Deadline: September 1, 2025
Applications are open for the AI x City Climate Action Hackathon 2025. Cities are at the forefront of the climate crisis—and you can help them lead the way. The AI x city climate action hackathon 2025 invites innovators, students, researchers, and technologists to co-create solutions that empower cities to reduce emissions, expand energy access, and build resilience.
This year’s edition builds on the momentum of 2024, with a broader scope, deeper collaboration opportunities, and a unique hybrid format. Participants will gain access to expert mentorship from leading voices in climate science, artificial intelligence, and urban innovation. You’ll also work with curated datasets provided by city networks and partners to bring your ideas to life.
Throughout the hackathon, you’ll be supported by technical workshops and Q&A sessions designed to sharpen your skills and help you develop impactful, actionable solutions. Whether you’re a student team or a seasoned innovator, you’ll be part of a collaborative learning experience focused on real-world implementation.
As part of the “Road to COP30” initiative, this year’s hackathon also includes a regional spotlight on Latin America, with a deep dive hosted in Córdoba, Argentina. This is a chance to engage with local experts, universities, and networks tackling climate challenges in the region.
Themes
To spark even more diverse and impactful solutions, this year’s Hackathon will feature two expanded themes — welcoming experts, students, and innovators from a wide range of fields.
- Theme 1: Expanding energy access and alleviating energy poverty
- Design bold solutions to help cities deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for all — with a special focus on supporting vulnerable communities.
- Theme 2: Identifying actions and tracking implementation
- Develop tools to identify, monitor, and accelerate the actions cities are taking to cut greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen their resilience to climate change.
Benefits
- Finalists will have the opportunity to pitch their solutions during New York Climate Week 2025, either live on stage or virtually.
- Winning teams will receive seed funding to further develop and pilot their solutions and will be paired with a city to explore implementation on the ground.
Eligibility
- The hackathon is open to students, professionals, or a combination of both.
- Participants must develop a methodology to tackle the challenge statement that must be demonstrated totally or partially by an AI application, by using geospatial tools or data, through dashboards or other data science applications or by providing case studies.
Judging Criteria
The jury of experts will be assessing submissions based on four key areas: innovation, impact, feasibility, and presentation.
- Innovation. Originality and creativity of the solution
- Participants should aim to develop unique and innovative solutions that showcase creative thinking.
- Solutions should introduce new ideas or approaches that have not been widely implemented.
- Consideration will be given to how the solution differentiates itself from existing tools or methods.
- Impact. Potential to positively impact cities’ climate action efforts
- Solutions should demonstrate a clear and significant potential to enhance climate action in cities.
- The impact could be measured in terms of the hackathon asks tackled by the solution.
- Solutions should address specific challenges faced by cities and provide tangible benefits to communities.
- Feasibility. Practicality and scalability of the solution
- Solutions must be practical and implementable within real-world urban settings.
- Consideration will be given to the resources required for implementation, including technology, funding, and manpower.
- Scalability is crucial; solutions should have the potential to be adapted and applied to multiple cities or regions.
- Presentation. Clarity and effectiveness of the project presentation
- Participants must clearly articulate their solution, including its purpose, functionality, and benefits.
- Presentations should be well-organized, engaging, and visually appealing.
- The effectiveness of communication will be evaluated, including the ability to convey complex ideas in an understandable manner.
Application
For more information, visit AI x City Climate Action Hackathon.
