Open Calls

Build With AI For Free, No Coding Required: Global Hackathon Opens Registration

by News Editor

Overview

Registration is open for the Elevate Women Global Hackathon 2026, a global online hackathon designed to help participants explore AI, build real products, learn modern tools and connect with like-minded people from around the world. The event is presented by Elevate Women and hosted online via Google Meet.

The hackathon is aimed at aspiring founders, designers, marketers, students, creators, freelancers, community builders and anyone curious about AI and building something new. No coding background is required to participate.

Benefits

The programme begins with a Learning Week from 14 to 18 September 2026, offering practical online workshops designed to help participants move from curiosity about AI to building with AI tools. Sessions will cover AI tools, bots and automations, vibe coding and no-code building, idea development, pitching and public speaking, founder mindset, startup building, networking and community building.

The main hackathon weekend will take place on 19–20 September 2026, when participants will build a real project individually or in teams. Projects may include AI-powered tools, mobile apps, websites, automations, community products, educational tools, creative experiments, social-impact ideas, or startup MVPs.

Participants will have access to mentors and community support, live check-ins, networking, team collaboration, and partner resources during the hackathon. Top projects will be invited to present during an online Demo Day on 25 September 2026. The organisers plan to award prizes to the Top 3 teams, with the prize pool and additional partner-supported rewards to be announced.

Who Can Apply

The hackathon is open to eligible individuals of all genders who are at least 18 years old at the time of registration. While Elevate Women is a women-led initiative focused on advancing women’s participation, leadership and opportunities in technology, the organisers state that eligibility, access, judging and awards are not restricted by sex or gender.

The event is particularly relevant for people interested in AI, startups, digital products and technology creation. Technical or coding experience is not required.

Criteria

The page does not list formal selection or judging criteria. Registration is marked as approval required, meaning requests to join are subject to host approval.

The emphasis is on experimentation, learning, creativity and building a working project, rather than entering with an already advanced technical product.

How To Apply

Interested participants must register through the event page. Registration is subject to host approval.

Key dates:

  • Learning Week: 14–18 September 2026
  • Main Hackathon Weekend: 19–20 September 2026
  • Demo Day & Awards: 25 September 2026

About Elevate Women

Elevate Women is an international women-led initiative that helps more women enter the world of AI, startups, digital products and technology creation. The initiative aims to create a supportive and practical environment where women can explore AI tools, learn practical skills, build projects, meet collaborators and future co-founders, and see technology as accessible, creative and human.

RIF Opens 2026–2027 Researchers In Schools Call For STEAM Visits Across Cyprus

by News Editor

Overview

The Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) has opened a call for expressions of interest for researchers who wish to participate in the “Researchers in Schools” programme for the 2026–2027 school year. The programme invites researchers to take part in visits to schools in Primary Education, Secondary Education, and Secondary Technical and Vocational Education and Training across Cyprus.

First launched during the 2022–2023 school year, the programme aims to increase direct contact and interaction between students, teachers and researchers from different research fields in Cyprus. Its wider goal is to strengthen students’ interest in science, research and innovation, while also showing the relevance of research to everyday life and future career choices.

Programme Objectives

Through school visits, researchers will be invited to present their work to students in an engaging way. RIF encourages the use of creative and interactive presentation methods where possible, as well as equipment or tools that can be transported to schools for demonstration purposes.

For the 2026–2027 initiative, it will also be possible to arrange school visits to research organisations, giving students direct exposure to research environments.

Themes

Presentations should be linked to the STEAM educational approach, covering Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

Visit Schedule

Visits by researchers to schools, and/or visits by schools to research organisations, will be organised around international days connected to the STEAM fields.

The planned visit periods are:

  • Science: 9–13 November 2026, linked to World Science Day on 10 November 2026
  • Engineering: 1–5 March 2027, linked to World Engineering Day on 4 March 2027
  • Mathematics: 15–19 March 2027, linked to World Mathematics Day on 14 March 2027
  • Arts: 12–16 April 2027, linked to World Art Day on 15 April 2027
  • Technology: 17–21 May 2027, linked to World Technology Day on 17 May 2027

Who Can Participate

The call is addressed to researchers interested in visiting schools and presenting their work to students as part of the programme. Participating schools may come from almost all districts of Cyprus, including semi-mountainous, mountainous and remote areas.

After the expression-of-interest stage, RIF will contact researchers to inform them about schools that have expressed interest in hosting researcher visits or organising visits to research organisations. Specific arrangements for each researcher will be made three to four weeks before the relevant visit period.

RIF will select the school based on the researcher’s preferences and availability, as well as the priority order of schools’ expressions of interest. If an issue arises, an alternative arrangement may be made in consultation with the responsible RIF officer.

Support

RIF may, upon request, cover part of researchers’ expenses for travel and the transport of relevant equipment to schools.

How To Apply

Researchers who wish to participate must declare their availability through the online form by 30 September 2026.

About The Programme

The “Researchers in Schools” programme is implemented as part of the European project “CELEBRATE 2.0 – TWO DECADES OF STEAM-POWERED INSPIRATION”, funded by the European Commission under the EU Horizon Europe research and innovation programme for 2021–2027.

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