AI Hackathon Red Cross: 6 prototypes in 48h, 2 deployed to production
How GenieFactory supported the French Red Cross in a 48h AI hackathon with 75 participants: 6 prototypes designed, 2 deployed to production within 6 months.
AI Hackathon Red Cross: 6 prototypes in 48h, 2 deployed to production
In April 2025, the French Red Cross, GenieFactory, Plug and Play, and the Simplon Foundation brought together 75 participants to turn ideas into useful solutions in the field, and to accelerate the training and crisis preparedness of thousands of volunteers.
What was the challenge to solve?
In a crisis, every minute counts. How do you equip teams to better train for life-saving actions and prepare the population, without adding operational complexity?
What approach was deployed in 48 hours?
The hackathon was organised around two clear priorities:
- Optimising first-aid training through immersive tools
- Preparing the population through realistic simulations
The GenieFactory setup relied on a centralised platform to share prototypes and tools, co-creation workshops, technical mentoring, and continuous strategic support.
What measurable results were achieved?
- 6 prototypes designed and tested in 48h
- 2 use cases deployed to production within 6 months:
- A shared data repository, to capitalise and reuse rapidly
- A common AI innovation culture between technical and operational teams, to streamline collaboration and accelerate practical deployment
What changed in the field?
- More effective training: better-targeted content, immersive learning paths, faster skills development
- Stronger crisis preparedness: realistic scenarios, standardised reflexes
- Simplified collaboration: same data, same reference points, faster decisions
What does the Red Cross say about this experience?
"The use of the platform was a key element in the success of the hackathon, enabling the delivery of AI applications in record time while giving the projects a framework and continuity. We look forward to being able to use the next features of the platform as part of a partnership in 2025–2026."
, Pierre Ly, Innovation Director, French Red Cross
Key figures
- 75 participants
- 48 hours of hackathon
- 6 prototypes designed
- 2 production deployments within 6 months
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