EUDIS Defence Hackathon Netherlands – FAQ

The hackathon is open to citizens and residents of EU Member States, Norway, or Ukraine, aged 18 and above.

Yes, you must be both a citizen and a resident of an eligible country (EU Member State, Norway, or Ukraine) to participate.

Yes, participants must be 18+. There is no upper age limit.

Yes. You can register as an individual and form a team later via the TAIKAI platform or on-site.

Register through the TAIKAI platform and follow the instructions (to be sent by email) afterwards. Make sure to select the Dutch edition when signing up.

Registration closes on 10 October 2025 at 09:00 CEST.

No, all eligible registrations are accepted; however, we cannot host more than 60 people on site. Organisers will check that participants meet the eligibility criteria (citizenship, residency, and age).

Teams must have between 2 and 8 members.

Yes, the TAIKAI platform and on-site networking will help you to find teammates. 

Teams must register under one location. You can have members from different countries, but all team members should join the same local edition (for example, all under the Netherlands hackathon on TAIKAI).

No. Evaluation is based on the work produced during the hackathon.

Collaboration happens on the TAIKAI platform, alongside whatever tools your team prefers.

The hackathon will take place at Unmanned Valley in Katwijk.
Facilities of CometLab at NL Space Campus will be available when needed.

The event begins Friday afternoon (17 October) at 15.00 sharp and runs until Sunday evening (19 October). Detailed schedules will be shared closer to the date.

The hackathon is primarily in person. Hybrid teams are allowed, but at least one team member (preferably 2) must be present on site.

Workspace, internet, various equipment and a basic setup are provided at CometLab. If you need special tools or equipment, you should bring your own.

Yes — lunch, dinner, snacks, fruit, coffee, tea and soft drinks are included. Please notify us by email if you have dietary restrictions.

Yes. We’ve arranged discounted group accommodation for participants.
– Hotel: Beach Hotel Katwijk (≈10-15 minutes by bike or car from the venue)
– Price: €30 per person for the full weekend (2 nights), including breakfast
– Capacity: 36 spots in shared rooms for 4–6 people (teams/groups can room together; solo participants will be matched)
– Placement: Participants living within 15 km of the venue will be placed on a reserve list so we can prioritise those travelling from farther away (We keep teams as much as possible together). We’ll notify reserve-list participants if a spot opens.

How to book?

Registered participants will receive a hotel registration form via email. The form will ask for your full name, nationality (for hotel registration), and rooming preference (team name / single-gender / mixed).
Once the form is submitted, you’ll receive a payment request for the dotSPACE hotel voucher. Accommodation is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Details & notes
– Check-in/out times will be confirmed in your booking email.
– City tax and parking info will be included in the confirmation.

You’re also welcome to arrange your own accommodation in Noordwijk, Katwijk, or nearby towns.
Questions? Reach us at hackathons@groundstation.space 

Yes, experts from defence, research, and industry will support participants throughout the weekend.

Projects will be evaluated by a jury of representatives from Defence and industry. The lineup will be announced soon.

The Dutch hackathon offers a local prize pool of at least €5,000. Details are available on the TAIKAI platform.

Winners join the European mentorship programme and compete in the EU finals.

It’s a 40-hour tailored programme where EU-level mentors help refine your project and prepare your team to pitch at the European stage.

Yes. The hackathon is a launchpad — partners will discuss concrete opportunities for follow-up and scaling.

Yes. Some extra equipment will be available at CometLab, but participants should bring their own devices.

No, participants must cover their own travel and accommodation.

Yes. We’ve arranged discounted group accommodation for participants.
– Hotel: Beach Hotel Katwijk (≈10 minutes by bike or car from the venue)
– Price: €30 per person for the full weekend (2 nights), including breakfast
– Capacity: 36 spots in shared rooms for 4–6 people (teams/groups can room together; solo participants will be matched)
– Placement: Participants living within 15 km of the venue will be placed on a reserve list so we can prioritise those travelling from farther away (We keep teams as much as possible together). We’ll notify reserve-list participants if a spot opens.

How to book?

Email hackathons@groundstation.space  with: 1) Full name, 2) Nationality (for hotel registration), 3) Rooming preference (team name / single-gender / mixed).

You’ll receive a payment request for the dotSPACE hotel voucher. Spots are first-come, first-served.

Details & notes
– Check-in/out times will be confirmed in your booking email.
– City tax and parking info will be included in the confirmation.

You’re also welcome to arrange your own accommodation in Noordwijk, Katwijk, or nearby towns.
Questions? Reach us at hackathons@groundstation.space 

Unmanned Valley is easy to reach by car, and there is plenty of (free) parking space. The address for your navigation system is Marinevliegkamp 356, 2236 ZZ Valkenburg (ZH). If your satnav system doesn’t recognise this address, please use 1e Mientlaan, 2223 LA Katwijk.

During the morning and evening rush hour, you can travel three times an hour in approximately 25 minutes from Leiden Central to Unmanned Valley (and back). Line 35 runs between bus stop Duinvallei/N206 and the former naval airbase/bus stop Field Lab Unmanned Valley. During peak hours, buses to and from Leiden (bus lines 30, 31, 38 and 221) call at the Duinvallei/N206 stop 15 times an hour.

Outside rush hour you travel once in approximately 45 minutes (including 10 minutes walk) from Leiden Central to Unmanned Valley (get off at the stop 1e Mientlaan, Katwijk).

Plan your trip with 9292.nl.

All sessions and teamwork are in English.