NECSTLab, coordinated by Prof. Marco Santambrogio from the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering - Politecnico di Milano, is among the organizers of the hackathon "From Idea to Prototypes: Hack the NECSTCamp." The initiative is a collaboration between DEIB and Bosch Sensortec. The company, a technology leader in the design and manufacture of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), will provide participating teams with 15 Arduino Nicla Sense Me boards for developing their projects.

In the first phase of the hackathon, the teams will have 48 hours to challenge themselves and prove they have what it takes to be able to realize their projects. In the second phase, the selected teams (up to a maximum of 4) will have the chance to work at NECSTLab, supported by industry experts, to bring their prototypes to life. The winning team will have the opportunity to fly to Silicon Valley during the annual NECST Group Conference and to present their project.

The goal of the initiative is to help students become self-aware individuals who are able to live in harmony with themselves and others, not only during their studies but also in their future jobs. NECSTCamp is an innovative educational experience created to work on the person before the engineer, with the belief that in order to train better engineers it is essential to strenghten both engineering and personal skills. The approach behind the project is holistic, based on immersing students in situations, such as the hackathon and the subsequent period in San Francisco, that make them think deeply about themselves, their capabilities and their limitations.