The two-day hackathon organised by the Engage 2 group aims to encourage innovation, address real-world challenges and connect young professionals and experts in air traffic management.
Funded by SESAR, the hackathon in Madrid takes place on 24-25 March 2025 and is open to students, young professionals and early-career researchers. Registration is open until the 26 January.
The hackathon will challenge participants to work in teams to design innovative solutions for pressing issues in air traffic management. Under the guidance of experienced mentors, attendees will develop ideas that address industry needs while building connections with professionals and peers.
The hackathon’s winners will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Airspace World 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. worth up to €750 per person, with a maximum of €3,000 per team, plus €100 vouchers for each team member. Winners will also be invitation to a breakfast with industry CEOs and have the opportunity to present their idea at the “Future Skies: Tomorrow’s Voices” event, sponsored by CANSO.
The second-place team will be awarded €500 in vouchers for online training platforms or other educational resources.
The hackathon, which is the first organised by Engage 2 is supported by ANSP trade association CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and data science and artificial intelligence company DataBeacon.
In addition, mentors at the hackathon will include experts from the Airport Regions Council (ARC) and France’s ENAC (École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile).
Engage 2 is a European research network launched in 2023 that aims to drive collaboration across academia, industry, and regulators to advance innovative solutions for air traffic management. Members of the Engage 2 consortium include consultants Deep Blue, several universities and research institutions, Frequentis, and Eurocontrol.