HackoWattenergy, reimagined by AI.
A hackathon for students in IT, data science, and technology to build AI-based solutions for more efficient, more sustainable household energy management — tackling a real-world challenge in green energy.
Live event snapshot
Household load optimisation
32
teams
10
countries
8
finalists
The objective
Smarter energy, built by the next generation
The main objective of HackoWatt is to develop innovative AI-based solutions that support more efficient and sustainable energy management in households — bringing students together to work on a real-world challenge in green energy.
AI-based solutions
Build applications that put machine learning to work on real household energy data.
Sustainable by design
Every solution targets more efficient, more sustainable energy management at home.
Cross-disciplinary teams
Students from IT, data science, and other technology fields tackle one shared challenge.
International participation
32 teams. 10 countries. One shared challenge.
After registration, HackoWatt brings together a truly international lineup — students from across Europe and beyond collaborating on the same real-world energy problem.
32
participating teams
10
countries represented
Key information
Dates, format, and where to show up
Date
28–30 September 2026
Online participation
Hosted via Discord. The access link is shared with all participants once every team member has completed registration.
On-site location
SpinPLACE, University of Silesia — Bankowa 5, 40-007 Katowice, Poland. A creativity and coworking centre for collaboration.
On-site venue
SpinPLACE, Katowice
A creativity and coworking centre at the University of Silesia, located right in the city centre of Katowice at Bankowa 5 — built for exactly this kind of collaboration.
-
Katowice Market Square (Rynek)
City-centre landmark
-
Katowice Main Railway Station
Main transport hub
-
Spodek
Iconic Katowice landmark & event venue
-
Silesian Museum
Major cultural landmark in the Culture Zone
SpinPLACE
Bankowa 5, Katowice
The challenge
Develop a smart energy management application
Predict and optimise the operation of electrical devices to reduce energy costs and consumption while supporting grid stability.
Team rules
Teams of 2–5 members. Each member must be registered individually.
What your solution should do
- Predicts and optimises the operation of electrical devices
- Reduces energy costs and consumption for the household
- Supports stability of the wider energy grid
Deliverables
What every team submits
~5-minute video
Presenting how the developed solution works and demonstrating its key functionalities.
Summary document
A short presentation or document summarising the solution, its main features, and functionality.
Dedicated submission folder
Each team gets a folder for its final solution, demo video, and a brief description of how it works.
The final round
8 teams advance to the final round, presenting live in front of the jury.
Judging criteria
100 points, four dimensions
Innovation & creativity
Originality, energy optimisation approach, development potential.
Functionality & usability
User value, intuitiveness, effectiveness.
Technical implementation
Code quality, model performance, solution architecture & UI.
Presentation & justification
Clarity of presentation and reasoning behind the proposed solution.
International jury
Good to know
Tools, communication, and support
Tools & resources
- Today: presentation of an example challenge scenario.
- Hackathon start: final challenge scenarios and links to the relevant weather APIs are shared with all participants.
Communication channel
- Discord is the main communication platform during the hackathon.
- The Discord invitation link is shared once all team members have completed registration.
- A Microsoft Teams link is provided as a backup for anyone with Discord access issues.
Technical requirements
- No computers or technical equipment are provided — on-site participants should bring their own laptop and accessories.
- Each participant needs an active Discord account before the hackathon begins.
Mentoring & support
- Mentors are available both on-site and online during designated time slots.
- Exact mentoring hours are shared in the detailed hackathon agenda.
- Reach mentors via dedicated Discord channels and chat throughout the event.
Rules
Regulations and the use of AI
Rules & regulations
The official HackoWatt regulations are available on the event website — please review them carefully before the hackathon.
Pay particular attention to the provisions on intellectual property rights, ownership of developed solutions, and the use of third-party materials or tools.
Use of AI
There are no restrictions on using AI tools during the hackathon — participants are free to use AI-based tools, models, and services as part of development.
Be prepared to explain how AI was used in the development of your solution.
Agenda
Three days, start to finish
Day 1
28 September10:00–10:30
Welcome & opening
11:00
Challenge scenarios released
11:00
Official start of the hackathon
Day 2
29 September11:00
Submission deadline
Afternoon
Final presentation preparation
Day 3
30 September10:00–12:30
Final stage
Announcement of 8 finalist teams · 8-min presentation + 2-min Q&A per team
13:30
Results announcement & awards ceremony
See you in Katowice — or online
HackoWatt kicks off on 28 September 2026
32 teams, 10 countries, one weekend to reshape how households manage energy. Bring your laptop, your team, and your best idea.