The Kenya Space Agency (KSA), Expertise France (EF), and the University of Nairobi’s C4DLab are pleased to announce the launch of the EO Hackathon 2026—a flagship innovation challenge empowering students to use satellite data, geospatial analytics, and AI to tackle real-world problems affecting Kenya and the world.
This year’s edition invites University of Nairobi students to design practical, data-driven solutions focused on climate resilience, agriculture, public health, urban planning, disaster management, and environmental sustainability.
🚀 About the Hackathon
The EO Hackathon is a hands-on, immersive innovation program where multidisciplinary teams work with real Earth-observation datasets to develop impactful prototypes. Through a guided process, participants engage in problem discovery, solution design, data analysis, and rapid prototyping supported by expert mentors.
The initiative strengthens Kenya’s national capabilities in space technology applications and nurtures young innovators capable of building tools that support evidence-based decision-making.
👥 Who Can Apply
Applications are open to University of Nairobi students (undergraduate and postgraduate) from all faculties and disciplines, including:
Computing & Informatics, Engineering, Geospatial & Environmental Sciences, Public Health & Medicine, Agriculture & Food Systems, Business & Economics, Urban & Regional Planning, Social Sciences
Any other field with interest in innovation and data-driven problem solving
Teams must consist of four students. Multidisciplinary, inclusive, and gender-balanced teams are strongly encouraged.
🔍 What You’ll Work On
Participants will build solutions grounded in Earth-observation data from programs such as Copernicus, Airbus EO, and other global satellite missions. Possible areas of focus include:
Climate change adaptation and resilience, Agriculture and food security, Public health surveillance, Disaster risk monitoring and early warning, Urban infrastructure and settlement mapping, Water resources and environmental protection, Smart cities and mobility, Land use and forest monitoring
Solutions may take the form of:
AI/ML models, Data dashboards, Mobile and web applications, Mapping and detection tools, Decision-support systems, Analytical or predictive algorithms
🏆 Why Participate
Participants will gain access to:
Expert mentorship from KSA, EF, UoN, and industry
Free training in satellite data processing and geospatial analy
Networking with national and international experts
Certificates of participation
Opportunities for project incubation through C4DLab
National visibility for outstanding teams
This is a unique chance to build real solutions with real data, and contribute to Kenya’s innovation and space-technology ecosystem.
📅 Important Dates
Call Opens: 1 December 2025
Application Deadline: 15 December 2025
Hackathon Week: 20–26 January 2026
Venue: University of Nairobi – C4DLab
📝 How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online using the official portal:
👉 Apply Here: https://forms.gle/eFHKk2zjQ3HFhLqV9
Each team should provide:
Team name
Member details
Faculty/discipline representation
Proposed area of challenge
Brief motivation statement
🤝 About the Partners
Kenya Space Agency (KSA)
KSA promotes, coordinates, and develops Kenya’s space sector, enabling the peaceful use of outer space for national development.
Expertise France (EF)
EF is a French public agency supporting global development, promoting innovation, climate resilience, governance, and digital transformation.
University of Nairobi (UoN) – C4DLab
C4DLab is the university’s innovation hub, driving research, applied innovation, and technology development across Kenya.
📩 Contact Us
For enquiries, please reach out:
Email: hello@c4dlab.ac.ke
Phone: +254 720 650 592