Space & Water Nexus Hackathon Connects Technology, Expertise and Potential Users in Noordwijk — Registration Is Open

From 1–3 October 2026, the Space & Water Nexus Hackathon will take place at CometLab, NL Space Campus in Noordwijk, focusing on challenges in water and related areas such as infrastructure and environmental monitoring. Over three days, participants will work directly with challenge owners, potential end users, mentors and experts, with opportunities to develop an existing solution or concept or work on a challenge provided by one of the participating organisations.

Organised by Groundstation.space (dotSPACE) in collaboration with FIERCE, an EU-funded project supporting SMEs through the use of downstream space technologies, the hackathon involves organisations from water and infrastructure, government, space and Earth Observation, and the regional innovation ecosystem.

Rijkswaterstaat, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), NL Space Campus, the Netherlands Space Agency (NLSA), the Municipality of Noordwijk, the Province of Zuid-Holland, Economic Board Duin- en Bollenstreek, Holland Rijnland, InnovationQuarter and AeroVision are among the organisations supporting the event.

Taking place at NL Space Campus, the hackathon connects the space and Earth Observation expertise concentrated in Noordwijk with challenges in areas including water management, infrastructure, agriculture and environmental monitoring. The first confirmed topics include roadside management and the prevention of roadside fires, and soil compaction and its impact on agricultural land. Further challenges, mentors and experts will be announced ahead of the event.

Participants will work with challenge owners and specialists in Earth Observation, data, technology and business, with resources including the Satellite Data Portal and Open Data Space Lab (ODL) available during the event. The programme concludes on Saturday with project presentations, the winner announcement and matchmaking with potential end users and relevant stakeholders.

The winning team will receive a €2,500 cash prize and support from dotSPACE to prepare an application for the FIERCE Financial Support Programme, subject to eligibility and selection requirements. Further follow-up opportunities include a prototyping workshop at CometLab, media exposure and promotion, and a personalised funding opportunity scan.

The October event follows the Dutch edition of the 11th CASSINI Hackathon, held at CometLab in April 2026, which focused on water-related challenges using satellite data. The new hackathon builds on that experience, while also inviting participants to bring existing technologies, solutions and developed concepts that could be relevant to the areas addressed during the event.

Participation is free of charge, including meals and refreshments. Participants can register with an existing team or individually, with support available for those looking to form or complete a team.

An online Info Session & Q&A will take place on 23 September at 16:00, offering prospective participants the opportunity to learn more about the event and connect with potential teammates.

More information and registration:
https://connect.groundstation.space/space-and-water-nexus-hackathon-1-3-october-cometlab

Photo credit: Arend Jan Hermsen, Par-pa fotografie