Asian Hackathon for Green Future 2026 launches with $24,000 total prize pool

The Asian Hackathon for Green Future officially opened for registration, marking the start of the competition dedicated to developing technology-driven solutions for a sustainable future, with a total prize pool of $24,000, open to undergraduate and master’s students from universities across Asia.

Held in Vietnam, the competition aims to identify and develop technology-driven solutions to pressing environmental challenges, while fostering innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration among the younger generation.

Participants will advance through three main stages: Registration & Preliminary (April 6-May 17); Online Training Phase (June 2-June 28); and Final Round & Hackathon at VinUniversity (July 2-July 5, tentative).

The competition encourages interdisciplinary ideas that integrate multiple fields — including technology, environmental sciences, economics, and social sciences — with the aim of creating solutions that are innovative, feasible, and socially impactful.

Proposed ideas should address one of three key challenge areas: renewable energy and low-carbon mobility; urban air quality and climate resilience; water resources and climate-resilient agriculture.

During the Online Training Round, the Top 30 teams will participate in a series of intensive training sessions and expert consultations with multidisciplinary specialists. These sessions are designed to equip teams with deeper domain knowledge and up-to-date insights on sustainability trends and relevant technologies, enabling them to further refine and expand their proposed solutions.

During the Final Round and Award Ceremony, all travel and accommodation expenses for the Top 30 teams will be fully covered. The teams will take part in a 24-hour hackathon at VinUniversity in Hanoi, where they will further develop and refine their technology-driven solutions before presenting them to the Judging Panel. Based on this evaluation, the top nine teams will be selected to advance to the final assessment round, from which the winning team will be determined.

The total prize pool comprises of one first prize of $8,000; one second prize of $5,000; two third prizes of $3,000 each; and five consolation prizes of $1,000 each. Beyond the awards, participating teams will gain valuable opportunities to engage with leading experts from across the region, expand their professional networks, and strengthen their access to the broader innovation ecosystem.

Dr. Le Thai Ha, managing director of the “For Green Future” Foundation and head of the organizing committee, shared: “We believe that ideas with the power to shape the future do not always emerge from large laboratories or well-established institutions; they often arise from the insight, initiative, and determination of young people to make a difference. Through the Asian Hackathon for Green Future, we seek to create a platform where students across the region can transform their environmental awareness into tangible, innovative solutions that deliver meaningful impact for communities and the future.”

The Asian Hackathon for Green Future is expected to foster innovation aligned with sustainable development, while contributing to the development of a new generation of young talents capable of cross-border collaboration to create solutions with lasting, positive impact across the region.

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