PRESS RELEASE CSI Hackathon 2026: Young Creators Harness Artificial Intelligence and STEAM for a More Sustainable Future
28 July 2026
Nicosia, Cyprus
PRESS RELEASE
CSI Hackathon 2026: Young Creators Harness Artificial Intelligence and STEAM for a More Sustainable Future
With the presentation of the young participants’ projects and the announcement of the winners, the European Cosmos and Sustainability Influencers (CSI) Hackathon project comes to a close. Over the course of 12 months, the initiative brought together sustainability, STEAM education, Artificial Intelligence and digital creativity.
Through the CSI educational programme, participants explored issues such as space debris, light pollution, green technologies, ethical innovation, planetary sustainability and responsible space governance. They created videos, podcasts, infographics, blogs and social media campaigns, while also developing their personal electronic portfolios (e-portfolios).
Participants did not limit themselves to studying environmental challenges. They were encouraged to seek solutions, develop their own proposals and transform what they learned into authentic digital content.
Through this process, they explored how storytelling can influence audiences, how complex scientific information can be made accessible through images and digital content, how a podcast or video can serve as a tool for raising awareness, and how social media can be used responsibly, without overlooking the risks of misinformation and irresponsible digital influence.
The philosophy of CSI was clear: students are not merely recipients of information. They can become creators, problem-solvers and advocates for sustainability.
Particular emphasis was also placed on Artificial Intelligence, with the aim of ensuring that young people would not simply learn how to use new tools, but would develop into responsible and critical users of Artificial Intelligence and digital media.
The Winners of the CSI Hackathon 2026
The programme culminated in the Final Presentation, Dissemination Event and Award Ceremony of the CSI Hackathon 2026, held on 7 July 2026 at the Cyprus Planetarium.
During the event, the journey of CSI was presented, from its initial vision through to its educational outcomes. A live demonstration of the digital learning environment was also given, while the audience had the opportunity to view selected creations by the participants.
A total of ten finalist entries were recognised.
The top three positions were awarded to:
1st Place – Alexandros Charalambous
2nd Place – Aris Koumousis
3rd Place – Andreas Vasileiou
The remaining finalists included Nearhos Athanasiou & Nikolas Avraamidis, Irida Papalouka, Olympiada Shiitti & Eleni Shiitti, Marios Alkiviadis, Miltos Christodoulou, Ilias Kouzoukis and Neofytos Athanasiou.
The projects were evaluated by the programme’s Scientific Committee, headed by Dr Alexis Pierides, with Dr Eleni Xeni and Giannos Ioannou serving as committee members.
The three winners also had the opportunity to share their personal CSI experience with the audience: what they learned, which project they were most proud of, how Artificial Intelligence supported their learning process, and how the programme has influenced the way they now perceive sustainability and digital innovation.
The programme would like to extend its special thanks to Dr Andri Vryoni, the programme’s scientific coordinator, and to the trainers of the organisation she leads, STEMFREAK, for the guidance and support they provided to the 60 participants in the programme. In particular, we would like to thank Marilena Papaioannou and Michalis Michael.
The Senseworks team developed the educational platform used by participants to access the asynchronous training seminars prepared by the StemFreak team, under the guidance of Nikos Papastamatiou and Alexandros Sofios.
We would also like to thank the Teleokiklisi team for their contribution, providing environmental guidance in the preparation of the educational material and supporting interaction with the trainers, specifically Loizos and Louki Afxentiou.
About the CSI Hackathon
The Cosmos and Sustainability Influencers (CSI) Hackathon is a Small-scale Partnership in the field of School Education under the Erasmus+ KA210-SCH programme, involving Teleokiklisi Limited, A.N.E.V. Consulting Services Ltd (StemFreak) and SenseWorks.
The project runs from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026 and has received €60,000 in funding from the Erasmus+ programme.
Its priorities include digital transformation, the development of key competences, STEAM education and the enhancement of girls’ participation in STEAM fields. At the same time, the project addresses issues related to democratic participation, media literacy, European citizenship and European values.
Project: Cosmos and Sustainability Influencers (CSI) Hackathon
Project Number: 2025-1-CY01-KA210-SCH-000357818
Programme: Erasmus+ KA210-SCH – Small-scale Partnerships in the field of School Education
Partners: Teleokiklisi Limited | A.N.E.V. Consulting Services Ltd (StemFreak) | SenseWorks