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Create innovative solutions for the defence and security sector using EU space technologies

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<h2>8th CASSINI Hackathon: EU Space for Defence and Security</h2>The 8th edition of the CASSINI Hackathon focuses on leveraging space technologies to tackle critical challenges related to Europe’s defence and security. This event brings together coders, problem-solvers, and innovators from across Europe to develop cutting-edge solutions using space-based technologies that can enhance defence systems, cybersecurity, and crisis management capabilities.Take part in this brand new edition of the CASSINI Hackathons and get the chance to win one of three overall prizes: cash prizes of up to 5.000€ and 6 months of expert mentoring from notable professionals in the space industry! Check the information below to learn more about the CASSINI Hackathons.  <h3 class="fr-text-uppercase">1. REGISTer to the hackathon</h3> Hit the orange button " ⚡ LOG IN TO JOIN" or "⚡JOIN HACKATHON" button. Depending if you have an account on TAIKAI or if you have to create one. Your registration will be finalised once you have filled out our registration form where you'll pick your hackathon location.  There you go, now you are part of the 8th CASSINI Hackathon: EU Space for Defence and Security!    As a next step, go to the matchmaking tab and search for teammates. Teams have to be built before the start of the Hackathon Weekend (22 - 124 November). <h3>2. PRIZES</h3> You are in luck! At the CASSINI Hackathons, you have the chance to win twice . First at a local level and second at the European level.Local prizes - Each hackathon location has its own unique set of prizes for the local winners and runner-ups. Take a look at what you can win at the local level by checking the subpages of the local hackathons. (Click on the hyperlinks for the ten locations in section 3 for more information)Overall prize - At the European level, the three top hackathon teams will win the big cash prize of 9.000€ in total (1st place: 5.000€, 2nd place: 3.000€, 3rd place: 1.000€) and get access to the CASSINI Mentoring, a 6-month mentoring programme that includes 100 hours of mentoring by top experts and is designed to turn your hackathon project into a successful business. <h3 class="fr-text-uppercase">3. WHAT ARE THE CASSINI HACKATHONS?</h3> The CASSINI Hackathons &amp; Mentoring is a unique project that takes place simultaneously in 10 different countries.<table class="fr-dashed-borders" style="width:100%"><thead><tr><th colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">HACKATHON LOCATIONS   </th></tr></thead><tr><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle"><div><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/albania" target="_blank"></a>  Belgium</div></td><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">  Netherlands</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">  Czechia </td><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">  Poland</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">  Hungary</td><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">  Slovenia</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">  Italy</td><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">  Spain</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">  Moldova</td><td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">  Ukraine</td></tr></table> The 8th CASSINI Hackathon challenges you to develop innovative concepts and products in EU Space for Defence and Security. This edition’s challenges focus on: Geospatial Intelligence for defence and security, Unmanned Drone Applications, and Orbital Security to mitigate collision risks. Showcase your inventive spirit by creating viable solutions that address these pressing issues. Compete for cash prizes up to 5,000€ and receive 6 months of expert mentoring from industry leaders in the space sector. No previous space/hackathon experience is required!  Check our three challenges* below:<ol><li>Enhancing Defence &amp; Security with Geospatial Intelligence</li><li>Unmanned Drone Applications for Defence &amp; Security Operations</li><li>Orbital Security: Navigating the Collision Frontier</li></ol>For full challenge descriptions, check out our website: <a href="https://cassini.eu/hackathons" target="_blank">cassini.eu/hackathons</a>  *Please note that our challenges are referred to as 'Categories' inside the TAIKAI platform! <h3 class="fr-text-uppercase">4. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?</h3> Students, entrepreneurs, engineers, designers, researchers, and others are welcome to participate. You are eligible if you are 18 years old or older at the start of the Hackathon (22 November) and reside either in the <a href="https://european-union.europa.eu/easy-read_en" target="_blank">European Union</a> (any country) or in a non-EU country associated with <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf" target="_blank">Horizon Europe</a> (or in ongoing negotiations for an association). All teams must have at least 3 team members and can go up to a maximum of 8 members. <h3>5. IMPORTANT DATES</h3> 💡 04 - 08 November| Big Ideas CampaignJoin us for this series of online evening events where we aim to spark your creativity and help you meet fellow team members. We kick off with our launch session, then dive into the key space technologies and how they are used in the EU Space Defence and Security sector. Pick and choose the sessions that interest you and be ready to be inspired. The agenda will be published soon.📅 15 November| Registration DeadlineRegister before the deadline - this applies to both you AND your teammates.🤓 22 - 24 November | The Hackathon WeekendThe main event! Join hundreds of participants around Europe as you develop new products and services that contribute to the future of Europe's Defence and Security. Each location will select one winning team at the end of the weekend to move on to the Demo Day &amp; Awards Ceremony.🏆 27 November| Demo Day &amp; Awards CeremonyThe winners of the local hackathons from around Europe will come together to pitch their solutions in front of an expert jury that will select the top 3 hackathon projects. This event is open to the public to join. <h3>6. JUDGING CRITERIA</h3> Both at the local level and the European level your solutions will be judged against three simple criteria.<ol><li>Relevance (33%) - Does the project address one of the hackathon's three challenges? Does the project make use of Copernicus, Galileo and/or EGNOS data and signals?</li><li>Innovativeness (33%) - How innovative is the idea compared to products/services that are already on the market? Is there potential for a viable business case?</li><li>Quality of the team (33%) - Do the technical, business and creative expertise of the team members match the needs of the project? </li></ol> In case you have questions check the FAQ tab or simply email us at <a href="mailto:hello@hackathons.cassini.eu">hello@hackathons.cassini.eu</a>. We'll be glad to help!

