Valtech announces charity donation and winners from Hackathon

November 01, 2021

Valtech’s recent Sitecore Hackathon brought employees together from all over the world for a greater good. While joining forces to conceptualize how to strengthen the feeling of being #onevaltech through the application of technology, the Hackathon also raised awareness and a sizeable donation for UNICEF’s Reimagine Education programme.

As a global company with 4200+ experts across the globe, Valtech wanted to bring together its experts in the spirit of being ONE. While it was a Sitecore Hackathon, the experts, the speakers and the intent of the event went far beyond the technological focus, explains one of the event organizers, Una Verhoeven, Global Director, Technology. 

“We wanted to bring our people together to support our One Valtech culture, but we also wanted to add an even greater purpose which is why we chose to raise funds for UNICEF’s Reimagine Education programme. As a global digital company, we are painfully aware of the unequal digital opportunities children face in various countries. So, supporting a programme dedicated to a future where connectivity and digital learning is in the hands of every child and young person, was a perfect fit.” 

The cause clearly resonated well with the hackathon participants, and with more than 60 personal donations, Valtech added the final funds to reach the fundraiser target of 40.000 euro.  

And the winners are… 

The participating digital experts ranging from developers, designers, strategists, analysts and everything in-between, took the inspiration to heart, worked together across functions and national borders in 14 teams, and came up with a wide range of concepts and products. The jury has identified the three winners who not only provided the best end results, but just as importantly, embraced the social element intended for the event.  

3rd place goes to team Lorem ipsum Sitecore amet, for their One Valtech Experience Hub – one platform holding all intel on people, projects, technology and experiences integrated with existing platforms. 

2nd place goes to team Capybara Coding Club [CCC] for their Valtech 10Q – a place for Valtech employees to find the people with relevant tech experience and not least share ‘recognition and love’ for all colleagues. 

The winner, chosen by a unanimous jury, is team Les Miserables and their Pourboire App, enabling colleagues to share those small but precious moments often lost at a distance. 
“Team Les Miserables took the One Valtech theme to heart. They aimed to reclaim the small social moments we took for granted and elevated them for a remotely connected world.” Says jury member, Adam Borsi, Solution Architect. 

Though the team wasn’t just in it to win it, but partook for all the right reasons, the recognition of their work was an added bonus, as team member Ugo Quaisse explains: 

“For our team, participating in the Sitecore hackathon was all about having fun with colleagues, sharing knowledge and getting hands on experience on new Sitecore products. Raising awareness and funds for UNICEF made it all the more valuable to us, and now actually winning the first place is really the cherry on top for all of us.” 

Neither the first nor the last 

While Valtech has hosted and partaken in several hackathons, this was the first internal hackathon, but certainly not the last, concludes Pia Boye, Director Global Alliance Operations and event organizer 

“The Sitecore Hackathon highlighted how we are truly ONE Valtech. Nothing bonds a team like a shared mission, and we wanted to re-create that experience, virtually, and have fun doing it in a different context. Though our experts work together on large scale projects in multiple constellations across locations, 18 months of remote work and many new employees joining our fast-growing organization created a real need to build new connections and rally around some of the things that motivate us: Innovation, technology and coming together to Share, Dare and Care. Innovating with a purpose, the teams produced some great ideas and wonderful concepts, and we will surely repeat this success sooner rather than later.” 

There’s a place for you too! Have a look at our open positions and join us. 

 

For more information about the hackathon or donation, contact Pia Boye, Director Global Alliance Operations at: pia.boye@valtech.com 

Learn more about UNICEF’s Reimagine Education programme here.