AI x City Climate Action Hackathon 2025 | Sign Up Today

Join the AI x City Climate Action Hackathon 2025 to create AI-driven climate solutions for cities. Open to students and professionals, with a submission deadline of September 1, 2025. Sign up now!

The AI x City Climate Action Hackathon 2025 is a global, hybrid initiative inviting students, technologists, researchers, and professionals to develop AI-powered solutions for urban climate challenges. Organized by leading organizations like the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), Urban Transitions Mission (UTM), C40 Cities, ICLEI, and Open Earth Foundation, this hackathon builds on the success of its 2024 edition to drive sustainable, people-centered urban transformation.

With a submission deadline of September 1, 2025, and a finalist pitch event at New York Climate Week 2025, participants can create scalable solutions to reduce emissions, enhance resilience, and promote equitable energy access in cities worldwide.

This guide details the hackathon’s themes, eligibility, submission requirements, judging criteria, and key dates, equipping innovators to contribute to a climate-resilient urban future.

Key Takeaways

• The AI x City Climate Action Hackathon 2025 is a global, hybrid event to develop AI-driven climate solutions for cities, with a focus on energy access and climate action tracking.
• Open to students, professionals, and interdisciplinary teams, with submissions due by September 1, 2025.
• Finalists pitch at New York Climate Week 2025, gaining seed funding, mentorship, and city partnerships.
• Features a regional spotlight on Latin America, with a deep-dive in Córdoba, Argentina.

What Is the AI x City Climate Action Hackathon?

Empowering Cities with AI Innovation

The AI x City Climate Action Hackathon 2025 is a collaborative platform to address urban climate challenges through artificial intelligence, geospatial tools, and data science. Building on the 2024 hackathon at the Innovate4Cities Conference (I4C24) in Montréal, this year’s edition expands its scope, offering participants access to expert mentorship, curated datasets, and technical workshops. Organized by GCoM, UTM, C40 Cities, ICLEI, and Open Earth Foundation, the hackathon aligns with the “Road to COP30” initiative, emphasizing scalable, people-centered solutions for urban resilience and sustainability.

Program Structure

• Hybrid Format: Participate virtually or in-person, with a regional deep-dive in Córdoba, Argentina.
• Themes:
  • Expanding Energy Access and Alleviating Energy Poverty: Design solutions for reliable, affordable, sustainable energy, prioritizing vulnerable communities.
  • Identifying Actions and Tracking Implementation: Develop tools to monitor and accelerate city actions for emissions reduction and resilience.
• Activities:
  • Launch Webinar (May 22, 2025): Introduction to challenges and resources.
  • Expert Roundtable (July 1, 2025): Feedback and regional insights at the “Road to COP30” event.
  • Technical Workshops: Training on AI, geospatial tools, and data science.
  • Finalist Pitch Event: Up to 10 teams present at New York Climate Week 2025 (September 2025), virtually or in-person.

All submissions are shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license, promoting open collaboration.

Eligibility Criteria

The hackathon welcomes a diverse range of participants, including:

• University Students and Researchers: From undergraduate to doctoral levels, particularly in climate science, data science, urban studies, or AI.
• Urban Innovators and Climate Tech Developers: Individuals or startups focused on sustainable urban solutions.
• Professionals: From fields like urban planning, technology, policy, or environmental science.
• Interdisciplinary Teams: Teams of up to four members, combining expertise in AI, climate, or urban development.

No prior hackathon experience is required, and participants can form teams before or during the event. The hackathon is open to global applicants, with no geographic restrictions.

Pro Tip: Form a team with diverse skills (e.g., coding, urban planning, climate expertise) to create a well-rounded solution.

Benefits of the Hackathon

Opportunities for Impact

• Expert Mentorship: Guidance from leaders in climate science, AI, and urban innovation.
• Curated Datasets: Access to city-specific data from partners like C40 Cities and AdaptaBrasil.
• Technical Training: Workshops on AI applications, geospatial tools, and data visualization.
• Global Visibility: Finalists pitch at New York Climate Week 2025, reaching policymakers and industry leaders.
• Seed Funding: Winners receive financial support to develop and pilot their solutions.
• City Partnerships: Opportunities to collaborate with cities for real-world implementation.
• Networking: Join a global community of climate innovators and urban experts.

Note: No travel costs are covered for in-person pitches at New York Climate Week. Finalists must ensure a representative is available to present.