overview

<h2>Discover the prizes</h2> <h3>The hackathon competition ⚔️</h3>At the end of the Hackathon Weekend (22 - 24 November), each hackathon location will evaluate the project submitted by their teams to select the local winner and runner-ups. The local winners (one team per location) will then be invited to present their project during Demo Day (27 November), where a professional jury will select the 3 overall winners of the hackathon. The best hackathon projects will be awarded at both local and EU levels. <h3>Overall prizes 🌠</h3>The top three hackathon teams will win a cash prize of 9.000€ in total (1st place: 5.000€, 2nd place: 3.000€, 3rd place: 1.000€) gain access to CASSINI Mentoring, a 6-month mentoring programme that includes 100 hours of mentoring by top experts and is designed to turn their hackathon project into a successful business. <h3>Local prizes 🎁</h3>Each hackathon location has its own unique set of prizes for the local winners and runner-ups. Take a look at what you can win in the hackathon location where you will participate:<ul><li><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/belgium" target="_blank">Hackathon Belgium</a>   </li><li><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/czechia" target="_blank">Hackathon Czechia</a>   </li><li><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/hungary" target="_blank">Hackathon Hungary</a>   </li><li><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/italy" target="_blank">Hackathon Italy</a>   </li><li><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/moldova" target="_blank">Hackathon Moldova</a>   </li><li><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/netherlands" target="_blank">Hackathon Netherlands</a>   </li><li><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/poland" target="_blank">Hackathon Poland</a>   </li><li><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/slovenia" target="_blank">Hackathon Slovenia</a>   </li><li><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/spain" target="_blank">Hackathon Spain</a>   </li><li><a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/ukraine" target="_blank">Hackathon Ukraine</a>   </li></ul>

prizes

<h2>Rules are important to run a safe and fair hackathon!</h2> Please read the full set of rules in our <a href="https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/sites/default/files/2024-08/Rules%20of%20Contest%20-%20Cassini%20Hackathons%20Prize_0.pdf" target="_blank">Rules of Contest</a>. We have summarised the most important ones for you below:<ul><li>✔️ Eligibility criteria. You must live in the European Union (any country) or in a non-EU country associated with Horizon Europe (or in ongoing negotiations for an association) and be 18 years or older to participate in the hackathon competition. All teams must have at least 3 team members and can go up to a maximum of 8 members.</li><li>💻 Fresh code only. To ensure a level field for all contestants, all code must be created by the team, during the Hackathon Weekend. But you are permitted to use publicly available or openly licensed APIs, SDKs, frameworks and other software libraries for your project. Any software development tools and/or programming language can be used.</li><li>🤲 Everyone is welcome. We welcome all participants regardless of race, creed, colour, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, physical appearance, body size, disability, or marital status.</li><li>💜 Be nice to each other. We are dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of race, creed, colour, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, physical appearance, body size, disability, or marital status. We do not tolerate harassment on our platforms in any form. </li><li>⛔ Use your time and energy to innovate for good, not to make the world a worse place. Activities promoting or related to alcohol, tobacco, religion, politics, intolerance, violence, firearms, pornography, obscenity, gambling, or illegal drugs are explicitly excluded from the hackathon. Just don't. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate on our platforms.  </li></ul>

