First Hackathon in plane Worldwide!
#RAM747 is definitely one of the craziest Open Innovation programs I’ve had the opportunity to organize!
And for many reasons!
First of all because to find the participants of this program, the whole team scattered in different African countries such a Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal to inspire entrepreneurs and encourage them participate in the program, and what an adventure!
In Senegal and in Ivory Coast, one of my collaborators found himself intoxicated the day of his arrival. He couldn’t organize his inspiration workshop, he missed his flight and had to redo a round trip a few days later to meet the entrepreneurs. I found myself with another of my collaborators in Nigeria, in an armored car, driven by a soldier, with the fear of being kindapped… In short a journey full of adventures that we will all remember for a long time!
Once our most amazing African startups found, we had to organize the Hackathon, and again what a journey! When the top management of Royal Air Maroc contacted me for the organization of an Open Innovation program on an African scale, counting among its activities a Hackthon, I made the crazy proposal to organize this last within a Boeing 747. I might think I came up with this idea just because it’s fun, but no! I did because I was convinced that by immersing in the environment of the company the 120 participants, they would be able to reveal the best of themselves! And that is exactly what happened!
RAM has completely redesigned a Boeing 747 as a creative space for project leaders who took part in this hackathon. Poufs replacing the chairs, sleek design in the colors of the company and relaxation areas on the two floors of the Boeing, the plane included various spaces to allow participants to be in total immersion. As for the cockpit of this Jumbo Jet, it was reserved for the jury, the on-board commando of this operation, in order to deliberate on the various projects presented. It was a world first and I think I will remember it for a long time!
Key figures
1200
Applications
10
Nationalities
120
Participants
6
Laureats