Scientific tournament ‘Second USUST Hackathon’
From 22 to 24 October 2025, the second USUST Hackathon, a large-scale scientific tournament for the youth of Dnipro and the region, took place at the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies.
Over three days, 59 teams from more than thirty lyceums, colleges, and vocational institutions competed in five sections:
• Information Technology and Robotics
• Natural and Technological Sciences
• Economics and Humanities
• Construction and Architecture
• Engineering and Materials Science
• Natural and Technological Sciences
• Economics and Humanities
• Construction and Architecture
• Engineering and Materials Science
During the official opening ceremony, Rector of USUST, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Kostiantyn Sukhyi welcomed the participants:
Dear participants of the USUST scientific Hackathon for school and university students of Dnipro and Ukraine! I am pleased to welcome you at the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies, the most powerful higher education institution in the Dnipro region, which has united seven multidisciplinary educational and scientific institutes of Dnipro.
A hackathon is an opportunity to demonstrate creativity, ingenuity, teamwork, and the ability to find solutions quickly. I wish you inspiration, productive work, exciting discoveries, and success! May this USUST Hackathon become a springboard for your future achievements and a significant contribution to the development of science and technology in our country.
The hackathon combined online mentoring and offline pitching: over two days, participants worked on their projects under the guidance of mentors -USUST academic staff. The final day was held offline at the university’s educational and scientific institutes.
More than 60 mentors from the university’s academic staff and 29 jury members – business partners and representatives of the IT, chemical, construction, and industrial sectors – supported the participants in developing their ideas.
On the final day of the competition, a live online address was made by the rector of USUST from Shanghai, China, where he was representing the university at an international conference with more than 8,000 participants from 70 countries worldwide. Kostiantyn Sukhyi addressed the hackathon participants with the following words:
You are taking part in the Hackathon organized by our university. I believe this experience will become a powerful impulse for your entire life, because the most important thing for a person is the thirst for knowledge and the search for new opportunities for our country and for the world. We hope to see your careers develop successfully.
Today, we are in the People’s Republic of China, representing our country and presenting the developments created at our university. Therefore, if you are choosing your creative path, we are heading in the same direction at the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies
Professor Yurii Proidak, Vice-Rector for Research at USUST, also welcomed the prospective students participating in the Hackathon, wishing the young participants inspiration, creative ideas, and confidence in their own abilities.
The winners of the USUST Hackathon were determined according to the following criteria:
• Innovation and practical viability
• Scientific validity
• Socio-economic impact
• Team collaboration
• Creativity and quality of presentation
• Scientific validity
• Socio-economic impact
• Team collaboration
• Creativity and quality of presentation
The teams received diplomas, certificates, gifts, and special prizes from the university’s partners and stakeholders.
Section ‘Information Technology and Robotics’
This section was hosted by the Dnipro Institute of Infrastructure and Transport (DIIT) USUST and moderated by Roman Rybalka, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, and deputy director of the Institute.
The jury included experts from leading IT companies and representatives of the Dnipro City Council:
• Pavlo Kundenko, senior software engineer, Techfabric
• Valerii Dunda, BIM engineer, Building Engineering Solutions
• Rodion Pavlov, macOS system software developer, Apriorit
• Liudmyla Kaplina, low-level C++ developer, Apriorit
• Oleksandr Filippovskyi, deputy director of the IT department, Dnipro City Council
• Dmytro Moskalenko, computer systems engineer, MP ‘eDnipro’, Dnipro City Council
• Nataliia Kozbina, engineering manager, EPAM
• Yehor Bozhok, senior talent development Specialist, EPAM
• Oleksii Saviuk, senior systems engineer, EPAM
• Valerii Dunda, BIM engineer, Building Engineering Solutions
• Rodion Pavlov, macOS system software developer, Apriorit
• Liudmyla Kaplina, low-level C++ developer, Apriorit
• Oleksandr Filippovskyi, deputy director of the IT department, Dnipro City Council
• Dmytro Moskalenko, computer systems engineer, MP ‘eDnipro’, Dnipro City Council
• Nataliia Kozbina, engineering manager, EPAM
• Yehor Bozhok, senior talent development Specialist, EPAM
• Oleksii Saviuk, senior systems engineer, EPAM
The teams developed the projects on topics such as interactive quests, digital assistants, smart classroom systems, AI assistants for prospective students, industrial robots, cross-platform applications, and inclusive educational solutions, etc.
Winners of the section:
1st place – Dnipro Gymnasium No. 41, mentor Kateryna Udachyna, project ‘Inclusive platform for online learning’
2nd place – Scientific Lyceum of Digital Technologies and Design, SEI ‘ PSACEA’, mentor Hanna Lukashuk, project ‘AI assistant for applicants’
3rd place – Dnipro Scientific Lyceum of Information Technologies (Team 1), mentor Andrii Uzheloskyi, project ‘Smart classroom / school of the future in wartime’
Section ‘Natural and Technological Sciences’
This section was held at the SEI ‘Ukrainian State University Chemical Technology’ USUST, led by Ihor Kovalenko, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor
Jury members:
• Artem Mandryka, director of SmartSynthesis LLC, PhD
• Lina Sokolova, Candidate of Technical Sciences, head of the department of Physical Culture, Sports and Health at the SEI ‘USUCT’.
• Serhii Hubarenko, head of the enamel laboratory ‘Novomoskovsk Tableware’ LLC
• Tetiana Nikiforova, director of the Center for professional development ‘Educational Trajectory’, Dnipro City Council
• Daria Bandura, chief technologist, MOVA brewery
The teams presented more than ten innovative projects, including tire recycling into valuable raw materials, eco-friendly glass-ceramic materials, alternative energy sources, microbiological crop protection, bioidentical compound delivery systems, etc.
