2021 started with another successful event organized by JA Europe and Johnson & Johnson: the STEMEduHack 2.0. The event took place on the 28th – 29th of January 2021 as a result of the remarkable level of interest in the first edition of the event (November 2020) and the constant support of Johnson & Johnson to JA and the promotion of STEM education. The goal of the initiative was to spark curiosity and foster long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, particularly among young female students. The innovation camp gave the chance to 22 teams coming from Cyprus, Czech Republic, Israel, Lithuania, Moldova, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Spain to provide innovative and unique solutions to support the Global Sustainability Strategy of Johnson & Johnson and in relation with the 2025 Goals of the company (water, waste, air emissions, energy & climate).
The team from Russia won the JA Europe and Johnson & Johnson’s STEMEduHack 2.0. CFighters1228 (Daria Kashirina, Vera Landysheva, Yana Roshchina and Maria Petrzhik) envisioned a vending machine made for people that are interested in the safeguard and protection of the planet by reducing pollution and waste production. The team created EpEco in order to suggest a technological alternative to the traditional way of purchasing pharmaceutical products and, therefore, drastically diminish the use of in polluting packaging. EpEco allows customers to receive their medicines in their own container upon scanning the QR code and, at the same time, recycle other packaging.