OPT/NET BV. and Smooth Stone Dynamics Announce Exclusive Prizes and Support for CASSINI Hackathon Participants in the Netherlands

The 8th CASSINI Hackathon is set to take place in the Netherlands, bringing together innovators in space technology and defence. This year’s event, hosted in Zoetermeer at the Dutch Innovation Factory from 22-24 November 2024, includes new resources, prizes, and exclusive support from the Hackathon partners OPT/NET BV. and Smooth Stone Dynamics to empower participants in developing impactful solutions using space data.

About the CASSINI Hackathon Netherlands

The Dutch edition of the CASSINI Hackathon invites innovators, mentors, and partners to team up and leverage space data to solve critical challenges in defence and security. As the need to protect cyber and physical infrastructure grows, the European Union is turning to space technology to support these efforts. This year’s theme, “Securing the Future of Defence and Security,” focuses on how space-based systems can improve secure communications, support disaster response, and enhance navigation services.

Participants will take on one of three key challenges:

• Enhancing Defence & Security with Geospatial Intelligence
• Unmanned Drone Applications for Defence & Security Operations
• Orbital Security: Navigating the Collision Frontier

Finalists will present their solutions to an expert judging panel, with the top teams receiving the following local awards:

• First Prize: €1,000
• Second Prize: €500
• Special Opportunity: An interview with Groundstation.space and a pitch slot at the NL Space Campus Network & Drinks event

The pool of local prizes is expected to grow. Additional prizes from the central CASSINI team will also be awarded. Accommodations will be provided for participants throughout the hackathon.

OPT/NET BV: Resources for Hackathon Participants

During the recent “EU Space Applications for Defence & Security Operations” information session, OPT/NET BV. announced several valuable resources they are making available to participants:

1. Compute Instances: Virtual machines with 4 or 8 CPU cores, 16GB of RAM, and 100GB storage
2. Access to Earth Observation Data: Including Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Landsat-8 data
3. Open Source dOCLI: A dockerised version of OCLI with backend functionalities and three AI Knowledge Packs (AIKPs) for RGB composites, SAR data clustering, and media publishing
4. WebUI Publishing: Access to the WebUI interface to publish results and data on the Monitored AI Platform
5. Training and Support: Pre-hackathon training and ongoing support for developers during the event

These resources will allow participants to work with real Earth Observation data on the Monitored AI Platform, using OPT/NET’s AIKPs to focus on solving practical challenges in defence and security.

Access OPT/NET BV. presentation

Smooth Stone Dynamics: Exclusive Prizes for Drone-Based Solutions

Smooth Stone Dynamics, presenting at the recent info session, announced additional prizes to support innovative drone-based solutions:

• Extra Prizes for Selected Solutions: Three standout ideas will be chosen
• €500 Budget for Real-Life Testing: Funding to test large drones in defence and security applications

Access Smooth Stone Dynamics presentation

How to Join the CASSINI Hackathon Netherlands

The CASSINI Hackathon is open to students, entrepreneurs, engineers, designers, and researchers who are 18 or older and reside in the EU or a country associated with Horizon Europe. Teams of 3-8 members are welcome to register.

To join, visit the official hackathon platform and sign up by November 15. Whether forming a team or joining one, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the realm of space data and security.

For more information or to register, please visit https://www.cassini.eu/hackathons/netherlands 

Featured image credit: Freepik