Hack the Future
Two of Europe’s most dynamic startup ecosystems, Tallinn and Valencia, are uniting to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our time: building sustainable and resilient cities. HACK THE FUTURE is an international hackathon that brings together bold innovators to develop groundbreaking solutions that can be implemented in Valencia. Organized by e-Residency and Startup Valencia, in collaboration with the City of Valencia, the City of Tallin and Garage48, this high-impact event offers participants the opportunity to compete for up to €50K in funding and receive expert mentorship to bring their ideas to life.
The DANA floods of October 29, 2024, left over 200 casualties and displaced nearly one million people in Valencia, highlighting the critical need for global, collaborative solutions to climate change and natural disasters. Taking place on May 20-21 at the Energy Discovery Centre in Tallinn, this official Latitude59 side event is more than just a hackathon. Are you ready to hack the future?
Two of Europe’s most dynamic startup ecosystems, Tallinn and Valencia, are uniting to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our time: building sustainable and resilient cities. HACK THE FUTURE is an international hackathon that brings together bold innovators to develop groundbreaking solutions that can be implemented in Valencia. Organized by the City of Tallinn, the City of Valencia, e-Residency, and Startup Valencia, in collaboration with Garage48, this high-impact event offers participants the opportunity to compete for up to €50K in funding and receive expert mentorship to bring their ideas to life.
The DANA floods of October 29, 2024, left over 200 casualties and displaced nearly one million people in Valencia, highlighting the critical need for global, collaborative solutions to climate change and natural disasters. Taking place on May 20-21 at the Energy Discovery Centre in Tallinn, this official Latitude59 side event is more than just a hackathon. Are you ready to hack the future?
Who is this Challenge for?
🚀 Folks with a business background
💡 Field experts
🎓 IT experts
🚀 Startup founders
🚀 Folks with a business background
💡 Experts in sustainability
💡 Field experts
🎓 Students
🎓 IT experts
We are looking for:
• Entrepreneurs and founders passionate about making a real change, marketing minds
• Sustainability, greentech, crisis response experts, and other professionals who would like to put their skills to use
• Designers, developers, data experts, and other IT experts are needed to develop the solution, as well as anyone else passionate about making a real change in the fight towards a more sustainable and resilient future!
🚀 Startup founders
💡 Experts in sustainability
🎓 Students
Project Categories
🚀 Startup founders
💡 Experts in sustainability
🎓 Students
We are looking for both new and already existing projects that could be piloted in Valencia in the following categories:
• Circular economy: Promoting the reuse of waste and sustainable resource management.
• Mobility and infrastructure: Implementing innovative mobility services and strengthening the resilience of our transportation system.
• Public space recovery: Transforming and optimizing the urban environment.
• Economic recovery through tourism: Boosting the local economy through innovative experiences, sports, and gastronomy.
• Smart cities and digital transformation: Leveraging technology and data to modernize public services and governance.
Why Join?
• Collaborate with world class mentors: Gain expert insights to strengthen your project and scale faster.
• Networking & Investment: Connect with leading industry experts, policymakers, and potential investors.
• Global Exposure & Recognition: Showcase your solution at VDS in October 2025 and gain international visibility and recognition.
• Access to Valencia’s Tech Hub: Be part of one of Europe’s fastest-growing startup ecosystems.
• Make a Real Impact: Help rebuild and strengthen the local economy and enhance disaster resilience in areas affected by the October 2024 floods.
• VDS Startup Competition: By applying to this challenge, you'll also be applying to participate in the VDS Startup Competition organized by Startup Valencia, offering even more visibility and growth opportunities for your startup.
Prizes
The three best teams will get the opportunity to pilot their solutions in Valencia from June to October 2025, powered by funding of up to €50,000 to maximize their impact. The best solutions will be showcased at VDS on October 22-23, 2025, at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, giving them even more opportunities for visibility and growth.
How to Apply?
1. Submit your application by April 30, 2025
2. Join the hackathon in Tallinn (May 20-21, 2025)
3. Implement your project in Valencia (June - October 2025)
4. Showcase your solution at VDS (October 2025)
Spots are limited! Apply now and be part of the future of disaster resilience.
Key Program Highlights
⚙️ Hackathon in Tallinn (May 20-21, 2025): Compete with global startups and build cutting-edge solutions for disaster resilience.
🏗 Implementation Phase in Valencia (June - October 2025): Test and scale your solution in a real-world setting, with up to €50,000 in total prizes.
🌍 Final Presentation at VDS (October 2025): Gain exposure and potential investment opportunities.
Agenda
20 May, Tuesday
09:30h | Doors open & registration. Networking & light breakfast.
10:00h | Opening of the hackathon. Welcoming words by the partners.
10:20h | Introduction to the event: What is the overall flow of the hackathon? What is happening next? Introducing the mentors and the challenges.
10:30h | Pitching the ideas in a 90-second pitch.
11:20h | Team formation.
11:50h | Teamwork & mentoring rounds begin.
13:30h | Lunch
14:30h | Checkpoint #1
15:30h | Teamwork & mentoring rounds continue.
18:30h | Dinner
19:30h | Checkpoint #2
21:00h | Pitch ABC
21:00h | Teamwork & mentoring rounds continue until late in the evening.
21 May, Wednesday
08:00h | Breakfast
09:00h | Checkpoint #3
10:00h | Teamwork & mentoring rounds continue.
13:00h | Lunch
14:00h | Pitch drill #1
15:00h | Pitch drill #2 with a demo.
16:30h | Light dinner & coffee break.
17:00h | The Finals & LIVE stream: 180-second pitches with demos
18:30h | Jury decides & refreshment break.
19:15h | Closing ceremony: announcing the winners.
19:30h | Hackathon after-glow: networking and drinks.
Rules
• The minimum size of the team is 3 members and the maximum size is 6 members.
• Are you joining the hackathon as a team? All team members must register separately and include their team name in their submission. Make sure you have agreed on the same team name.
• Team formation takes place on the first day of the hackathon. Idea owners get a chance to present their ideas, and individual participants can choose the idea they want to work on during the hackathon.
• Pre-made teams will also be confirmed to work at the hackathon on the first day.
• Both new ideas and existing projects must comply with the proposed challenges in the following areas: Circular Economy, Mobility & Infrastructure, Public Space Recovery, Economic Recovery through Tourism, Smart Cities & Digital Transformation.
• Winners are chosen based on prototype quality, team composition, problem-solution fit, prototype feasibility after the hackathon ends, and impact.
Why Valencia?
Valencia is considered the best city in the world for expats, combining innovation, collaboration, and quality of life. For the best hackathon teams, it’s the perfect place to test their solution in a progressive, real-world setting. And where better to start than at Latitude59, one of Europe’s hottest startup events, where bold ideas are born and built.
All rights reserved © 2025 Startup Valencia.
All rights reserved © 2025 Startup Valencia.