From November 7 to 9, Sofia Tech Park will host the 10th edition of CASSINI Hackathons & Mentoring, organized by the European Commission and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). The science and technology park is the first and, so far, the only Bulgarian organization to join the initiative. The hackathon will take place simultaneously in 10 countries: Belgium, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Poland, New Caledonia, and Slovakia.

CASSINI Hackathons & Mentoring offers participants a unique opportunity to develop solutions with high technological and social impact by providing access to resources, data, training, mentoring, and an international community of innovators in space technologies. The initiative is part of the EU Space Programme, which fosters innovation by using data and technologies from the Copernicus, EGNOS, and Galileo satellites.

The hackathon will be held at the Incubator Building, The Venue Hall, Sofia Tech Park. The competition in Bulgaria is expected to attract dozens of teams of students, young professionals, researchers, and entrepreneurs. As Bulgaria’s first science and technology park, Sofia Tech Park develops activities in the fields of information and communication technologies, green energy, life sciences, and entrepreneurship. Among its priorities is also supporting the development of the space industry. “We are proud that Sofia Tech Park will host CASSINI Hackathons & Mentoring, providing a platform for Bulgarian and European talents to transform their ideas into real high-tech innovations with international reach,” commented Todor Mladenov, Executive Director of Sofia Tech Park.

Hackathon Themes:

• Immersive Gameplay with Space Technologies and Data – using Galileo and satellite connectivity to enhance dynamic gameplay and create innovative mechanics.
• Space for Sports: Transform the Game – leveraging the European GNSS navigation system to improve athlete performance analysis and create impactful applications for fans.
• Beyond the Horizons: Rethinking Travel – using satellite imagery and Galileo for safe, sustainable, and personalized journeys.

Who can participate?

• No prior experience in space technologies or programming is required.
• Participants can join individually or form teams during the event.
• The hackathon is open to all adults residing in the EU or in countries associated with the Horizon Europe programme.

An expert jury will evaluate the projects presented during the hackathon at Sofia Tech Park and will award the top three teams. The national first-place winner will represent Bulgaria at the European final, taking place on November 12, 2025. The European-level winner will receive €5,000, 100 hours of mentoring from professionals at the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), and many additional prizes. For the second-place winner, the prize is €3,000, and for the third-place winner – €1,000.

Sofia Tech Park will also provide awards to the winners of the national hackathon:

1st place – 2 workstations at GROWORKING by Sofia Tech Park for one month, plus free access to seminars from the SEEIP incubation program for one year.

2nd place – 20% discount on coworking packages at GROWORKING and free access to SEEIP trainings for one year.

3rd place – a corporate or product photoshoot from the Club House digital studio at Sofia Tech Park for promotional purposes.

For more information and registration- HERE