A hackathon is an event, usually lasting anywhere from a few hours to a few days where people come together to build projects quickly, typically in technology or design to show the feasibility of an idea based on a couple of technologies. Usually the scope is very well defined, and the organisers provide some kind of basic infrastructure and a number of constraints; teams build their mock solution and are evaluated based on pre-agreed criteria; winners are often those with the most creative solution, and not necessarily those with the most complete results. Despite the word “hack,” it is not about illegal hacking; it refers to creative problem-solving and rapid prototyping. Participants (developers, designers, entrepreneurs, etc.) form teams and brainstorm ideas build a working prototype (app, website, hardware, etc.) present their solution at the end. Many hackathons have a theme and offer prices.
The 2026 Hackathon on Interoperability of Digital Public Infrastructure brings innovators to Tokyo to strengthen the EU–Japan Digital Partnership and advance the G7’s Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) initiative. Building on the success of the Bengaluru edition, the event invites cross-regional teams from the EU, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific to create seamless, regulation-compliant prototypes that connect the European Digital Identity (EUDI) framework with Japan’s digital identity ecosystem and foundational platforms such as MOSIP. Participants will have exclusive access to a managed dataspace testbed equipped with Gaia-X and NGSI-LD connectors, enabling them to concentrate on tackling complex cross-border identity and data sovereignty challenges.
What a hackathon involves
- Timeboxed sprint: Usually 1–2 days where teams go from idea to demo under clear constraints and a theme or challenge.
- Team collaboration: Participants with different skills (developers, designers, domain experts) form teams, brainstorm, and create a tangible prototype or concept.
- Innovation focus: The emphasis is on experimentation and producing new, practical ideas or prototypes, not on perfect, finished products.
Why hackathons are important
- Fast problem solving and prototyping: Organisations can tackle well-defined problems in days that might otherwise take months, quickly testing ideas through prototypes.
- Innovation and creativity: They create space to try unconventional ideas and explore new technologies that normal routines do not allow, under the support of experts.
- Skill development: Participants learn new tools, programming languages, and problemsolving techniques in a realistic, high pressure environment.
- Networking and talent discovery: Hackathons connect participants with peers, mentors, and potential employers, and help companies spot promising talent.
- Teamwork and engagement: Working intensely in small teams strengthens collaboration, communication, and motivation, often boosting engagement back in daily work or studies.
A Hackathon before 2nd EU-Japan Digital Week 2026
For the 2nd EU-Japan Digital Week 2026, six teams started brainstorming last Friday 20th March from the University of Tokyo and remotely thanks to the organisers Dr. Franck Le Gall from EGM, partner of the INPACE initiative France and Co-Organiser Prof. Noboru Koshizuka from The University of Tokyo, Japan
The six teams included: Dejima, smartSense, SOMWare Citiverse, NTT DATA, Aralia, and Meguru-X. They transformed a two-day hackathon into a showcase of near-real, interoperable data-space solutions. Their projects ranged from carbon-footprint vehicle comparisons and universal interoperability gateways to citiverse energy communities, cross-border data marketplaces, supply-chain decision platforms, and Digital Product Passport services. Each solution combined advanced technologies such as IAM, blockchain trust layers, NGSI-LD, FIWARE, CADDE/EDC connectors, and AI to bridge EU and Indo-Pacific data ecosystems and deliver practical, user-focused outcomes.
Despite the limited timeframe, teams delivered fully functional systems—not just ideas—showcasing strong execution in interoperability, trust, and real-world applicability. A distinguished jury—Prof. Noburu Koshizuka (University of Tokyo), Ms. Hayashi (Attorney), Antonis Ramfos (ATC), Kari Kolehmainen (VTT), and Vishal Kriplani—evaluated the teams across five key criteria: interoperability, technical excellence, real-world impact, trust & security, and feasibility & presentation.Three teams advanced to the grand finale: Aralia, NTT DATA, and smartSense. Their solutions stood out for exceptional cross-dataspace interoperability, depth of implementation, and readiness to deliver real-world value at scale.
A hackathon is important because it compresses learning, creativity, and collaboration into a short, energetic event that can spark real innovations and new opportunities for both participants and organisers. While no finished product is created, the ideas and prototypes developed give exposure to participants and the platforms being used. The winner will be announced on Thursday and will earn the opportunity to showcase their solutions at the final INPACE event in Brussels in 2027.
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