The WhatsApp application has been installed for years not only on our devices but in our own lives. It has become essential to communicate. But this tool also can have a very important value when implementing ‘smart city’ solutions.
The search for these solutions is the key to an initiative that will be held next Friday and Saturday at the Innsomnia accelerator facilities in La Marina de Valencia. This is a Hackathon promoted thanks to the alliance between the National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE) and Conversational Citizen, company specialized in WhatsApp solutions for public administrations.
The organizers are looking for the 30 best profiles in an initiative called ‘WhatsApp Solutions in Smart Cities’ and which is the first of a total of 134 events that will be held throughout the national territory between this year and 2025.
Through their involvement, the selected profiles will be able to access a financial prize of 1,500 euros, up to three months of free workspace and their invitation to participate in an international ICEX program, with up to 42,000 euros gross annual remuneration, among other benefits.
The winners will also have access to participate in different INCIBE initiatives within the ‘Program to Promote the National Cybersecurity Industry’, as well as a six-month scholarship in the Business Chair of the University of Valencia, valued at 3,000 euros. Those interested can still register from the CiudadanoConversacional.com website where their candidacy will be evaluated and their participation will be confirmed.
The 30 participants They will develop their best idea for a business model for two days to take into account the application of this tool in the city, while receiving training from experts in the whatsappization of organizations.
After the closing of the Hackathon, students, professionals and mentors You can enjoy a cocktail on the terrace of Innsomnia, a collaborator of the initiative. This event is part of the INCIBE Emprende initiative, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, with financing from the Next Generation-EU Funds.
Hackathon development
The Hackathon will begin on Friday, June 28 at 3:00 p.m. with welcomein which the General Manager of Innsomnia, Francesc Pons, and the CEO of Ciudadano Conversacional, José Pérez, are scheduled to participate.
Behind the team building and introduction of all mentorsthe event itself will begin, with the first steps for the development of the challenge by the facilitators.
It should be noted that the solution provided by the teams must use WhatsApp as the main communication channel; It must provide tangible value to public administrations, such as improving citizen service, streamlining procedures or reducing costs; It must be scalable and replicable in different administrations; and must comply with current regulations regarding data protection and privacy.
The bulk of the Hackathon will take place throughout Saturday, June 29, in which the teams will continue working on their idea with the facilitators, until Each of these teams has to present their final project to the jury.
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It will be around 8:00 p.m. in the afternoon when it will be known what, in the jury’s opinion, was the winning solution.
Regarding the company organizing the event, Conversational Citizen, It should be noted that it is a Spanish company born in 2019, as a spin-off of the business digitalization consulting firm SAGITAZ.
Since 2020 and through an exclusivity agreement with the Hong Kong multinational Sanuker, carrier by WhatsApp, has developed a wide range of solutions based on third generation WhatsApp, for public and private organizations.
The Hackathon is held thanks to the agreement signed between this company and INCIBE, with the aim of developing more than 130 initiatives in the field of dissemination and training in Conversational Cybersecurity for public administrations and citizens in general within the INCIBE Emprende program.
This program was created with the objective of provide a boost to cybersecurity entrepreneurship. This is an initiative whose objectives include strengthening the cybersecurity capabilities of citizens, SMEs and professionals, and promoting the ecosystem of the cybersecurity sector.
During 2023-2026, INCIBE accompanies Spanish cybersecurity entrepreneurs and startups throughout the entire entrepreneurial process, from the phase of capturing business ideas to incubation and acceleration.
