To encourage students to engage with global climate issues through innovative thinking, the Faculty of Business hosted a dynamic "Amazon Experience Hackathon" on October 16, 2026, at Room L105, City University of Macau. Centered on the concept of "From Forest to Global Market," the event fostered a relaxed and casual atmosphere, drawing enthusiastic participation from students across various disciplines within the Faculty of Business for an energetic brainstorming session.
The event featured a special guest speaker, Professor Caio Fanha from CESUPA. With extensive experience in sustainable development and business innovation, Professor Fanha kicked off the event with an engaging and lively presentation. He introduced the students to the current state of the Amazon rainforest and the pressing climate challenges it faces, inspiring them to think about how to transform forest resources into product concepts that hold both commercial potential and environmental significance.
Unlike traditional, formal academic seminars, this hackathon felt more like a large-scale creative workshop. Under the rallying call "The Amazon Needs Your Idea" students were randomly divided into teams of eight and given a highly challenging mission: each team had to brainstorm and develop a concrete product concept within a strict "one-hour" timeframe. They were required not only to present their product ideas but also to clearly define their target audience and outline the business value of their solutions.
A panel of professors, including Dean of the Faculty of Business José Alves, was invited to serve as judges. Ultimately, the top three winning teams were selected. The professors highly commended the students for their teamwork and boundless creativity demonstrated within such a short timeframe.
The Faculty of Business stated that the primary goal of this event was to provide a relaxed and open platform for students to translate theoretical knowledge into impactful, exportable, and sustainable creative solutions in a laid-back environment. Moving forward, the Faculty of Business will continue to organize diverse practical activities of this nature to broaden students' international perspectives and innovative capabilities.