rules

<h2>Meet the local organisers</h2> The EU Space for Defence and Security CASSINI Hackathon is set for 22 - 24 November 2024! In this edition, we are focusing on utilising EU space technologies to tackle key challenges in defence and security. This pan-European hackathon is challenging Europe's entrepreneurs, researchers, students, and young professionals to apply space-based solutions in areas critical to Europe’s security landscape. A diverse group of local organisers has been selected from across Europe to host this exciting new hackathon! <h3>1. Belgium: Sopra Steria Benelux </h3><a href="https://www.soprasteria.be/" target="_blank">Sopra Steria Benelux</a> is committed to bridging the gap between cutting-edge innovation and real-world challenges faced by defence and security professionals. Their collaboration with the Belgian Ministry of Defence ensures a close alignment with the sector’s needs, while the assets they manage, developed by the CS Group for space missions, provide a strong foundation for space-based solutions. Sopra Steria Benelux excels in guiding teams from ideation to launch, helping participants transform innovative concepts into practical applications that can be swiftly implemented in the field of security and defence. <h3>2. Czechia: Prazsky Inovacni Institut (Prague Innovation Institute), z. u.</h3>The <a href="https://www.prazskyinovacniinstitut.cz/en/" target="_blank">Prague Innovation Institute</a> is a key driver of the innovation ecosystem in Czechia, offering comprehensive support to startups and established businesses alike. With a focus on research, technology transfer, and funding, they help innovators turn their ideas into successful ventures. By building strong connections between academia, industry, and government, the institute fosters a collaborative environment where space technology can thrive. Their involvement in the Hackathon is part of their broader mission to empower local talent and ensure that the next generation of innovators is equipped to tackle Europe’s most pressing security challenges. <h3>3. Hungary: Design Terminal Nonprofit Kft.</h3><a href="https://designterminal.org/en" target="_blank">Design Terminal</a>, one of Hungary’s foremost innovation hubs, serves as an ESA Business Incubation Centre with a track record of supporting more than 2,500 startups and small to medium-sized enterprises. Their expertise in nurturing early-stage ventures is reinforced by a professional network of over 100 expert mentors, who bring valuable industry insights and connections. Having successfully hosted the CASSINI Hackathon in both 2022 and 2023, Design Terminal has proven to be a key player in Europe’s space innovation landscape. Their extensive experience in building cross-sector partnerships makes them a vital contributor to this year’s event, ensuring participants receive the guidance and resources they need to succeed. <h3>4. Italy: Fondazione E. Amaldi</h3><a href="https://www.fondazioneamaldi.it/" target="_blank">Fondazione E. Amaldi</a> is a national leader in promoting research and innovation, with a strong emphasis on integrating space technologies into the business landscape. The foundation works closely with startups and SMEs to help them tap into the potential of space-based solutions, often collaborating with experts from diverse industries to create synergies that drive innovation. Headquartered within the Italian Space Agency in Rome, Fondazione E. Amaldi is strategically positioned to provide participants with access to Italy’s top space resources, including funding opportunities and strategic partnerships, making it an ideal launchpad for space tech initiatives. <h3>5. Moldova: Inteligența Artificială in Acțiune (Artificial Intelligence in Action) ONG</h3><a href="https://www.iainactiune.md/" target="_blank">Artificial Intelligence in Action</a> is a forward-thinking non-profit organisation based in Moldova, focused on the development and application of AI, Data Science, Machine Learning, and Computer Vision technologies. Their mission is to advance technology and drive solutions to complex challenges using space data. By spearheading AI innovation within Moldova, they are paving the way for local talent to participate in international tech ecosystems. With a strong focus on research and technological advancement, they bring a fresh perspective to the Hackathon, particularly in areas where artificial intelligence intersects with space technologies to enhance defence and security. <h3>6. Netherlands: Stichting Dotspace</h3><a