DIGIHUB is pleased to announce that we are co-organizing the METACITIES Joint Hackathon, an exciting initiative for students, start-ups, SMEs, and mid-cap companies from Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria to co-create innovative technology-driven solutions for the cities of tomorrow.
The hackathon “Innovative technology-driven solutions for smart cities and Metacities: Shape the future of European Municipalities” will bring together intercultural and interdisciplinary teams to address challenges in three key areas:
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Smart Mobility
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Smart Buildings and Energy Efficiency
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Smart Urban Planning
Who can participate?
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Bachelor, Master, and PhD students from disciplines such as electrical/computer engineering, economics, business management, marketing, and environmental sciences.
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Start-ups, SMEs, and mid-cap companies active in the smart cities domain.
Applicants can apply individually or as a team (up to four members from the same country). The METACITIES consortium will form intercultural groups by including at least one participant from another country in each team. Intercultural teams will be rewarded with one extra point during the evaluation phase.
How does it work?
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Apply online until October 20, 2025 via this link: Application Form. Choose either an individual or team application (adding the names and affiliations of your team members if applicable).
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After applications close, individual applicants will be assigned to intercultural teams, while existing teams may have at least one foreign participant added. Academic level (Bachelor, Master, PhD) will also be taken into account for balance.
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Teams will work virtually from mid-October to the end of November 2025 on one of the proposed challenges.
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Each team must prepare a 4-minute pitch presentation of their solution.
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Guidelines for your pitch presentation are available here: Download PDF – METACITIES Challenge & Pitch Guidelines.
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A mentor will be assigned to each team to provide assistance during the working phase.
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Final presentations will take place in an online event at the end of November 2025 in front of a jury of experts.
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The judging committee will select the winning teams.
Prizes
The team awarded the first prize will have the exclusive opportunity to visit the headquarters of one of the METACITIES partner organizations in another country, with travel and accommodation costs covered.
Additional resources
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A detailed description of the possible challenges and tips for a successful pitch will be presented during the Info Day organized in late October.
Contact persons
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Greece: Dr. Katerina Lamprakopoulou (Postdoc, ESDA LAB, University of the Peloponnese) – k.lamprakopoulou@esdalab.ece.uop.gr
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Bulgaria: Stoyan Nikolov – s.nikolov@digihub.bg
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Cyprus: Dr. Christiana Ioannou (Assistant Professor, UCLan Cyprus) – c.ioannou@cyens.org.cy
Apply here until October 20, 2025: Application Form
Download the full challenge description and pitch guidelines (PDF): METACITIES_Pitch_Guidelines.pdf