Submission Requirements

Participants must submit a solution addressing at least one of the two themes, incorporating AI, geospatial tools, or data science. Submissions include:

1. Presentation:
   • A detailed project proposal outlining the solution’s purpose, features, methodology, and outcomes.
   • Clear explanation of innovation, relevance to urban climate challenges, and benefits to communities.
2. Demonstration:
   • A practical application using real-world city data (e.g., dashboards, AI models, geospatial analysis, or case studies).
   • Must showcase feasibility and scalability in urban settings.

Submissions must be uploaded via the hackathon portal by September 1, 2025. Teams are encouraged to use provided datasets or open-source urban climate data.

Pro Tip: Use visual aids (e.g., dashboards or maps) in your presentation to make complex ideas engaging and accessible.

Judging Criteria

Submissions are evaluated by a panel of climate and urban development experts based on four criteria:

1. Innovation:
   • Originality and creativity in addressing urban climate challenges.
   • Distinctiveness from existing tools or solutions.
2. Impact:
   • Potential to advance city climate action, such as emissions reduction or resilience.
   • Relevance to vulnerable populations and urgent environmental needs.
3. Feasibility:
   • Practicality for real-world urban implementation.
   • Consideration of resources (technology, funding, manpower) and scalability across cities.
4. Presentation:
   • Clarity, coherence, and visual appeal of the proposal and demonstration.
   • Effectiveness in communicating complex ideas to diverse audiences.

Solutions should align with the hackathon’s themes and demonstrate tangible benefits for urban communities.

Regional Spotlight: Latin America

As part of the “Road to COP30” initiative, the hackathon features a regional focus on Latin America, with a deep-dive event in Córdoba, Argentina, on July 1, 2025. Participants will engage with local experts, universities, and city networks to address climate adaptation and mitigation challenges specific to Latin American cities, supporting Brazil’s role in the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP).

This focus builds on the 2024 hackathon’s emphasis on Brazilian cities, leveraging platforms like AdaptaBrasil for tailored data access.

Key Dates

• Launch Webinar: May 22, 2025 – Introduction to hackathon themes and resources.
• Expert Roundtable and Regional Deep Dive: July 1, 2025 – Feedback session at the “Road to COP30” event in Córdoba, Argentina.
• Submission Deadline: September 1, 2025 – All entries must be submitted via the hackathon portal.
• Finalist Pitch Event: September 2025 – Up to 10 teams pitch at New York Climate Week, virtually or in-person.

Pro Tip: Register for the launch webinar to connect with organizers and clarify your project ideas early.

Why Join the Hackathon?

Cities as Climate Battlegrounds

By 2050, nearly 70% of the global population will live in cities, where climate impacts like extreme weather and emissions are most pronounced. The hackathon empowers participants to address these challenges using AI, helping cities reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build resilience, and ensure equitable energy access.

With over 13,000 cities in the GCoM alliance committed to climate action, your solution could shape urban futures worldwide.

Unique Opportunities

• Real-World Impact: Develop tools to support cities in meeting Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Global Stage: Pitch at New York Climate Week, a premier climate event.
• Collaborative Ecosystem: Work with leading organizations like C40 Cities and ICLEI, and access tools from partners like Esri and Picterra.
• Skill Development: Gain expertise in AI, geospatial analysis, and urban climate strategies through workshops.

Tips for a Successful Submission

Build a Strong Team

• Diverse Expertise: Include members with skills in AI, data science, urban planning, or climate policy.
• Team Size: Form teams of up to four members for balanced collaboration.
• Connect Early: Use the hackathon’s team formation channels (e.g., weekly update emails) to find teammates.

Craft an Impactful Solution

• Focus on Scalability: Design solutions adaptable to multiple cities or regions.
• Leverage Data: Use provided datasets or platforms like AdaptaBrasil for robust analysis.
• Address Equity: Prioritize vulnerable communities in your energy access or resilience solutions.

Polish Your Presentation

• Be Clear and Visual: Use dashboards, maps, or infographics to communicate your solution effectively.
• Practice Delivery: Ensure your pitch is concise, engaging, and tailored to a non-technical audience.
• Highlight Impact: Quantify potential benefits (e.g., emissions reduced, communities served).

Conclusion

The AI x City Climate Action Hackathon 2025 is your chance to shape the future of urban climate action through AI-driven innovation. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or professional, this global platform offers mentorship, data, and a stage to make a difference.

Sign up today at https://c40.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k5q8Sx3RTLyyre7qKKOHMw and submit your solution by September 1, 2025, to join the movement for sustainable, resilient cities.

Visit https://www.innovate4cities.org/hackathon2025/#overview for more details and start building a climate-smart urban future now!

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