Two days to turn real-world industrial challenges into technological solutions.
Companies outline the challenges. Students, engineers, startups, and tech teams develop solutions with the support of experts and mentors.
There is a fee to participate in the event (except for teams). Payment instructions will be sent after registration.
The Industrial Automation & AI Challenge 2026 will bring together industrial enterprises, universities, student and professional teams, technology integrators, startups, clusters, and Industry 4.0–5.0 experts.
The event is centered around real-world business challenges faced by enterprises.
Over the course of two days, participants will review case studies, form teams, and work alongside mentors to develop solutions, prototypes, and roadmaps for their implementation.
The best ideas will have the opportunity to be developed further after the hackathon—in the form of pilot projects, “Test Before Invest” initiatives, internships, R&D, grant-funded, or commercial projects.
The goal is to launch a pipeline of industrial innovation and talent.
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A real-world manufacturing or technological challenge forms the basis of the hackathon case.
02
Students, engineers, startups, and tech teams come together to tackle the challenges.
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With the support of mentors, teams progress from problem framing to solution design, validation, and the final pitch.
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Promising ideas can advance to Test Before Invest, a pilot, R&D, a grant application, or a commercial project.
Not academic case studies, but real-world technological and operational challenges faced by companies.
The opportunity to test your idea with business representatives and technology specialists.
Companies, universities, integrators, engineers, startups, clusters, and EDIHs all in one place.
The best results can move on to piloting, Test Before Invest, R&D, or a commercial project.
For students and recent graduates—opportunities to connect with companies, internships, and potential employment.
Opportunities to establish collaborations around internships, theses, labs, courses, and R&D.
Computer Vision · forecasting · optimization · GenAI for engineers
Data integration · planning · traceability
Diagnostics · anomaly detection · failure prediction
Sensors · edge analytics · OPC UA / MQTT
Robotics · cobots · machine tending · quality control
Process, Equipment, and Production Flow Modeling
Energy Efficiency · Microgrids · Load Forecasting
Industrial System Security
3D · Reverse Engineering · Prototyping
AR/VR · Workplace Safety · Training · Assistive Systems
DAY 1 25.09.2026
DAY 2 26.09.2026
The Industrial Automation & AI Challenge 2026 will bring together those with industrial challenges and those who can create technological solutions for them.
Join the Challenge, find a team, a client, or a partner—and create a project that will continue beyond Demo Day.
There is a fee to participate in the event (except for teams). Payment instructions will be sent after registration.
Co-Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.