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DigitalisationPress Release

Programming event for developers, coders and techies

06 December 2017Download

Following an internal pilot in 2016, METRO now for the first time hosts a “Robocode Hackathon” for both, METRO employees and external participants. In Düsseldorf, Berlin, Bucharest and Brașov, developers, coders and techies can put their skills to the test at the programming event on 20 January 2018.

  • Düsseldorf, Berlin, Bucharest, Brașov - "Robocode Hackathon" event connects developers in four cities in Germany and Romania
  • METRO for the first time admits external participants to this programming event
  • Developers program robots that compete against each other: in a first leg, the competition will be among the participants in the respective cities and the winners from each city will then compete against each other.
  • Prize money: up to €1,600
  • Registration at: https://www.metroag.de/en/hackathon

Following an internal pilot in 2016, METRO now for the first time hosts a "Robocode Hackathon" for both, METRO employees and external participants. In the four cities of Düsseldorf, Berlin, Bucharest and Brașov (both in Romania), developers, coders and techies can put their skills to the test at the programming event on 20 January 2018.

As a result of digitalisation, the development of user-friendly IT solutions has become a staple also in the retail sector. In this context, enterprise resource, data warehouse and customer information systems are playing an increasingly important role. With the "Robocode Hackathon", the company offers a platform for sharing and networking to developers and technology enthusiasts. "As an international wholesale and food specialist, METRO is engaged in international projects and a broad range of software developments to support the digitalisation of METRO Cash & Carry. For us, the Hackathon is an opportunity to contribute to community building", says Timo Salzsieder, Chief Solution Officer and Chief Information Officer of METRO AG. The goal is to develop a virtual robot using software. The developers’ programming skills will bring the robots to life and enable them compete against each other. "In addition, the Hackathon offers an opportunity to engage in a conversation with METRO and meet the colleagues who develop the IT solutions in our company. At the same time, we raise awareness of METRO as a potential employer within the international tech community - in a playful manner and with a high fun factor", says Salzsieder.

At the "METRO Hackathon", people with a knack for technology and programming compete against each other with their virtual robots. The participants have one day to program robots with open-source software and optimise them throughout the day. The developers define how the robots behave, whether they remove the obstacles on their way or circumvent them, whether they constantly repeat their movement patters and how they are equipped to win. Every two hours, the robots programmed by the participants in each city will compete against each other in a virtual arena. In a first step, the programmers in one city will compete against each other with their programmed robots; in a second step, the winning participants from Düsseldorf, Berlin, Bucharest and Brașov will compete for the first place. All participants of the "Hackathon" are connected via video screens enabling them to see live what is going on. The competition is open to programmers working either on their own or in teams of two.

Ambition will be rewarded: The winner will receive €500, the runner-up will get €200 and the third seeded can look forward to a prize of €100. If a team of two wins, both team members will receive the stated prize money.

Curious? Starting from now on, interested participants can find more information and register for participation in the event via the website https://www.metroag.de/en/hackathon. The registration period ends on 10 January 2018. After successful registration, the participants will get a ticket which they have to present at the venue. One week ahead of the programming event the "Hackathletes" will receive information about tools, software and wiki articles via email. Food and drinks as well as WLAN access will be provided. Besides a joy for programming the techies only have to bring their own computer.

METRO is a leading international specialist in wholesale and food retail. The company operates in 35 countries and employs more than 150,000 people worldwide. In financial year 2015/16, METRO generated sales of around €37 billion. The company provides custom solutions to meet the regional and international needs of its wholesale and retail customers. With its sales brands METRO/MAKRO Cash & Carry and Real as well as delivery services and digitalisation initiatives METRO sets the standards for tomorrow: for customer focus, digital solutions and sustainable business models.