Leather Cluster Barcelona sponsors Makeathon 2022, dedicated to the River Anoia

With the challenge of improving the water quality of the River Anoia, Espai Malla is launching Makeathon 2022. The word “Makeathon” combines the English “make” and the Greek “marathon”. It is a competition open to all creative and innovative members of the public to solve a challenge within a limited time.

In this case, the call is aimed at groups of students, inventors, ecologists, designers, engineers, environmentalists, and so on. To take part, participants register individually or in teams of up to three people, in order to develop prototypes or innovative solutions from the presentation of the challenge scheduled for Friday 22 April.

Espai Malla is a new initiative promoted by the Ateneu Igualadí, TICAnoia and disseny=igualada that seeks to bring together people and groups with innovative potential to create and manufacture using digital technologies. It has the support of the Barcelona Provincial Council, Igualada Town Council and the Anoia County Council.

On 6 May, coinciding with Mobile Week Catalunya 2022, the projects will be presented and the jury, chaired by environmental biologist Robin Corrià, will decide the winning team, which will take home a 400-euro prize and access to the Espai Malla workshop/laboratory to subsequently develop the project presented.

The free registration period runs from 14 March to 14 April. The form, together with the rules and further information, can be found at www.espaimalla.cat.

In addition to Leather Cluster Barcelona, Makeathon 2022 is sponsored by Waterologies, Onalabs and Amics del Rec.

With this sponsorship, Leather Cluster Barcelona reaffirms its commitment to the sustainable use of natural resources.

During the hide transformation process, the tanning industry consumes a considerable volume of water, which once used becomes wastewater and is treated to ensure it is properly returned to the environment.

Wastewater treatment is a key process for guaranteeing the quality of the river water and preserving the environment. Thanks to the effort put into water treatment at the tanners’ plant, Igualadina de Depuració i Recuperació (pre-treatment and thorough biological process), tanners can return the water they have used to the environment in optimum condition.

Along these lines, Leather Cluster Barcelona wishes to continue making progress and is currently leading a project with all the players in the leather industry value chain that seeks the recirculation of wastewater.

Leather Cluster Barcelona is an environment of competitive cooperation for promoting cross-cutting, transformative strategic projects with the aim of driving forward the ecosystem of the Catalan leather sector. The cluster is an accredited body within the Catalonia Clusters programme and has the support of Acció.