On Monday, April 27, the ENGAGE.EU Expedition+ week kicked off, bringing together a vibrant mix of students from all over Europe. The group gathered at the Wärtsilä Sustainable Technology Hub, ready to dive into a week packed with creativity and collaboration. Throughout the program, participants teamed up to brainstorm fresh solutions for some of the most pressing energy equity challenges, all with a hands-on, multidisciplinary approach.
ENGAGE.EU Expedition+ is all about connecting students, researchers, and experts from alliance universities to tackle real-world societal and energy issues together. By embracing innovation and entrepreneurship, the program sparks new ideas and brings a wide range of perspectives to the table. The mission fits right in with the EU’s goal of equipping citizens for the energy transition, encouraging inclusive and community-focused problem-solving.
WISE was happy to host the first day, which started off on an inspiring keynote from Kenneth Engblom, Vice President of Africa & Europe Area at Wärtsilä Energy. His insights into sustainable technology really set the mood for the challenge, energizing the teams for the work ahead. Following that, participants were able to explore the Wärtsilä Sustainable Technology Hub, gaining insight into both the factory operations and additive manufacturing, which offered an authentic experience of the company’s innovative atmosphere.
The challenge for the week, “United for Energy Equity,” encouraged everyone to come up with creative solutions to energy problems that matter to communities all across Europe. Teams got to choose between two exciting tracks: Digital Engagement Tools for Europe, where they innovated apps, educational platforms, and European campaigns; or Data Visualization & Storytelling, which focused on making European energy issues more accessible and relatable.
During the week, teams got creative with ideation and co-design, guided by mentors and design-thinking tools. By working together across different fields, participants crafted solutions and presentations that help move the needle on energy equity for Europe. On the final day, these innovative ideas were pitched to a distinguished jury of experts—including Eleonor Hedström, Director of Next Business Lab at Wärtsilä, and Lead of the WISE ecosystem—who provided valuable feedback and selected standout solutions.
