The 12th CASSINI Hackathon, themed "EU Space for Peace and Resilience", runs on 27-29 November 2026 in ten locations at once, and registration closes on 20 November 2026. You join by choosing a local site and registering on the official Taikai page; the organisers say no space experience is needed. Details below are as of 30 October 2026, taken from the official CASSINI Hackathons site.

Key dates

  • Registration: opened 28 September 2026, closes 20 November 2026.
  • Big Ideas Campaign (optional preparation webinars): starts 2 November 2026 on the Taikai page; check it for the end date.
  • Hackathon weekend: 27-29 November 2026.
  • Demo Day: 2 December 2026, according to the organisers' locations page.

Where it takes place

Each country has its own organiser and runs its own programme, so check the local page for times and venue. The ten sites are:

  • Sofia, Bulgaria (Risk Space Transfer - Technology Transfer Office)
  • Prague, Czech Republic (Prague Innovation Institute)
  • Espoo, Finland (Ultrahack)
  • Darmstadt, Germany (CESAH)
  • Dublin, Ireland (National College of Ireland)
  • Turin, Italy (Pro.M.Oda)
  • Kaunas, Lithuania (Tech-Park Kaunas)
  • Warsaw, Poland (Blue Dot Solutions)
  • Bucharest, Romania (Romanian Tech Startups Association)
  • Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine (METALAB)

Pages for each country sit under cassini.eu/hackathons, for example Poland, Romania and Ukraine.

The three challenges

Teams build a product or service using Copernicus (Earth observation) and Galileo (satellite navigation) data around one of three themes:

  1. Cybersecurity for space-based strategic enablers.
  2. Space-enabled crisis response and civil resilience.
  3. Countering transnational crime and terrorism with space data.

Prizes

The official page lists cash prizes of EUR 5,000 for first place, EUR 3,000 for second and EUR 1,000 for third, plus six months of mentoring. The official page points to the Rules of Contest for the binding terms, so read them on the Taikai page before registering.

How to join, step by step

  1. Pick a location from the list above and read its local page.
  2. Register on the Taikai registration page before 20 November 2026.
  3. Optionally follow the Big Ideas Campaign webinars, which start on 2 November.
  4. Form a team, or look for teammates once you are registered. Team size is not stated on the main page, so ask your local organiser.
  5. Arrive for the Friday kick-off and plan to submit on Sunday.

Example weekend schedule: Warsaw

Local programmes differ. As published on the Warsaw page (all times CET, as of October 2026), the weekend runs like this:

  • Friday 27 November: registration from 16:30, welcome at 18:00, international sharing session at 18:30, ideation session at 20:30.
  • Saturday 28 November: kick-off at 09:30, expert presentations and mentoring sessions through the day, workshop pitching at 16:00.
  • Sunday 29 November: pitch training at 12:00, submission deadline at 15:00, local pitching contest from 15:05, winners announced at 18:00.

The main CASSINI page gives the same Sunday anchors: submission and pitches at 15:00 and winners at 18:00. Venues in other time zones, such as Ivano-Frankivsk, may shift local clock times, so check your own page.

Who can take part

The organisers invite entrepreneurs, students and anyone interested in space. Formal eligibility criteria beyond the Rules of Contest are not listed on the event page. If you build a startup from the result, our guide to technology readiness levels helps describe how mature your prototype is, and the Europe conference calendar lists where to pitch next. More weekend formats are collected under Makers and Conferences.

Frequently asked questions

When is the CASSINI Hackathon registration deadline?

Registration closes on 20 November 2026, according to the organisers' locations page, a week before the weekend starts.

Do I need space or satellite experience?

No. The event page states that no space experience is needed.

When are the winners announced?

Winners are announced on Sunday 29 November 2026 at 18:00 CET on the Warsaw programme, following submissions at 15:00. Demo Day follows on 2 December 2026.

How much can a team win?

EUR 5,000, EUR 3,000 or EUR 1,000 for the top three places, plus six months of mentoring, per the official page.