A Week of Innovation at the Heart of Axone
CRUNCH Time 2026 is underway. For one week, 1,300 students are gathering at Axone to take on a major challenge: turning real-world problems into concrete solutions as part of one of Europe’s largest student hackathons.
The CRUNCH Time program is based on total immersion. Divided into multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, students work on 130 challenges proposed by companies and socio-economic stakeholders. This diversity of backgrounds and expertise fosters the development of innovative solutions that address technical, human, and economic challenges.
Understanding and Embracing the Challenge – Monday
The week begins with the partners presenting the issues. Teams are formed, learn about their topic, and begin an initial phase of analysis to identify the key challenges.
Explore and Imagine – Tuesday
The students enter a phase of research and reflection. Benchmarking, the exchange of ideas, and initial solutions begin to emerge, guided by the UTBM faculty and international tutors.
Design and Prototyping – Wednesday
The projects are taking shape. The teams are developing scenarios, structuring their proposals, and building prototypes, thanks in part to the FabLab at Axone and the support of experts from the UTBM Innovation CRUNCH Lab.
Test, Adjust, Convince – Thursday
Solutions are refined and subjected to critical scrutiny. Students work on their reasoning, their professional demeanor, and their ability to synthesize their ideas.
Present and Share – Friday
The week concludes with the final presentations. Each team presents its solution to the partners in a pitch that showcases the work they’ve accomplished and the skills they’ve developed.
CRUNCH Time is part of a decidedly international initiative. This year’s event welcomes students and faculty from numerous partner institutions, including:
HEIG-VD (Switzerland)
University of Sarajevo – UNSA (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
International University of Sarajevo – IUS(Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Dalarna University (Sweden)
Windesheim University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands)
HELHa — Louvain University College in Hainaut (Belgium)
University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (Canada)
University of Lomé (Togo)
Agostinho Neto University (Angola)
Yaoundé Higher Polytechnic School (Cameroon)
Regional Center of Excellence for Electrical Engineering (CERME) at the University of Lomé (Togo)
The presence of students from ESTA School also adds to this diversity of backgrounds and cultures.
Beyond the event itself, CRUNCH Time exemplifies an educational approach based on experimentation, teamwork, and tackling real-world challenges. It is a formative experience that prepares students to thrive in complex, international professional environments.