Winners of the section:
1st place – Dnipro Lyceum No. 144 named after Levi Yitzhak Schneerson of the Dnipro City Council, mentor Yaroslava Koltsova, project ‘Eco-friendly porous glass-ceramic materials’
2nd place – Dnipro Lyceum No. 22 of the Dnipro City Council, mentor Maksym Malook, project ‘Microorganisms in the protection of agricultural products’
3rd place – Educational complex No. 136 ‘Cyril and Methodius’ classical gymnasium, mentor Vitalii Holovenko, project ‘Tire recycling: from waste to valuable raw materials’
More photos from this section are available at the link.
Section ‘Economics and Humanities’
The section was moderated by Nadiia Fisunenko, Candidate of Economic Sciences, acting head of the department of Real Estate Development, Finance, Accounting, and Marketing at the SEI ‘PSACEA’.
Jury members:
• Maksym Kaduk, director of Right Time LLC
• Olena Vinichenko, Doctor of Economics, Professor, co-owner of Aquatoria LLC
• Oleksandr Shaptala, director of Domus PE
• Maksym Sopelkin, director of Maksyma LLC
• Serhii Honcharenko, deputy director of Ukrtransacad LLC
The teams worked on business ideas, startups, and social initiatives ranging from franchise projects and language applications to eco-initiatives and critical thinking projects.
Winners of the section:
1st place – Dnipro Lyceum No. 42 of the Dnipro City Council (Team 2), mentor Yurii Bulieiev, project ‘Kalendarіy PRO’
2nd place – Dnipro Scientific Lyceum of Information Technologies of the Dnipro City Council (Team 3), mentor Olena Pavlenko, project ‘Optimization of local cargo delivery at a large city site’
3rd place – Dnipro Scientific Financial and Economic Lyceum of the Dnipro City Council (Team 1), mentor Oleksii Yemelianov, project ‘Entrepreneurship that removes language and social barriers’
More photos from this section are available at the link
Section ‘Construction and Architecture’
The section was held at the SEI ‘Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture’ led by Daria Nechepurenko, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor of the department of Construction Organization and Management.
Jury members:
• Viktor Petrenko, Associate Professor, Candidate of Technical Sciences, head of the technical department of Herz Ukraine
• Yurii Melnyk, head of the department of culture, tourism, youth, sports and information policy, Slobozhanske Village Council
• Roman Shaluhin, lead engineer, chief project engineer, Ukrrezervuarservice LLC
• Ruslan Papirnyk, Associate Professor of the department of Building Production Technology, Candidate of Technical Sciences, SEI ‘PSACEA’
• Serhii Podolynnyi, senior lecturer of the department of Architectural Design and Urban Planning, SEI ‘PSACEA’
The teams presented architectural concepts, urban planning solutions, and innovative projects focused on rehabilitation and memory.
Winners of the section:
1st place – Dnipro Lyceum No. 33 of the Dnipro City Council, mentors Anatolii Petrenko, Iryna Holiakova, project ‘Hydroacoustic installation for psycho-emotional rehabilitation’
2nd place – Dnipro Vocational College of Construction, Installation Technologies and Architecture (Team 3), mentor Oleksandr Denysenko, project ‘Memorial. Commemorative Sign’
3rd place – Dnipro Vocational College of Construction, Installation Technologies and Architecture (Team 4), mentor Nataliia Zakharchuk, project ‘School space: adaptation, redesign, and planning’
More photos from this section are available at the link
Section ‘Engineering and Materials Science’
The section was moderated by Olha Nosko, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, and dean of the faculty of Quality and Materials Engineering at the SEI ‘Dnipro Metallurgical Institute’.
Jury members:
• Olha Nosko, Candidate of Technical Sciences, dean of the faculty of Quality and Materials Engineering of the SEI ‘DMI’
• Illia Lomov, Candidate of Technical Sciences, chief specialist of the department of Market and Metrological Supervision, State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Dnipropetrovsk Region
• Oleksandr Shvets, Candidate of Technical Sciences, head of the Research and Development department, Interpipe Holding Company
• Olena Sibagatulina, owner of ‘Good Mood Travel’ agency
• Maksym Kovzel, Candidate of Technical Sciences, forensic expert, Dnipro Scientific Research Forensic Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
In this section, the teams explored topics related to engineering design, additive manufacturing technologies, hydrogen systems, materials quality, and even the creation of implants of the future.
Winners of the section:
1st place – Dnipro Lyceum No. 134 of Humanistic Education of the Dnipro City Council, mentor Svitlana Bonchuk, project ‘Engineering design opportunities in mechanical engineering’
2nd place – Dnipro Scientific Financial and Economic Lyceum of the Dnipro City Council (Team 2), mentor Serhii Zybaillo, project ‘ReBuild Ukraine: 3D printing for prefabricated temporary housing structures’
3rd place – Dnipro Vocational College of Construction, Installation Technologies and Architecture (Team 1), mentor Iryna Potapchuk, project ‘Study of a system for hydrogen storage and utilization’
More photos from this section are available at the link
We sincerely thank all participants, mentors, jury members, stakeholders, and event organizers! Your energy, creativity, and perseverance made this event truly large-scale and inspiring. Together, we have proven that science, technology, and creative youth can generate innovations even under today’s challenging conditions and that our university remains a vital platform for developing the ideas and talents of a new generation.