Live
Give
Store
Hackathon with École Polytechnique de Thiès: Innovating for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games
Imagining tomorrow’s sport with recycling
The aim: to enable engineering students to innovate by proposing concrete solutions to improve sports infrastructures through plastic recycling.
Three themes to inspire innovation
Participants could choose between three major themes related to the Youth Olympic Games:
- Sports signage: Designing signs and information media made from recycled plastic to guide athletes and the public at sporting events.
- Equipment design : Design sustainable and accessible equipment, made from recycled plastic waste, to encourage the practice of sport at all levels (litter garbage cans, water bottles, benches…).
- Sports infrastructure: Consider the development of eco-designed sports areas using recycled materials to reduce environmental impact (basketball baskets, soccer cages, etc.).
A multi-stage exercise
Stage 1: Project writing and pre-selection
The hackathon kicked off on March 1 with 13 student teams of 3 or 4 students, all motivated to take up the challenge. After an initial evaluation phase on March 15, six teams were shortlisted, basing their scores on the feasibility, innovation and ecological impact of their project.
Stage 2: Prototyping
These finalists were then welcomed to the Atelier Plastic Odyssey in Dakar on March 18 and 19, where they benefited from technical support and training with Atelier carpenters to refine their prototypes and bring their project to fruition.
Stage 3: Oral presentation
Finally, on Saturday, March 22, 2025, the six teams presented their projects to a jury of experts in recycling, innovation and sport, including representatives from the Youth Olympic Games organizing committee, the French embassy in Senegal, EFA and Plastic Odyssey. At the end of the deliberations, three projects were rewarded for their creativity and relevance.
Winning projects
EcoBloc – Sports signage
“We conceived EcoBloc as a large-scale construction set, a modular and resistant solution, specially adapted to the needs of urban and event signage. Each panel is made up of solid, interconnectable blocks thanks to a clever interlocking system, inspired by Lego blocks; guaranteeing easy installation and great stability on site.”
Sen Eco Tech – Infrastructure Sportive
“We came up with the idea of manufacturing eco-friendly tiles from recycled plastic to replace the surfacing on sports fields and playgrounds such as Basketball courts, Volleyball courts or Judo mats. The tiles can be assembled like puzzle pieces, making it easy to assemble and dismantle a pitch.”
Intelligent benches – Equipment production
“It’s a project to redesign rest areas with smart benches made from recycled plastic, incorporating USB sockets powered by solar panels for recharging devices, as well as an interactive map to indicate areas and terrains for the YOG, and to spread awareness messages.”
A springboard for the future
Beyond the competition, this hackathon was a unique opportunity for EPT students to explore concrete solutions to the challenges of recycling and sustainable sport. The winning projects will receive additional support to study their actual implementation.
Together, these young innovators are helping to shape a more sustainable future for Senegal, by reconciling sport and recycling!