Romania Sets Participation Record at the 11th CASSINI Space Hackathon
27 April 2026
From 24 to 26 April 2026, innovators, entrepreneurs, developers and students gathered across Europe for the 11th CASSINI Space Hackathon, themed “Space for Water.” Organised under the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the event challenged participants to develop innovative solutions using EU space data from Copernicus, Galileo and EGNOS.
This year’s hackathon focused on three key challenges: improving access to water, tackling water pollution, and monitoring disaster risks through space-based technologies.
The Romanian edition of the CASSINI Space Hackathon was organised by ROSPIN as part of its role as an Innovation Intermediary within the FIERCE Project’s Ecosystem Building Programme. Through this initiative, ROSPIN is strengthening regional innovation ecosystems by connecting entrepreneurs, researchers, startups, industry and public stakeholders, while fostering collaboration and supporting the uptake of space technologies and downstream applications across Europe.
Romania also hosted the official European opening ceremony, with Stefan Schneider, Space Downstream Entrepreneurship Officer at EUSPA, launching the 11th CASSINI Space Hackathon from Bucharest.
The Romanian edition achieved the strongest participation figures across the entire programme, attracting more than 280 registered participants, over 170 active hackers—the largest attendance ever recorded at a single CASSINI Hackathon location—and 38 final pitches.
Throughout the four host cities, ROSPIN worked together with partners from the startup and technology ecosystem, providing participants with valuable mentoring, networking opportunities and hands-on experience in applying EU space data to address real-world challenges. The event further strengthened Romania’s position within the European space innovation ecosystem while inspiring the next generation of space entrepreneurs.
