About the challenge

***At this stage, the judging panel has been carefully selected and finalized, and we are not seeking additional judges****

Please register to receive regular updates and access upcoming sessions listed under the Rules section, which are essential for building a successful project.

** Registration Still Open** Register and Start Building

Recordings from all previous sessions are available here: https://www.oneaquahealth.eu/project-events/

These sessions cover the key concepts, resources, expectations, and guidance participants need for the hackathon, including what we are looking for in strong submissions. We highly encourage participants to review the recordings as they develop and finalize their solutions.

For complete session schedules and participation details, please visit the Rules section.

The IEEE OneAquaHealth Global Hackathon 2026 focuses on improving the sustainability and health of urban freshwater ecosystems by combining technology, citizen science, and the One Health approach. Urban aquatic environments are critical to biodiversity and human well-being but face increasing challenges due to urbanization, climate change, and limited monitoring capabilities.

This challenge invites participants to build solutions that empower citizens and communities to actively contribute to environmental monitoring through intuitive tools and engaging experiences. Teams will explore ways to transform citizen-generated and environmental data into actionable insights that support researchers, policymakers, and local communities in making informed decisions.

Participants are encouraged to leverage AI, data platforms, and digital health standards to improve the accuracy, reliability, and interoperability of ecosystem data while maintaining a human-centered approach. The hackathon also emphasizes raising awareness, fostering community engagement, and promoting long-term stewardship of urban water ecosystems through storytelling, gamification, and participatory design.

By integrating environmental, climate, and citizen data, teams will help build early-warning systems, resilience tools, and decision-support platforms that strengthen ecosystem sustainability. Ultimately, this hackathon aims to advance the OneAquaHealth mission of connecting ecosystem health, biodiversity, and human well-being, driving innovation toward healthier communities and a more sustainable future.

The hackathon aligns closely with the OneAquaHealth project, which is funded by the European Union. OneAquaHealth connects ecosystem health and human well-being through innovative tools for early detection of environmental risks. By combining biodiversity indicators, digital monitoring technologies, and community participation, OneAquaHealth helps identify how urban aquatic ecosystems respond to stressors. This holistic One Health approach supports evidence-based decisions for healthier, more resilient cities.

Get started

• Register on Devpost before the deadline
• Form a team or participate individually
• Choose a track aligned with your interests
• Understand the problem and define your impact
• Build a prototype using AI, data, or citizen science approaches
• Follow OneAquaHealth project on LinkedIn, X and Facebook to make hackathon announcements, engage with the community in Europe and receive ideas that may support your project.
• Join the OneAquaHealth Community to connect with researchers, innovators, and citizen scientists and access domain knowledge relevant to your hackathon solution.
• Download and use the OneAquaHealth Citizen Science App to explore real environmental data, contribute your own observations, and gain hands‑on experience with the types of inputs your hackathon prototype may build upon.
• Join sessions & mentorship for guidance
• Submit your project with demo, code, and description

Focus on building solutions that are impactful, practical, and scalable.

• Impact & Alignment with OneAquaHealth project Mission
  How well the solution improves monitoring, protection, awareness, or sustainability of water ecosystems and their connection to human, animal, and environmental health
• Innovation & Creativity
  Originality of the idea and creative use of technology to address ecosystem and citizen science challenges
• Architecture
  Quality of prototype, architecture, functionality, and effective use of tools, APIs, or data sources
• UX
  Ease of use, clarity of interface, and accessibility for intended users
• Scale
  Potential for real-world implementation, scalability, and integration with existing systems