Hacktech El Niño 2026

Tech for Climate Resilience

REGISTRATIONS ARE CLOSED

Hackathon Dates:
August 28 – September 5, 2026 (Hybrid Format)

Organizers:
IEEE Ecuador Technical Chapters & Strategic Partners

Executive Summary & Purpose

We propose to host HackTech El Niño 2026: Tech for Climate Resilience within the framework of RS LAC 2026. Spearheaded by the IEEE Ecuador Technical Chapters alongside a growing ecosystem of strategic academic, institutional, and industry partners, this initiative seeks to leverage the technical talent of our participants. Together, we aim to engineer actionable, high-impact solutions for critical humanitarian challenges in the Andean region—focusing specifically on disaster monitoring, public health, agricultural resilience, and emergency communications.

The Urgent Need & El Niño Impact

The El Niño phenomenon inflicts severe socio-economic and humanitarian tolls across the Andean region, where climate anomalies disrupt critical infrastructure and vulnerable ecosystems.

  • Agricultural & Economic Destruction: Regional losses in agriculture during severe climate events frequently exceed billions of dollars, directly threatening the food security and livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
  • Public Health Emergencies: Post-flooding standing waters trigger sharp surges in vector-borne diseases—historically driving spikes of over 200% in dengue and malaria transmission rates across affected low-lying areas.
  • Telecommunications Blackouts: Severe rainfall routinely disables standard electrical grids and cellular networks, isolating remote rural communities precisely when emergency alerts are needed most.

HackTech El Niño 2026 directly bridges the gap between crisis and action by converting technical expertise into deployable, real-world solutions—from off-grid emergency mesh networks to predictive AgriTech and health tracking tools.

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Challenge Tracks

The hackathon is structured around four main thematic tracks aligned with regional necessities:

Track 1: Telecommunications & Early Warning Systems in Crisis

  • The Challenge: Heavy rainfall and severe flooding frequently disrupt standard connectivity in remote communities.
  • Objective: Design alternative communication networks (e.g., mesh networks), emergency data protocols, or decentralized early warning platforms capable of operating without conventional cellular or internet infrastructure.

Track 2: Intelligent Systems for Environmental Public Health

  • The Challenge: Stagnant water creates breeding grounds for disease vectors (dengue, malaria) and waterborne pathogens.
  • Objective: Develop digital tools, predictive models, or smart devices for epidemiological tracking, vector monitoring, and sanitary risk mitigation.

Track 3: AgriTech for Food Security & Agricultural Resilience

  • The Challenge: Alterations in rainfall patterns lead to crop destruction, soil degradation, and livestock losses.
  • Objective: Build agricultural technology solutions focused on climate-adaptive crop management, efficient water usage, and loss-prediction platforms for farmers.

Track 4: Community Preparedness, Education & Risk Management

  • The Challenge: Lack of timely information and low disaster risk literacy increase community vulnerability.
  • Objective: Create interactive platforms, disaster simulators, gamified educational tools, or training solutions that empower local populations to prepare for emergencies.

Methodology & Operational Model

The event follows a flexible hybrid framework designed to maximize development time without conflicting with the main conference agenda:

  1. Virtual Launch Phase (August 28, 2026): Kick-off session, track presentations, team matchmaking (3–4 members), and ideation.
  2. Asynchronous Development Phase (August 28 – September 04, 2026): Remote teamwork focused on prototyping, software development, and virtual mentoring sessions.
  3. Onsite Sprint & Pitch Phase (September 05, 2026): In-person prototype testing, onsite mentor guidance, live 3-to-5-minute pitches before the panel of judges, and award presentation during RS LAC 2026.

 

Registration Process & Timeline

  1. Online Form Submission: Applicants must complete the registration form before the official deadline on August 28, 2026.

Choose Team Registration to sign up with a complete group of 3 to 4 members. If you don’t have a team yet, select Individual Registration and we’ll help you match with other participants during our virtual launch!

