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Arab Youth Space Hackathon in the UAE 2026 to Develop Innovative Solutions Using Satellite Data

By: UAE Space AgencyLast update:
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Deadline
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Applicant criteria

NationalityNo specific nationality required
Age
  • No specific age required
Gender
  • Both

Opportunity criteria

Job locationUnited Arab Emirates
Deadline2026-09-25

Opportunity description

The UAE Space Agency and the National Space Academy, in partnership with Space42, have opened registration for the Arab Youth Space Hackathon 2026: Challenge 813, a regional innovation program targeting students, researchers, engineers, data scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators from across the Arab world.

The hackathon focuses on developing practical solutions using Earth observation data, hyperspectral remote sensing, and Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) to address real-world challenges facing the Arab region in areas such as agriculture, water, climate, cities, the environment, and air quality.

The program is named Challenge 813 after the Arab hyperspectral satellite 813. It aims to transform space data into analytical tools and practical solutions that support decision-making and promote sustainability and innovation across the region.

The program begins with the initial idea stage and progresses to the development of a Proof of Concept (PoC). Up to seven teams will then be selected to move into the incubation stage and develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), before the top three finalist teams are selected.

Challenge Tracks

Teams may choose one of the following six tracks:

  1. Climate Adaptation and Disaster Recovery
    Develop solutions for monitoring floods, droughts, extreme heat, and environmental risks.
  2. Precision Agriculture and Smart Crop Analytics
    Use satellite data to monitor crop and soil health and improve water-use efficiency.
  3. Water Security and Marine Environments
    Monitor water quality, salinity, red tides, coastal areas, and desalination infrastructure.
  4. Blue Carbon and Mangrove Health
    Monitor mangrove forests and coastal ecosystems and assess their carbon storage capacity.
  5. Sustainable Urban Planning and Smart Cities
    Analyze urban growth, heat islands, land-use changes, and infrastructure.
  6. Air Quality and Smart Environmental Monitoring
    Monitor pollutants, gases, aerosols, and air quality indicators.

Benefits

Participants will receive:

  • The opportunity to take part in a regional hackathon focused on space, Earth observation, and artificial intelligence.
  • Access to specialized Earth observation and remote sensing data and tools.
  • Access to Space42’s GIQ geospatial platform.
  • Access to datasets such as EnMAP and Planet, as well as open Earth observation data sources.
  • The ability to use additional tools such as Python, Colab, QGIS, and GitHub.
  • Mentorship and support from experts in space, Earth observation, and artificial intelligence.
  • The opportunity to develop a practical solution from the initial idea stage to a Proof of Concept (PoC).
  • Up to seven teams will be selected to advance to the incubation stage.
  • Incubated teams will receive support in technical development, business development, and commercialization.
  • Selected teams will be supported in transforming their projects into a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
  • The top three winning teams will be selected in the final stage.
  • Winning teams will be invited to attend the awards and recognition ceremony, with travel costs covered for in-person attendance, according to the published schedule.
  • The opportunity to further develop projects into startups or practical pilot projects.

Eligibility criteria

The opportunity is open to participants from the United Arab Emirates and all Arab countries, particularly:

  • University students.
  • Researchers.
  • Engineers.
  • Data scientists.
  • Environmental specialists.
  • Earth observation and remote sensing experts.
  • Artificial intelligence and machine learning developers.
  • Entrepreneurs and startup founders.
  • Innovators interested in space applications and sustainability.

The following requirements should also be considered:

  • Teams may include members from different Arab countries.
  • At least one team member must have a relevant technical background.
  • Relevant technical backgrounds may include Earth observation, remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, computer science, software development, or cloud computing.
  • Teams are expected to have basic Python knowledge.
  • Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.
  • The official website indicates that young people aged 35 or under should make up at least 30% of the required team composition.
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Deadline
(Available)