Students showcased their talent, creativity, and commitment to sustainable development as they considered how to tackle global food waste.

Members of Lancaster University Management School’s MSc Digital Business, Innovation and Management (DBIM) programme worked on a key area of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the School’s first hybrid Innovation Hackathon.

The event, organised in collaboration with IBM, brought together students, academic experts, and industry professionals for an intensive two-day challenge that tasked participants with designing Artificial Intelligence-driven solutions to reduce food waste. This aligns with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

Students formed multidisciplinary teams and immersed themselves in the design thinking process. They started with empathy-driven research, moving through the generation of ideas, and culminating in the design of prototype solutions.

Teams were encouraged to reflect on the ethical, financial, behavioural, and practical implications of implementing their ideas in the real world.

As part of the event, Professor Jan Bebbington, Director of the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business; and Dr Anas Najdawi, Associate Professor in Digital Transformation and Director of the Dubai Campus at Abu Dhabi University, delivered thought-provoking seminars. These explored the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and digital transformation, and inspired students to consider broader societal and environmental dimensions in their solutions.

Dr Amjad Fayoumi, Director of DBIM programme, praised the collaborative spirit of the event, and said: “This event provides our students with a unique opportunity to tackle real-world challenges with significant societal and environmental impact, applying the skills, methods, and frameworks they have developed over the course of their studies.

“The hackathon is a signature experience within DBIM, empowering students to become purpose-driven digital leaders capable of innovating for a better future.

“We are immensely grateful to Dr John McNamara and John Edwards from IBM for their continued support, and to all academic staff who contributed to making this hackathon a success.”

This year's hackathon was the first delivered in a hybrid format, and also involved Professor Edward Truch (pictured above), a long-time supporter and inspiration for DBIM students who created the hackathon within LUMS.

Each team pitched their ideas to a panel of judges, who were impressed by the depth of research, creativity, and clarity of thought. The panel provided constructive feedback to each group before announcing the winning team.

The winning team, Team Charlie, presented ‘Savr’, with a unique focus on changing consumer behaviour and wastage avoidance strategies. Their in-depth analysis and creative solutions stood out, offering an innovative approach to food preservation and sustainability.