  1. Validation & Confirmation: The organizing committee will verify RS LAC 2026 registration details and send welcome kits along with access to the virtual communication channels.
  2. Kick-Off Access: Confirmed participants will receive direct credentials for the virtual launch and track briefing sessions on August 28, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) — HackTech El Niño 2026

Participation & Team Formation

  1. Who can participate?

Participation is exclusive to attendees who are officially registered for the IEEE Rising Stars Latin America and Caribbean (RS LAC) 2026 conference.

  1. Can I participate individually, or do I need a team?

All projects are developed in teams. To officially compete, each team must consist of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 4 members.

  1. What if I don’t have a team yet? Can I still register?

Yes, absolutely! You can complete your individual registration. During the first day of the event (virtual launch phase), we will host a matchmaking and networking session to help you meet other participants and form or join a team.

Projects & Solutions

  1. Is it necessary to have a pre-existing solution or prototype?
    No. In fact, we encourage and reward ground-up innovation. All proposals must be developed within the framework of the hackathon; pre-existing commercial products or fully built solutions will not be accepted.
  2. What type of solutions are you looking for?
    We are looking for innovative technological proposals (software, hardware, IoT, predictive models, platforms, etc.) aligned with any of the 4 event tracks:

    » Telecommunications & Early Warning Systems in Crisis
    » Intelligent Systems for Environmental Public Health
    » AgriTech for Food Security & Agricultural Resilience
    » Community Preparedness, Education & Risk Management

  3. Who owns the intellectual property (IP) of the developed solutions?
    Intellectual property belongs 100% to the members of the participating team. Neither IEEE RS LAC, the IEEE Ecuador Technical Chapters, nor event sponsors will claim any ownership rights over the created projects.

Format & Methodology

  1. How will the Hackathon be conducted?
    The hackathon follows a flexible, hybrid model divided into three key phases:

    » Virtual Launch Phase (August 28): The initial challenge will be officially presented during the virtual kick-off session. Participants will receive the challenge context, track information, team formation support, and the guidelines needed to begin developing their solutions.

    » Development Phase (August 28 – September 04):     Teams will work remotely on their initial proposals, concepts, and prototypes. During this period, participants will be able to refine their ideas and prepare for the onsite stage of the hackathon.

    » Onsite Challenge & Final Sprint (September 05):     During the in-person event, teams will receive an additional challenge, adjustment, or new condition related to the original problem. They will have the day to adapt their solution, respond to the new requirements, and develop their final proposal with support from onsite mentors. At the end of the event, each team will present its final results before the judging panel.

  2. What will our team do during the in-person day (September 05)?
    It will be a high-energy day dedicated to:

    » Receiving final feedback from expert mentors.
    » Polishing your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or prototype.
    » Rehearsing and delivering your 3-to-5 minute Final Pitch to the judging panel.
    » Attending the awards ceremony.

  3. How will the mentorship sessions work?
    You will have access to a network of expert mentors in technology, public health, climate resilience, and business (including experts from IEEE Ecuador and RS LAC speakers). There will be scheduled virtual mentoring slots during the asynchronous week, as well as on-demand onsite mentors during the in-person event to guide your technical development and pitch structure.

Registration, Costs & Prizes

  1. Is there an additional fee to participate in the Hackathon?
    No, there is no extra cost. Participation in the hackathon is 100% included with your general IEEE RS LAC 2026 conference registration.

  2. Where and how do I register?
    Registration is completed exclusively online via the official form available on the event website.

  3. Will there be prizes for the winning teams?
    Yes! Awards will be presented to the top 3 teams. The winning teams will receive prizes, and their projects and achievements will also be featured through official post-event social media publications, giving them visibility within the IEEE Rising Stars LAC community.

  4. How will the projects be evaluated?
    A multidisciplinary panel of 5 expert judges in technology, innovation, and sustainability will evaluate the submissions. Scoring will be based on prototype quality, social/climate impact, technical feasibility, and the quality of the live pitch delivered on September 05.