Interview

Challenge

BeeCause We Care

Bees play a crucial role in the environment, but today they are under threat – with bee populations worldwide declining.  Is it possible to change the game? Poland-based tech company Intelligent Hives hopes so. That is why it joined forces with ECIU University – through the ‘BeeCause We Care’ challenge, hosted by Lodz University of Technology (TUL).

Text: Anastasia Bukhtiarova
Photos: Vecteezy.com

Among ECIU University learners working on the challenge, were João Santos from University of Aveiro (Portugal) and Louis Dumont from INSA Toulouse (France). Louis suggested an AI-powered application that would record and analyze the sounds of bee births inside the hive, allowing to monitor bee health. Meanwhile, João’s idea was to create a website that would keep track of bees born and dying per second due to external factors – a powerful way to raise awareness.  

‘Working in multi-disciplinary teams that include students from various backgrounds allows focusing on different aspects of the problem,’ says Piotr Korbel, a TUL professor who oversaw the challenge. ‘With these two solutions, we saw two different approaches. One – on the technical side, and another – on the marketing side. Nevertheless, each proved promising in its own way.’ 

‘Students’ passion for the subject left me speechless,’ adds Marzena Stawicka, senior assistant at TUL’s Language Centre and the provider of a micro-module embedded in the challenge. ‘Seeing them so invested in the challenge felt truly rewarding.’ 

An opportunity for everyone 

‘Supporting projects like these aligns perfectly with our mission,’ says the Intelligent Hives founder Sebastian Gorecki. ‘By working closely with academic institutions and motivated students, we can collectively push the boundaries of what’s possible in technology and environmental conservation.’ 

The company hopes to continue its cooperation with TUL and ECIU University, and is planning to implement one of the students’ solutions.  

‘I see immense value in projects like this,' notes Piotr. ‘Especially when you have motivated students in charge of deciding how to learn and move forward. They can bring new solutions to the table. And their ideas might prove game-changing.’