href="https://www.groundstation.space/" target="_blank">DotSPACE</a>, in collaboration with <a href="https://www.royalhaskoningdhv.com/" target="_blank">Royal HaskoningDHV (RHDHV)</a>, is a pivotal player in the Dutch space ecosystem. They are dedicated to raising awareness about the transformative potential of space technologies and how they can be applied to defence and security sectors. The Hackathon in the Netherlands is a joint effort, bringing together experts from academia, government, and the private sector to create a dynamic and innovative environment. DotSPACE’s approach emphasises cross-disciplinary collaboration, ensuring participants have access to a wide array of resources and expertise to develop groundbreaking solutions. <h3>7. Poland: Pomeranian Special Economic Zone, Blue Dot Solutions</h3>In Poland, the Hackathon will be co-organised by two leading organisations. <a href="https://www.bluedotsolutions.eu/index.php/en/home/" target="_blank">Blue Dot Solutions</a>, a consultancy firm specialising in space technologies, has already supported more than 150 startups, connecting them with over €10 million in investment funding. They bring their vast experience in guiding early-stage companies through the intricacies of launching and scaling space-based solutions. The Pomeranian Special Economic Zone (PSEZ), on the other hand, is a major hub for innovation and business, hosting a network of 134 businesses at the Baltic Port of New Technologies. Together, they offer an unparalleled ecosystem for participants, combining mentorship, funding opportunities, and access to cutting-edge facilities. <h3>8. Slovenia: Tovarna Podjemov (Venture Factory)</h3><a href="https://venturefactory.org/" target="_blank">Tovarna Podjemov (Venture Factory)</a>, based at the University of Maribor, is Slovenia’s premier business incubation centre. Their mission is to help ambitious startups and companies disrupt existing markets and build resilient, future-proof businesses. They manage the StartSlovenia platform and the prestigious PODIM conference, which brings together innovators from across Europe. Venture Factory’s experience in organising the 4th and 6th CASSINI Hackathons, where they successfully helped the winning team (Yolanda) bring their product to market, showcases their ability to transform ideas into tangible success. Their expertise in supporting entrepreneurs through every stage of development makes them a key partner in this year’s Hackathon. <h3>9. Spain: Arribes Enlightment</h3>Spain’s edition of the Hackathon will be hosted by a distinguished consortium, including <a href="https://arrib.es/" target="_blank">Arribes Enlightenment</a>, <a href="https://www.etsiae.upm.es/" target="_blank">ETSIAE (the Aerospace Engineering School)</a>, and <a href="https://www.madrimasd.org/" target="_blank">Madri+d</a>, a non-profit organisation focused on fostering innovation in tech-based startups. Arribes Enlightenment is a consultancy that advocates for the integration of space technologies into business and industry. Together, these organisations offer a wealth of knowledge, mentorship, and resources, creating a fertile environment for innovative space technology solutions to flourish. With access to Spain’s top aerospace expertise and a robust startup ecosystem, participants in the Spanish Hackathon are well-positioned to develop impactful solutions. <h3>10. Ukraine: NGO Metalab</h3><a href="https://metalab.space/en/" target="_blank">Metalab</a>, based in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, is a unique urban laboratory that focuses on sustainable innovation and product design. It has become a hub for a diverse range of initiatives, encompassing social, educational, and business projects. By fostering a creative and entrepreneurial spirit, METALAB plays a pivotal role in Ukraine’s innovation landscape. Their involvement in the CASSINI Hackathon reflects their commitment to supporting sustainable development and technological progress, particularly in areas where space-based solutions can make a meaningful impact. With their strong community ties and innovative approach, METALAB offers a vibrant platform for participants to bring their ideas to life.

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2. Unmanned Drone Applications for Defence & Security Operations

3. Orbital Security – Navigating the Collision Frontier

1. Enhancing Defence & Security with Geospatial Intelligence

CASSINI Hackathons - EU Space for Security and Defence

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