"JenaVsVirus" camp ends with 17 anti-corona ideas

JENA Digital network and urban society develop local solutions for the crisis

More than 180 participants, 27 challenges and 17 concrete project ideas and implementation proposals - this is the extremely successful conclusion of the Jena digital camp "JenaVsVirus". From 14 to 18 April 2020, the Jena community worked together online to develop local responses to the specific challenges posed by the coronavirus crisis. The camp was organized by the JENA Digital network, which is part of the Jena Economic Development Agency (JenaWirtschaft).

As the organizing team, we are completely overwhelmed by the great commitment of everyone involved

said Domenique Dölz, initiator of the project and Cluster Manager Digital Economy at the Economic Development Agency.

With the #JenaVsVirus camp, we have created a genuine digital participation process for the citizens of our city. Our aim was to work together to find pragmatic solutions for our city that can be implemented quickly.

The focus was on five topics: Health - Economy and Work - Food, Supply, Welfare - Administration, Digitalization, Data and Education and Culture. The idea for the Jena camp was inspired by the German government's "WirVsVirus" hackathon; the preparation time for the Jena version was similarly short at one week.

The Jena community submitted a total of 27 "challenges", which the more than 180 "campers" tackled in order to develop creative solutions together in interdisciplinary teams. The participants were able to work together efficiently via video chats, telephone conferences, a special hackathon platform and other digital communication tools. On the final day, a high-ranking 10-member jury made up of representatives from Jena's (digital) economy, science and administration analyzed how innovative and feasible the ideas were and selected all 17 projects as winners without further ado. From a digital classroom to a digital platform for volunteering by the community foundation, virtual visits to Jena's museums and cultural institutions, a voucher platform for restaurateurs, retailers and service providers to a digital solution for case management by the public health department for people infected with coronavirus - these and many other creative solutions were developed. JENA Digital and JenaWirtschaft will present all 17 projects one after the other from Monday (20.04.2020).

The camp was accompanied by an extensive online program on creativity techniques, expert mentoring, yoga, fitness training, cultural contributions from the brass band Blechklang or the poetry slammer Friedrich Hermann. The party concluded with a live streaming concert by the "Zwo20" initiative - the association of Jena cultural workers in Jena.

This form of voluntary commitment is priceless, so as a small gesture of our thanks, everyone involved will receive a 'Club Soli Ticket' from the initiative

said Wilfried Röpke, Managing Director of the Jena Economic Development Agency.

The conclusion from the organizers' point of view?

A huge thank you to everyone for their incredible commitment over the past week for the creative ideas, the innovative solution proposals and, above all, for this wonderful togetherness that has filled the whole community with life - despite the physical distance," says Cluster Manager Dölz.

says Cluster Manager Dölz.

The real work is only just beginning, says Benjamin Koppe, who is the patron of the project as Jena's Head of Digitalization:

'The aim is to make the outstanding ideas usable for our urban society as quickly as possible so that real added value is created for everyone.

The new JenaVsVirus community is open to everyone, as the initiators are still looking for people to join their teams in the subsequent implementation phase.

The organizers would like to extend special thanks to all official supporters of the festival: digital companies such as Accenture or rooom AG, service providers such as PVS Veranstaltungsservice, municipal partners such as the city administration, JenaKultur and Kommunale Immobilien Jena (KIJ), the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, as well as Jena associations, agencies and freelancers, who have all contributed their respective expertise.

An incredibly positive pull has developed. All of us against the virus and together for Jena.

says cluster manager Dölz.

You can find all the information and background on #JenaVsVirusCamp.