Biodiversity, technology and teamwork: the cross-disciplinary hackathon organised by the Class of 2030 in Paris, Nantes, and Montpellier brings ESILV students together to tackle a specific environmental issue. Over the course of a week, teams analyse a real-world problem related to living organisms in order to design a well-reasoned, tested and contextually appropriate technological solution.
This educational format aligns with the key themes of ESILV’s engineering programme: the integration of skills, understanding of technologies, and consideration of environmental and societal transitions. Students are encouraged to combine scientific analysis, critical thinking, project management and collective intelligence.
Understanding the challenges facing biodiversity before devising a solution
The hackathon begins with an orientation phase focusing on biodiversity issues. A reading list provides the scientific framework for the project and enables students to familiarise themselves with key concepts relating to living organisms, ecosystem degradation and the main causes of the current crisis.
The teams also work on the technologies currently used to observe, analyse or protect ecosystems. Satellites, drones, sensors, environmental DNA and artificial intelligence are among the tools studied during this initial phase.
Beyond technological applications, the hackathon encourages critical reflection on the environmental impacts of the proposed solutions. Students are asked to analyse the concept of the rebound effect, i.e. situations in which the environmental benefits provided by a technology may be offset by increased usage or indirect effects.
The educational objective is to emphasise that technology is a means to an end, not an end in itself.
A methodology centred on the analysis of a real-world problem
The programme is based on a fundamental principle: no technological solution can be considered before the problem has been analysed.
Students begin by choosing an area of study related to flora or fauna. They then identify a specific, localised and well-documented issue, before analysing its causes, consequences and the stakeholders involved.
Each team conducts a benchmarking exercise of existing solutions to understand why the problem persists despite the measures already in place. This stage enables them to examine the technical, economic or environmental limitations of existing solutions, as well as any potential undesirable effects.
Based on this analysis, the groups define a transformation objective and then identify a suitable technological solution, which may also incorporate low-tech approaches where these appear relevant.
The hackathon then includes a phase of prototyping, testing and continuous improvement. The students produce a model, a storyboard or a concrete representation of their solution in order to assess its coherence and potential applications.
A team challenge for students of the Class of 2030
Teamwork is a central aspect of the hackathon. The groups are made up of students who meet at the start of the week and must quickly build a sense of team spirit.
This approach draws on a range of soft skills: work organisation, role allocation, conflict management, communication and adaptability.
As the Class of 2030 students are in their first year of the engineering programme, the hackathon serves as an introduction to project methods and independent working. Teams must also produce a reflective analysis of their collective functioning and individual learning.
Retrospective sessions are organised to identify areas for improvement, difficulties encountered and the collaborative practices implemented during the week.
A measured approach to artificial intelligence
The hackathon also introduces an AI usage meter designed as an educational tool.
Each team has a limited number of AI credits for the entire week. Students must decide how to use artificial intelligence tools based on their added value, their environmental cost and their impact on the development of their own skills.
AI is presented as an “external consultant” whose use must remain strategic and considered. Teams keep a precise record of their credit usage and account for their choices in their making-of video and team booklet.
This approach helps raise students’ awareness of the challenges of technological literacy, critical thinking and intellectual autonomy.
Deliverables designed to assess the approach and the project
The teams produce several deliverables intended to assess both the quality of the project and the methodology used during the hackathon.
Each group prepares a presentation to a panel acting as a stakeholder likely to support or implement the proposed solution. Students must structure their argument, demonstrate the relevance of their analysis and defend their proposal in light of biodiversity challenges.
The teams also present a prototype accompanied by visual presentation materials.
A ‘making-of’ video traces the team’s journey throughout the week: research, difficulties encountered, collective decisions, adjustments and the application of soft skills.
Finally, a team booklet documents the group’s organisation, the tools used and the lessons learnt throughout the project.
Skills aligned with emerging professional challenges
The hackathon draws on a range of skills identified by the World Economic Forum as essential in evolving professional environments.
Analytical and systems thinking, complex problem-solving, sustainability, technological literacy, collective intelligence, communication and reflective learning are integrated into the various phases of the project.
During the final judging, the assessment focuses in particular on the teams’ ability to construct a methodical and well-sourced analysis, to present their approach in a structured manner, and to answer the jury’s questions accurately.
The quality of the visual outputs and the overall coherence of the project are also part of the assessment criteria.
This post was last modified on 10 June 2026 12:57 pm