KAs Makerthon Short-Clip
Europe's capacity to act is under pressure. A volatile geopolitical environment, intensified economic and technological competition, demographic ageing, and strains on social cohesion and democratic trust are increasing the European Union's need to adapt. Against this backdrop, new ideas are not rhetorical ornamentation but a practical requirement. Democratic participation becomes a strategic advantage when societal plurality is translated into workable solutions. This is precisely where the KAS Makerthon comes in.
The action-oriented participation format brings committed young talents together in deliberately heterogeneous teams that work intensively on predefined societal or political challenges within a compact timeframe of usually three days. The aim is not to draw up comprehensive strategies, but to develop original, practical and implementable proposals. A clearly structured process leads in four phases (Analysis, Ideation, Execution and Pitch Phase) from problem-framing to pitch-ready results. Methods such as the Idea Relay secure input from all participants, tools such as the COCD-Box test proposals for originality and feasibility, and structured peer critique in the Team Swap sharpens the ideas. The final pitches are designed for real audiences and political decision-makers, creating a credible pathway from ideas to political uptake.
First implemented in 2022 by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung scholarship holders in Cologne, the format has become a regular feature of the scholarship programme. Since 2023, the KAS Makerthon Europe has broadened participation beyond the scholarship community and linked the results to the State of Europe in Berlin as a highly visible forum.
How the concept works in practice is demonstrated by the 2025 KAS Makerthon Europe, which took place from 3 to 5 October 2025 at Konrad Adenauer's former summer residence, Villa La Collina on Lake Como. Under the guiding question “How can we shape an action-oriented Europe that succeeds in the world of tomorrow?”, four teams developed ideas on security, competitiveness, demographic change and social cohesion. Four proposals were pitched live at the State of Europe on 10 November 2025, ranging from the European security app ReadyEU and the Eurovision Start-up Contest to the EU-backed start-in-life fund EU Gen Invest and the European Monument Challenge. The audience voted the Eurovision Start-up Contest the winner with 39 per cent of the vote. The Team Anchor of the winning idea subsequently joined the panel discussion with Manfred Weber, President of the European People's Party.
The publication introduces the concept, shows its practical implementation and presents the ideas developed. At the same time, it serves as a toolkit for parties, youth organisations, think tanks and civil society actors seeking to mobilise Europe's collective ingenuity with a Makerthon.
