Team "I-Team" Wins the Second Edition of the ISSA PULIRE Hackathon on AI for the cleaning industry
Milano, 28 May 2025
The second edition of the ISSA PULIRE 2025 Hackathon, an idea of FacilityApps who is still connected as a sponsor and mentor, concluded with great success. Organized by the ISSA PULIRE Network in collaboration with Facility Data Standard, the competition brought together brilliant university students to tackle the challenge of intelligently and sustainably managing the cleaning of two futuristic multifunctional stadiums in Milan, envisioned for 2035. With artificial intelligence as inspirator and automator. Dirk Tuip from FacilityApps joined as a mentor for the enthusiastic teams for this hackathon on Ai for the cleaning industry.
Challenge on AI in cleaning and the Winning Project
The winning team, I-Team—sponsored by the company of the same name—presented the most convincing, innovative, and technologically advanced solution to the problem statement: ensuring optimal maintenance of two 300,000 m² facilities, operating 16 hours a day and managed by only 60 staff members. Their proposal integrated AI, IoT, robotics, and risk monitoring tools. The team consists of three students enrolled in the Industrial Automation Engineering program at the University of Brescia.
The runner-up was Team Idrobase / ISSA, composed of four students from the Artificial Intelligence and AI & Mathematics programs at the University of Milano-Bicocca, the University of Milan (Statale), and the University of Pavia.
The winning project impressed the international jury—composed of Cesare Grassi (COO of Fondazione Scuola Nazionale Servizi), Peter Hug (Managing Director of VDMA), and Giulio Sciortino (Technician at the Italian Institute of Technology)—for its use of IoT device data to optimize real-time cleaning. Their approach employed mobile apps and autonomous robots for repetitive tasks, and digital tools to enhance human skillsets and improve risk management in high-traffic environments.
ISSA Opening Ceremony and Recognition
The award ceremony was introduced by Silvia Scurati, Vice President of the IV Permanent Commission – Productive Activities, Education, Training, and Employment of the Lombardy Region. She extended her congratulations to all the students and participating Lombard universities.
FacilityApps Hackathon Sponsor
The Hackathon, designed to test the participants’ technical skills and creativity, was made possible thanks to the support of prestigious sponsors. Special thanks go to Hagletner, the Diamond Sponsor, for its pivotal contribution. Additional thanks to the Team Sponsors: Cummins Facility Services, FacilityApps, Idrobase, ISC, ISSA EMEA, I-Team, and Tender Brain, who supported the teams throughout all stages of the competition.
A total of 8 teams participated, with students coming from the following universities and respective faculties:
- Politecnico di Milano: Automation and Control Engineering; Computer Science and Engineering; Communication Design; Management Engineering
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore: Economics and Natural, Mathematical, and Physical SciencesUniversità degli Studi dell'Insubria: Biomedical Sciences
- Università degli Studi di Brescia: Industrial Automation Engineering
- Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca: Data Science; Statistical and Economic Sciences; AI for Science and Technology
- Università degli Studi di Pavia: Artificial Intelligence; Physical Sciences
- University of Pavia, University of Milan (Statale), and University of Milano- Bicocca: Artificial Intelligence; Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics
This event is part of ISSA PULIRE Network’s broader mission to promote innovation, education, and dialogue between industry, institutions, and the new generation. New technology like AI will spur innovation and thanks to this hackathon new ideas are born which are open available for the broader cleaning industry. FacilityApps is proud to be part of it and contribute!
