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Meet the 8th CASSINI Hackathon Winners

 

The 8th CASSINI Hackathon: EU Space for Defence & Security took place earlier across 10 European countries. This edition’s winning teams — from Slovenia, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and Spain —demonstrated creativity, technical expertise, and a shared vision for a smarter and more secure space environment.

This edition of the hackathon saw an impressive turnout, highlighting the growing interest in EU space technologies for defence and security applications. We welcomed 601 participants, resulting in 110 submitted projects. The hackathon was supported by 160 expert mentors guiding teams through the competition.

Meet the winners

Participants focused on enhancing security and defence applications with the EU Space Programme. They tackled three challenges:

  • Challenge 1: Enhancing Defence & Security with Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) – Optimising resource allocation, predicting security threats, and protecting critical infrastructures using space data.
  • Challenge 2: Unmanned Drone Applications for Defence & Security Operations – Developing drone-based solutions for surveillance, disaster response, and security operations, including cybersecurity enhancements.
  • Challenge 3: Orbital Security: Navigating the Collision Frontier – Improving space situational awareness through satellite data to mitigate collision risks and enable safe satellite operations.

We are delighted to announce the winning teams of the 8th CASSINI Hackathon:

1st Place: SpaceGuardian, Slovenia – Preventing Satellite Collisions and Enhancing Orbital Security

SpaceGuardian developed an automated system that optimises orbital manoeuvres, extends satellite lifespans, and reduces space debris using predictive modelling and real-time tracking.

The winning team from Slovenia, SpaceGuardian, presenting their innovative approach to satellite collision prevention.

Watch their pitch!

 

2nd Place: SignalVoid, the Netherlands – Enabling GNSS-Free Drone Navigation for Defence and Security

SignalVoid created an AI-powered geolocation system that enables drones to navigate without GNSS? by using satellite imagery and low-compute hardware, ensuring reliability in GNSS-denied environments.

The SignalVoid team celebrating their breakthrough in GNSS-free drone navigation.

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3rd Place: SignalHawk, Ukraine – Detecting and Mitigating GNSS Spoofing Attacks

SignalHawk developed a real-time monitoring system that detects and counters GNSS spoofing attacks using signal anomaly detection and advanced processing techniques to enhance positioning security.

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The SignalHawk team showcasing their cybersecurity solution for GNSS spoofing detection.

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4th Place: NumantIA, Spain – Tactical Intervention and Assistance through Geospatial Intelligence

NumantIA designed an AI-driven system that prioritises intervention nodes in disaster scenarios, leveraging satellite data to support rapid and efficient emergency response planning.

 

NumantIA, introducing their AI-based emergency response and intervention system.

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All four winning teams will continue to develop their solutions as they enter the CASSINI Mentoring Programme, receiving expert guidance to refine their prototypes and explore real-world applications. Want to find out more about the top 10 finalists’ ideas? Read about the local winning projects on our portfolio page.

 

Feel inspired?

The next CASSINI Hackathon is around the corner, taking place 16-18 May. The 9th edition will focus on Space for Healthcare and will take place simultaneously in Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, North Macedonia, and Romania.