Goal

GreenWallet was created during the Tourism Technology Hackathon 2023, a 24-hour sprint to develop an innovative concept, build a prototype, and pitch it to a jury.

Tools: Figma, PowerPoint, Post-It notes

Team: 5 students (Team HCIsland)

Time budget: 24 h

What's a Hackathon?

A hackathon is like a creative sprint on caffeine: people from different backgrounds team up to solve a real world challenge, usually within 24 to 48 hours. It’s fast-paced and collaborative, with a strong focus on turning ideas into working prototypes. At the end, teams pitch their solutions to a jury and the best ones can win prizes. Hackathons are a great way to experiment, learn new skills, and create something meaningful under pressure.

What we did in 24 h

The Challenge

At the start of the hackathon, various tourism organizations took the stage to pitch their challenges. Among them was Mastercard, and their problem instantly sparked our interest: How might we encourage both local stores and tourists to embrace contactless payment methods?

War of the Post-It Notes

We kicked off by interviewing Mastercard’s reps to get to the heart of the issue. Then our mix of techies, researchers, and creatives circled a table and drowned it in post-it notes. Ideas flew, debates sparked, but as night fell, we still hadn’t found the one.

Snacks Are the Answer

We took a burger break. Standing in the cold with a long line of other hackers gave us time to think. The fresh air (and food) did wonders.

By the time our burgers were gone, so were our doubts. We had it:
An idea that combined sustainability with digital payments.

Time for Red Bull

With our concept in place, the energy shifted. Everyone grabbed a task. I teamed up with another designer, and we flipped open our laptops to build the prototype in record time. Fast, focused, and fueled by caffeine.

The Pitch

Very few hours of sleep later, it was showtime. We knew a static presentation wouldn’t cut it. So we performed a live sketch: introducing “Nina,” a tourist using our app to explore Salzburg, tap to pay, and support reforestation.