EU Commission AI Hackathon Brussels: First Place in Our Track

Two Days of European AI Innovation

Last week, I had the privilege of representing Roromedia at the EU Commission AI Hackathon in Brussels. Over the course of two intense days, 9 teams with over 70 developers from across Europe came together to compete in two different tracks - all with a shared mission: pushing the boundaries of what's possible with AI.

Against the Odds

As the tech lead of my team, we faced an immediate challenge: we were two team members down from the start. Not ideal circumstances for a high-stakes competition. But sometimes constraints breed creativity.

Despite this setback, we managed to come in first in our track and secure 3rd place overall.

I won't pretend it wasn't demanding. But the caliber of talent that were in the room – both on our team and competing against us – made every challenge worth it.

What Made This Event Special

Some hackathons are about the prize. This one was about something more.

An expert jury that asked the right questions. Not surface-level feedback, but deep, probing questions that challenged our assumptions and pushed us to articulate our vision more clearly.

Brilliant teammates. Even with reduced numbers, the knowledge and dedication our team brought to the table was remarkable. When you're surrounded by people who genuinely care about the work, everything becomes possible.

Collaboration over competition. Yes, we were competing. But the atmosphere in the room was one of mutual respect and genuine curiosity about what other teams were building. Ideas flowed freely. Connections were made that will outlast any hackathon.

Insights from Europe's AI Frontier

A special thanks goes to Mistral AI, Europe's frontier AI lab, for providing valuable insights during the event. Having access to expertise at this level – right here in Europe – is exactly what our tech ecosystem needs.

Reconnecting with the Community

Beyond the competition itself, it was fantastic to reconnect with the Drupal and AI community. These events remind me why I got into this field in the first place. The conversations in between sessions, the shared meals, the impromptu debugging sessions – that's where the real magic happens.

Validation at a European Level

On a personal note, this hackathon was incredibly validating. When you're running a smaller agency like Roromedia, you sometimes wonder how your work stacks up against the broader European tech scene.

Now I know: what we're building here in Austria can compete at a European level. The approaches we take, the solutions we develop, the way we think about AI integration with Drupal – it holds its own against teams from across the continent.

We're on the right track.

Looking Ahead

This experience has only strengthened my conviction that the intersection of AI and open-source web technologies is where the most exciting developments are happening. At Roromedia, we'll continue pushing these boundaries – for our clients and for the broader community.

To the European Commission: thank you for organizing this. To my teammates: thank you for your dedication under pressure. And to everyone I met in Brussels: until next time.