Behind the Scenes at the HackSprint

[tori_mann]

Innovation often starts with a spark, but real progress comes when people come together to turn ideas into action. That’s exactly what is happening at the very first Benelux HackSprint, a three-day in-person event powered by the SAS Hackathon and brought to life through the vision and drive of Ilanite Keijsers and Nick Tjintjelaar.

From September 23–25 at the KNVB Campus in Zeist, multidisciplinary teams will gather to collaborate face-to-face, experiment with AI-driven solutions, and tackle pressing challenges in sustainability, healthcare, mobility, and beyond.

On the eve of the event, we asked Nick about the thinking behind the HackSprint, how it came together, and what he hopes to see emerge.

What inspired the HackSprint in the first place?

The SAS Hackathon is already a powerful platform for innovation, but we wanted to add a local, in-person dimension to accelerate progress, build stronger relationships, and spark creativity. A concentrated three-day sprint gives teams the chance to step away from screens, meet in person, and transform early concepts into working prototypes. The idea is not only to boost the Benelux Hackathon but also to create a blueprint that other regions can adapt in their own way.

How did you go about bringing this event to life?

It started with vision, but quickly became about execution. We chose the KNVB Campus in Zeist — an inspiring location in the woods — as the perfect setting for collaboration. We invited 6–10 multidisciplinary teams of partners, customers, universities, and research centers, each with 5–8 members. SAS will cover all logistics, from hotels to meals, so teams can focus entirely on innovation.

Importantly, the HackSprint is fully aligned with the global Hackathon nomination and recruitment process. That means it’s not a separate effort, but a seamless extension of the global program.

What makes the HackSprint unique compared to the Hackathon itself?

The HackSprint acts as a midway motivator. Teams will already have started their Hackathon journey, but Zeist offers a chance to test frameworks in real time, gain feedback from mentors, and energize their efforts. Unlike the remote setting of the Hackathon, this is about rapid, face-to-face prototyping. At the end of three days, all teams will present their prototypes, and in a peer-driven twist, they’ll vote for the most inspiring sustainability case — with the rule that no one can vote for their own.

What themes will inspire the HackSprint?

We’ve drawn inspiration from The Only Planet by Tim van Hattum, which outlines seven natural pathways to a hopeful future, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These include regenerative food systems, circular economy, nature as an ally, and urban innovation, among others. Data and AI have the power to accelerate progress across all of these pathways, and the HackSprint is designed to show how.

How are we showcasing the power of data and AI in action?

Seven innovative teams are working on use cases across healthcare, sports, food & agriculture, and the public sector.

Medicine4Audit – Using LLMs to automate DICA registrations and reduce administrative burden.

FC Data Dribblers – Optimizing competition schedules to minimize travel distances and CO₂ emissions.

Mount Analytics – Developing smart semantic recognition of table content.

REAiHL Lab – Evaluating LLMs to ensure reliable and ethical clinical applications.

flowER – Predicting patient flows and orchestrating hospital processes more efficiently.

Food & Agri Team – Leveraging data analytics for sustainable solutions in food and agriculture.

TrackGPT – Applying Generative AI and text analytics to streamline railway incident reporting.

All these teams will aim to demonstrate how data and AI can drive innovation, reduce inefficiencies, and make processes smarter across multiple domains.

Looking ahead, what do you expect to see come out of this?

I expect to see stronger prototypes — tangible solutions that teams can carry into the next phases of the Hackathon. Beyond that, we anticipate new opportunities: deepened partnerships, academic collaboration, and a stronger profile for SAS as a leader in AI and sustainability. And perhaps most importantly, I hope the HackSprint inspires other regions to create their own versions, rooted in local context but aligned with the same spirit of innovation.

Inspired by the HackSprint? Sign up for the SAS Hackathon Boot Camp for hands-on experience designed to spark collaboration and innovation using cutting-edge data and AI on SAS® Viya®.