The 2nd CASSINI Hackathon took place on 5-7 November
Our hackers used their skills and knowledge to solve global challenges and make a positive impact!
We looked for determined participants with a passion for developing sustainable solutions. No previous space experience was required. Teams chose a challenge that interested them, and leveraged EU space technologies to connect the Arctic! Check out the process on how to get involved with the hackthon:
the deadline
prior to the hackathon
a team
to success on
the hackathon weekend
Why participate
Draw on your unique skills to create solutions that solve critical problems that literally affect our future.
Roll up your sleeves and compete against fellow coders, creatives and business experts for your chance to win!
Develop your understanding of Copernicus, Galileo & EGNOS with our tailor-made training and support, and learn to design for the future.
Meet fellow hackers and experts from inside and outside the European space ecosystem. Gain experience networking and grow your connections.
Engage with our technical and business experts who will be on-hand throughout the event to help, advise and support you in reaching your goals.
Don’t miss your chance to win prizes on a local and European level. Cash and mentoring opportunities are just two of the many prizes up for grabs!
Explore our theme and challenges
Participants dived into some of the critical challenges faced in the Arctic region with the 2nd CASSINI Hackathon. This fascinating and complex geographical, meteorological and biological ecosystem needs your help! We were looking for determined problem solvers who can develop sustainable solutions that support the Arctic’s future.
The hackathon was open to anyone with a passion for entrepreneurship, the Arctic and EU space technologies. Participants tackled the challenge of their choice using one or several of the following tools:
- Geospatial information from Copernicus Earth observation data and its services
- Positioning technologies from Galileo & EGNOS
- Secure connectivity technologies to conceptualise solutions for the future
Check out our three challenges below
and learn how our participants utilised their knowledge and skills to protect and support this precious region:
Challenge #
Safe passage at sea
Container ships, cruise liners and fishing trawlers are just some of the many seafaring vessels that need to navigate safely in our oceans. The Arctic presents an incredibly challenging environment for these journeys with the addition of sea ice and extreme temperatures. As climates around the world are impacted by our human behaviour, conditions in the Arctic continue to change, calling for adaptive measures. Rising temperatures indicate that future shipping lanes will soon appear in the Arctic, and they will require better connectivity and accurate positioning services.
This challenge calls on bold innovators to either develop ideas or design products, devices or services that ensure seafaring vessels have safe passage at sea. Leverage European space data, information and signals from secure connectivity infrastructures, Copernicus, Galileo and EGNOS to bring your concept to life. Choose from the following solution areas:
- Navigation route optimisation
- Extreme weather and sea ice warnings
- Support for the development and connectivity of future shipping lanes
- Environmental disaster and emergency management
Challenge #
Life on land
Countries in the Arctic polar region experience seasonally varying snow and ice cover, as well as extreme cold-weather conditions. These countries, along with the people and plants that inhabit them, are particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change, such as rising air and water temperatures and melting sea ice. Several remote research stations are located in the region, and their occupants would greatly benefit from innovative connectivity and communication solutions.
This challenge calls on bold innovators to either develop ideas or design products, devices, or services that improve our understanding of the effects of climate change in Scandinavia, Alaska, Russia and Canada, or mitigate the impact of these changes. Leverage European space data, information and signals from secure connectivity infrastructures, Copernicus, Galileo and EGNOS to bring your concept to life. Choose from the following solution areas:
- Environmental monitoring & climate change mitigation
- Renewable energy exploration
- Environmental protection
- Improving connectivity (higher speeds and lower latency) for research stations in remote areas
Challenge #
Caring for our wildlife
Wildlife in the Arctic includes many species of fish and marine mammals, birds and land animals. As human activity and industry look to expand throughout untapped areas of our planet, the natural habitats of these animals become threatened. Rising temperatures also endanger the lives of animals who call the ice their home and whose food comes from the surrounding areas.
This challenge calls on bold innovators to either develop ideas or design products, devices or services to better understand and protect wildlife in the Arctic. Leverage European space data, information and signals from secure connectivity infrastructures, Copernicus, Galileo and EGNOS to bring your concept to life. Choose from the following solution areas:
- Protecting marine biodiversity
- Understanding and forecasting migration routes
- Understanding and mitigating the effects of exploration and development on wildlife
- Understanding the effects of climate change on natural habitats
The hackathon locations
The 2nd CASSINI Hackathon took place simultaneously across 10 different locations on 5 - 7 November 2021. Use the interactive map below to discover the locations!
-
Organised by:
INVENTO
Zagreb, Croatia
![invento]()
-
Organised by:
Nordic Startup School
Tampere, Finland
![nordic startup school]()
-
Organised by:
Aerospace Valley
Toulouse, France
![aerospace valley]()
-
Organised by:
N3xtcoder
Berlin, Germany
![n3xtcoder]()
-
Organised by:
Startup Iceland
Reykjavik, Iceland
![startup iceland]()
-
Organised by:
ComoNExT
Lomazzo, Italy
![como next]()
-
Organised by:
Green and Smart Technology Cluster
Liepaja, Latvia
![green tech cluster]()
-
Organised by:
iDEA
Bucharest, Romania
![iDEA]()
-
Organised by:
Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency – Slovak Space Office Industry BranchBratislava, Slovakia
![sario]()
-
Organised by:
BluSpecs
Madrid, Spain
![bluspecs]()
The hackathon locations
The 2nd CASSINI Hackathon took place simultaneously across 10 different locations on 5 - 7 November 2021. Use the interactive map below to discover the locations!