole new chapter for hemp – potentially opening Pandora’s box for what this powerful plant can do.

Revoltech
The winner of the event! While details were kept brief, Revoltech stood out with its cutting-edge use of hemp and its potential for real-world application. A deserving victory.

Natural Element
Natural Element has developed a unique recipe and technology to produce construction boards from hemp stalks. These boards may soon replace traditional gypsum boards (gyproc) in building construction. Even better – they’re stronger, allowing heavier objects to be mounted directly on the wall without additional reinforcement.

Inside the Hackathon: Two Days of Innovation & Collaboration

The two-day hackathon was a vibrant mix of energy, creativity, and collaboration. Each day was packed with intensive sessions where teams worked closely with experienced mentors, refining their ideas and tackling real-world challenges in hemp innovation.

One of the highlights of Day 1 was the pitch training session held in the evening. All teams participated and received expert guidance to prepare for their final pitches – ensuring that their groundbreaking ideas would be communicated clearly, confidently, and convincingly.

Of course, it wasn’t all work and no play. The hackathon also created space for networking and community building. The evening wrapped up with a shared dinner, bringing together participants, mentors, and organizers in a relaxed setting to exchange thoughts, make new connections, and celebrate the progress of the day.

These two days not only produced exciting new hemp-based solutions but also sparked relationships and ideas that may continue to grow long after the event ended.

Winner of Hemp Hackathon 📣 🙌 🎉 🚀

The winner of Hemp Hackathon: “Hemp Hack Innovate to Elevate” is revoltech who presented an innovative solution for transforming hemp fibers into a high-quality, plastic-free, biodegradable, and animal-free leather alternative. This solution leverages their patented LOVR material, which can be utilized in fashion, interior design, and automotive industries.

Congratulations! And looking forward to bringing the idea to life together!

Organizers

This event was organized by the Centre of Bioeconomy Estonian University of Life Sciences and BioBoosters, in collaboration with Nordic Hemp.

About the Centre of Bioeconomy at the Estonian University of Life Sciences (BioMAK)

The Centre of Bioeconomy at the Estonian University of Life Sciences focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration and initiatives within the university’s structural units, as well as with other universities, research institutions, companies, and organizations in Estonia and abroad.

Support from the BioBoosters Project Network

The BioBoosters project network supports the Nordic Hemp Hackathon through communication and marketing cooperation. This network includes 9 prominent bioeconomy innovation hubs around the Baltic Sea, spanning Finland, Sweden, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.

The BioBoosters project will organize a total of 18 Hackathons to support the sustainability mission of bioeconomy companies. The project is co-funded by the Interreg BSR program and the European Regional Development Fund.

Hemp Hackathon is implemented and supported as part of the project “BioBoosters – boosting the circular transition” (https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/bioboosters/). The aim of this international project is to increase the level of innovation of entrepreneurs in the field of bioeconomy and circular economy.