SpaceShield Hack 2026 – innovations that are shaping the future
26 May 2026
SpaceShield Hack is a 24-hour hackathon that brought together participants from across Poland and Europe. The event focused on developing innovative solutions to address current technological and social challenges – particularly in the fields of security, the space sector and modern technologies. During an intensive 24-hour working session, the teams were supported by over 50 mentors representing the academic community, the new technologies sector, and the space and defence industries. Among them were renowned experts, including former NASA director John Hall and science communicator Krzysztof Kurdyła (“Nauka. To Lubię”).
Following an intense marathon of work, the jury selected the winners in several categories. In the SPACE category, the CTRL team took first place, with RAM pam pam in second and 3BGW in third. In the DEFENCE category, Signal Vector took first place, followed by Baltic Space and the team ‘No Name’. In the DUAL USE category, the 404 team triumphed, with Dwóch Muszkieterów in second place and dywizjon404 in third.
The main prize in the OPEN category went to the Grzegorz Brzęczyszczykiewiczowie team from Chrząszczyżewoszyce in the Łękołody district, with GOTHAM in second place and Promil ++ in third. Honourable mentions were also awarded to the teams Sigma Vector and Space Wizards, along with special partner prizes – from ALDEC to Los Toros and from the Polish Rocket Society to Baltic Space – and an honourable mention for ZGS.SpaceShield Hack 2026 has once again demonstrated the importance of collaboration between academia, business and the public sector.
The event provided a platform for developing technological expertise and projects with real market and social potential. CloudFerro was the event’s strategic partner, funding prizes with a total value of 100,000 zł.
It was also implemented as part of the FIERCE project’s Ecosystem Building Program. Within this programme, the Stalowa Wola Regional Development Agency (StARR) acts as an innovation intermediary, fostering collaboration between innovators, businesses, research institutions and public stakeholders, while supporting the development of a strong regional innovation ecosystem.
The event was held under the honorary patronage of, amongst others, the European Parliament, the Minister of National Education, the Minister of National Defence, the Marshal of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, the Mayor of Stalowa Wola, the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) and the Research and Academic Computer Network (NASK).
One of the key objectives of the hackathon is to continue supporting the projects developed during the event. To this end, the Hyper Space Jump initiative is being developed – a support programme for start-ups in the space and defence sectors. Run by the Stalowa Wola Regional Development Agency (StARR), the programme offers participants non-repayable funding, access to infrastructure and collaboration with international experts – without the need to give up shares in their companies.
Other partners included the Academic Foundation in Stalowa Wola, the Tarnobrzeg Special Economic Zone Euro Park Wisłosan, Chamot, Škoda Edward Buława, SIR Stalowa Wola and Fabryka Zdrowia. This year’s edition demonstrated that young innovators are becoming increasingly bold in developing solutions for the space and defence sectors. SpaceShield Hack not only promotes creativity and entrepreneurship, but also strengthens the foundations of Poland’s modern technology-driven economy. The organisers have announced further editions of the event, which will bring together the scientific, start-up and industrial communities even more closely.
