EU Agri-Hackathon

Shaping the future of agriculture unlocking digital innovation

From 16 to 18 October 2026, the EU Agri-Hackathon connected participants with top experts in agriculture, technology and research as well as business leaders and policymakers from all over Europe.

Farmers, data analysts, developers, researchers, entrepreneurs, students, agri-food professionals and policy experts based the EU worked together to develop practical and forward-looking digital tools to support the farmers of the future responding to their concrete needs.

Over 3 days, 30 teams worked on digital solutions to address 3 challenges facing European agriculture. With the support of mentors and experts, participants developed their ideas and presented their solutions to three jury panels. The three winning teams have been invited to present their projects at the EU Agri-Food Days on 8 and 9 December 2026 in Brussels. 

The challenges

From reducing administrative burden to improving sustainability and strengthening transparency across the agri-food chain, innovative and digital solutions can make a real difference for Europe’s farming community.

All three challenges shared one ambition: simplification. EU farmers today face growing complexity, in administrative obligations, in the data their operations generate, and in the information demands placed on them across the food chain.  

The overarching goal was to build digital solutions that cut through that complexity and give farmers back time, clarity and control. 

Application

The application period closed on 31 August 2026.

Why apply?

1. Teams will benefit from mentoring sessions, exchanges with specialists and opportunities to refine their ideas throughout the event.
2. The developers of the winning project will be invited to an award ceremony as part of the EU Agri-Food Days conference, the yearly flagship conference in the field of agriculture in the EU gathering more than 1 000 people each year. The winning idea will be showcased during the award ceremony, which will offer visibility on European communication channels and great networking opportunities to grow ideas.

Who could apply?

We were looking for farmers, data analysts, developers, researchers, entrepreneurs, students, agri-food professionals and policy experts who have the following profile.

Eligibility Criteria

• Be a citizen of an EU country or legal resident or studying in a Member State of the European Union;
• Be 18 years of age or older at the time of registration
• Be sufficiently fluent in English to participate in all sessions, mentoring, and to submit your project.

The competing teams will own the Intellectual Property (IP) rights of the solutions developed during the EU Agri-Hackathon.

How to apply?

Applicants from a wide range of backgrounds were welcome.

Those who applied individually will be assigned to a team and will meet their team members and all the other participants during a virtual team-building session ahead of the event. 

For those who applied as part of a team, it was recommended to combine different types of knowledge and experience, as this will be taken into account in the selection of the participants in the Hackathon.

Places are limited and participants will be selected based on their profile, motivation and the diversity of skills and experience.  

Find out more in the Applicants kit.