Nairobi, Kenya — An Earth Observation (EO) Hackathon has officially kicked off at the University of Nairobi’s Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Innovation (C4DLab), bringing together students, researchers, and innovators to develop data-driven solutions using satellite and geospatial data.
The two-day hackathon, which began on January 13, 2026, is being held in collaboration with the Kenya Space Agency (KSA) and Expertise France (EF).
The initiative is designed as a hands-on, immersive innovation programme where multidisciplinary teams work with real Earth observation datasets to develop practical and impactful prototypes.
Earth Observation Hackathon Kicks Off at UoN to Drive Data-Driven InnovationToday on January 13, the University of Nairobi C4DLab in collaboration with Kenya Space Agency (KSA) and Expertise France (EF), kicked off Earth Observation hackathon 2026.The EO Hackathon is a
During the hackathon, participants will engage in problem discovery, solution design, data analysis, and rapid prototyping, with support from expert mentors drawn from academia and the space and technology sectors.
The solutions being developed are focused on addressing real-world challenges in climate resilience, agriculture, public health, urban planning, disaster management, and environmental sustainability, areas where Earth observation data plays a critical role in informed decision-making.
According to the Kenya Space Agency, the hackathon aims to strengthen Kenya’s national capacity in space technology applications while nurturing a new generation of innovators capable of building tools that support evidence-based policymaking and sustainable development.
The initiative also underscores growing collaboration between academic institutions and national agencies in leveraging space-based data to address socio-economic and environmental challenges facing the country
