Maribor, 3 November – Tovarna podjemov welcomed more than 50 innovative individuals to Maribor on 29 and 30 October, working in 17 teams to develop solutions for the future of finance and insurance. The highest scores from the expert jury were awarded to SnapClaim AI and FAIR PAY, which shared €2,000 in prize money, received tickets to PODIM 2026, and gained mentorship support from Tovarna podjemov.

 

Hack the Future Hackathon 2025 was dedicated to creating smart, user-friendly, and technologically advanced solutions. Participants designed, tested, and developed their ideas into working prototypes over an intensive two-day program — proving that truly breakthrough innovations can emerge in a short period of time.

 

Two challenges – one mission: improving financial and insurance services

Teams tackled two current topics:

Artificial Intelligence in Insurance
The goal was to simplify insurance processes, explain terms in clear language, and increase user trust.
Fintech for a New Generation of Users
Solutions addressed micro-investments, smart saving, and gamification of financial literacy.

 

Mentorship support was provided by nine recognized experts from technology, insurance, and startup environments, helping teams shape user value, validate real needs, and plan the further development of their solutions.

 

17 Teams in front of a demanding jury

The final presentations were evaluated by an expert jury of:

• Luka Topolovec, Equaleyes

• Bojan Petek, Zavarovalnica Sava

• Sašo Djoković, SaaS entrepreneur and mentor

The jury assessed projects based on innovation, feasibility, impact, user experience, and business potential.

“The teams showed remarkable progress in a very short time, a solid understanding of users, and innovative approaches. The final decision was very challenging,” emphasized Luka Topolovec.

Winning projects

SnapClaim AI

An AI-driven solution that guides users through the entire claims process while saving the insurance company manual work and form completion.

Team: Domen Zupančič, Sara Atanasova, Vid Kališnik

 

 SnapClaim team and Bojan Petek (right). Poto: Startup Slovenija

FAIR PAY
A platform for simple, transparent, and fair cost sharing on group trips and purchases.
Team: Zdravko Brdarovski, Elena U. Bežan, Tia Žvajker, Alen Fridau

 

The Fair Pay team

Third Place – Sava AI Voice Agent
An AI voice agent supporting insurance processes.
Team: Klemen Kop, Romano Pravdič, Lovro Hudrap, Domen Zajc

 

photogallery
 

The hackathon is just the beginning

The event provided participants with new knowledge, connections, and potential business opportunities. “The most promising projects will have the opportunity to continue collaborating with Venture Factory - Tovarna podjemov and our partners. We look forward to supporting their further development,” said Urban Lapajne, at the conclusion of the event.

 

All organizers, partners, and event sponsors: