Hackathon: A learning step is a winning step
Just recently, Infobip sponsored a student hackathon in Belgrade, where 50+ participants split into teams had 24 hours to develop an e-Learning web application.
It was inspiring to see all the young and enthusiastic students at work, and we were amazed by the creativity and effort each team showed in their hacks, as well as with their ability to work through the night. The teams seemed comfortable in their familiar surroundings, splitting up all over the university labs to work on the challenging project.
Learning Steps – the coolest of apps
And we can’t but conclude – they nailed it! The winning team developed an app named Learning Steps which allows the creation of step-by-step learning paths, regardless of subject matter. For instance, if someone wants to learn Spanish, they will be directed to learn the alphabet (e.g. Wikipedia alphabet) first, and afterwards to an audio source where pronunciation of letters can be heard (e.g. YouTube). These learning paths continue in different directions, and learning can take many different paths, depending on the user’s learning style. The application also allows learners to choose their learning path based on past reviews.
Welcoming winners to Dev Campus
On their way to the finish line, some students grew weary but we’re proud to say that most of them completed the 24h programming day successfully. As it is with all competitions, only one team could go home with the first prize – a spot on our Developer Campus, a unique programme intended for students interested in coding. Based on a series of mini-projects, it is mentored by Infobip experts and lasts for 3 weeks.
We partnered with the Belgrade hackathon alongside other companies like Microsoft and Devan, which seek to promote coding among youth in South Eastern Europe. Our developers Miroslav Milivojevic and Milan Radojkovic participated as mentors, providing a helping hand to young competitors as they strived to do the best they could. Aleksandar Brankovic, head of our mobile payments development, was on the jury. Martin Pelemis and Marija Holjevac of human resources introduced students to our company, products and culture.
We’re delighted to have the winning team attend our Developer Campus, and see what they will come up with there.
