Successful participation in the BCNTechProjects Hackathon, 2026

On 28th, 29th and 30th of January the BCNTechProjects Hackathon was held at the Agora room in the North Campus of the UPC North Campus, organized by the Facultat d'Informàtica de Barcelona and the MIT Edgerton Center, with the participation of around 80 students from 3rd and 4th year of ESO and Bachillerato. This initiative began eight years ago and has grown steadily ever since, with the ETSEIB and the ESEIAAT joining this year as organizing schools, and with the participation of an increasing number of educational institutions from across the region.

The students took part in three interactive activities. One of them was a computational thinking challenge, where they applied logic and problem-solving skills. Another activity focused on artificial intelligence, allowing them to discover how machines learn and make decisions. Finally, they explored the field of cybersecurity, understanding the importance of staying safe in the digital world.

On Thursday, 29 January, the event welcomed Ms. María Galindo, Secretaria de Polítiques Digitals del Departament d'Empresa i Treball de la Generalitat de Catalunya, and the Rector of Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech, Mr. Francesc Torres, who showed interest in the development of the activity and were able to see firsthand the work carried out by the students. 

Throughout the three days, the students faced the challenge of developing an engineering project from scratch and proposing an innovative technological solution. Participants were supported by mentors, engineering students from UPC and MIT, who guided them throughout the process and helped make STEM disciplines more approachable and accessible.

The Hackathon proved to be an excellent and highly inspiring educational activity, receiving very positive feedback from all participants.