The UPWELLING project will once again promote blue innovation this year through the organisation of Ocean Hackathon® 2026 across four Atlantic cities. At the same time, the Call for Challenges is now officially open, inviting individuals, organisations and maritime initiatives to submit their ideas and challenges for this new edition.
Ocean Hackathon® 2026 will take place from 16 to 18 October 2026 simultaneously in several local editions coordinated by UPWELLING project partners:
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain): Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias (PLOCAN) & Innovalia Association
- Cork (Ireland): Cork County Council
- Brest (France): Technopôle Brest-Iroise
- Olhão (Portugal): Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA)
Over the course of three days, the hackathon will bring together developers, researchers, entrepreneurs, students and maritime professionals to work collaboratively on innovative solutions based on ocean data.
A challenge can range from a simple idea or a need identified within the maritime community to a more advanced project requiring additional expertise or momentum. Both individuals and organisations are welcome to become challenge owners.
To qualify, challenges must:
- Be linked to oceans and seas, their sustainable development and/or preservation
- Lead to new ideas or innovative solutions
- Be based on data
- Require prototype development during the event
The deadline for challenge submissions is 30 May 2026.
Participants can explore challenges from the 2025 edition for inspiration and submit their proposals via the following link:
https://lnkd.in/eZgu_Gsb
Through this new edition, UPWELLING continues to foster international collaboration and support the creation of innovative solutions for a more sustainable maritime future.