Please note that recruitment is open exclusively to international SUNRISE partner universities.

HackCarpathia 2026 will once again transform Rzeszów into a hub of innovation, collaboration, and cross-cultural exchange. The event will take place on 18–19 April 2026 and is co-organized by the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów (UITM) and the Podkarpackie Innovation Center. This 24-hour hackathon will bring together students from across Europe to work side by side and create solutions with real-world impact. HackCarpathia invites participants aged 16+ from a wide range of academic backgrounds, including technology, engineering, design, business, social sciences, and the arts. What connects them is the desire to explore and collaborate beyond borders. As a member of the SUNRISE Alliance, UITM extends this invitation especially to students from partner universities across Europe, encouraging them to join a shared experience of innovation and international community-building.

This year, the focus is on quality of the projects. Participants are encouraged not only to design innovative solutions, but to consider how these solutions can continue to grow beyond the event itself. Throughout the 24 hours, teams will collaborate with mentors, developing ideas in an environment that is both fast-paced and highly supportive. HackCarpathia is a space where concepts move quickly from inspiration to prototype, and where curiosity and teamwork shape the process just as much as technical skill.

The experience will not end once the hackathon concludes. On 20 April 2026, the best teams will advance to a final gala event held in Rzeszów – a prestigious occasion where finalists will pitch their projects in front of business leaders, city representatives, regional stakeholders and the media. This gala offers an exceptional opportunity for student teams to gain visibility, secure support, and potentially continue developing their solutions beyond the competition. The best project will receive the HackCarpathia 2026 Grand Prize.

HackCarpathia is more than a competition – it is a meeting place for young innovators who believe that ideas gain strength through dialogue, collaboration, and shared ambition. Students from SUNRISE Alliance universities are warmly invited to join us in Rzeszów, contribute their perspectives, and take part in shaping the future of innovation together. HackCarpathia 2026 is where ideas gain momentum and collaboration shapes what comes next. We look forward to welcoming participants to Rzeszów on 18–19 April 2026 and celebrating the most inspiring solutions at the gala on 20 April 2026.

If you would like to join HackCarpathia 2026 in Rzeszów as a SUNRISE participant, please contact your local SUNRISE representative to register your interest and receive further guidance.