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The largest hackathon in the world, organized by NASA, arrives in Galicia for the first time

The Space Apps Challengeconsidered the largest hackathon in the world and organized by NASA, arrives for the first time in its history to Galicia coinciding with its tenth anniversary. It will do so thanks to the Technological Institute of Galicia (ITG) and NTT Data. Since its first edition, which took place in 2012, more than 180,000 people from 181 countries, as well as 320 cities, have participated.

The mission of this hackathon is to bring citizens together to create innovative solutions to address current global challenges using open data provided by NASA. Various teams of technologists, designers, entrepreneurs and artists collaborate with them.

On this occasion, the hackathon will take place at the headquarters of NTT Data de Galicia, which is in A Coruña. However, you can also participate remotely associated with this Galician venue. This year’s hackathon theme is Make Space, and will be held on October 1 and 2. To participate in the Space Apps Challenge from the Galician headquarters of the hackathon, you must sign up on this website. In addition to Galicia, there will be several venues for this hackathon in other Spanish cities, such as Madrid, Salamanca, Barcelona, ​​Murcia, Alicante, Valladolid and Zaragoza.

This hackathon will be presented in Galicia in collaboration with Alen Space, Abanca Innova, Campus Innova, the Galician Aerospace Innovation Center, IGATA and the aforementioned ITG. These entities will form part of the jury that will decide which of the projects presented offer the best solutions. To do this, they will study and assess different variables. Among them innovation, creativity, the ability to understand the proposed problems and the possibility that the projects can become a reality.

Both NTT Data and the rest of the collaborating entities in the participation of a Galician city in this hackathon will join the 13 space agencies that will participate in it, with the aim of finding creative solutions to help solve real-world problems, both on planet Earth and in space. The one in charge of raising these problems will be NASA.

The solutions that the participating teams can contribute to these problems can be from prototypes to software applications, passing through art projects and communities. The two winners chosen in Galicia will be able to visit the facilities of what will be the future ITG Galaxy-Lab, an AI laboratory applied to drones. In addition, those selected locally in Galicia will go with those from the rest of the hackathon locations to the next phase, and even compete in the world final. Those who win in said final will be able, among other prizes, to visit the NASA facilities.

Pablo Gajino, Technology Manager of NTT Data Galicianotes that “this global event reaches its tenth anniversary with more enthusiasm than ever. We are at a time when promoting interest in technology helps us move towards a more solid and stable model over time. Interconnecting so many talented people, regardless of the region they are in, is essential for us to continue working to give all our talent a career, the basis of our added value as a company”.

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