Pillar III: European Citizens' Hackathon Championship

The European Citizens' Hackathon Championship aims to foster stronger translation of research and innovation results into society and the economy by upscaling knowledge valorisation capacities. The initiative brings together researchers, citizens, and various stakeholders in transnational, transdisciplinary teams to co-create innovative solutions that address societal challenges. Supported activities include mentoring, business and technical advice, and entrepreneurship training, ultimately promoting new business startups and a greater awareness of societal challenges. The hackathon consists of annual competitions over three years (2027-2029), starting with multiple local hackathons across Europe and culminating in a European-level championship among winning teams, which will receive financial awards to support market uptake of their solutions. The project also focuses on inclusiveness, accessibility, and gender equality throughout its phases.

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Agency	HORIZON (EU)
Region	EU
Country	N/A
Legal form	Company, NGO, Government organization, Other
Start date	10 Dec 2025
End date	12 Mar 2026
Max funding	EUR 3,000,000 per grant
Budget	EUR 3,000,000 in 2026 for this action (one grant expected)
Coverage	Financial support to third parties is to be provided in the form of prizes only. The maximum amount to be awarded to each third-party (e.g., winning team) is EUR 20,000. Each annual competition offers a total of EUR 60,000 in prizes, equally shared among three winning teams.

Grant application conditions

Consortium Composition	Applications must be submitted by a consortium of at least three independent legal entities, each established in a different EU Member State or Associated Country, with at least two established in Member States.
Eligible Countries	Applicants must be from EU Member States or Associated Countries as described in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and Financial Capacity	Applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity; see Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Financial Support to Third Parties	Beneficiaries must provide financial support to third parties exclusively as prizes; the maximum amount per third party is EUR 20,000.
Duration	Expected project duration is up to 4 years, unless a longer period is justified.
Annual Event Structure	Over three consecutive years, the competition must include local hackathons (in at least 14 physical locations across Europe) and a final European-level championship among winning teams.
City Hosts	The three cities hosting the yearly European-level hackathons must be members or associated partners of the consortium.
Physical and Digital Accessibility	Accessibility should be ensured throughout all phases.
Inclusiveness & Gender Equality	Promote inclusive gender equality and address gender-specific challenges where relevant.
Synergies	Proposals should seek synergies with other relevant European programmes where possible.
Programme of Activities	The detailed activities plan and the theme for the first annual competition must be delivered within 3 months from the start of the grant and approved by the granting authority. Themes for subsequent years are subject to approval in months 14 and 26.
Documentation	https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-06

Eligible expenses

Evaluation criteria

Business exclusions

Reporting

Application process

Application requirements