HackTech’25 brought together Cyprus’ tech community to address wildfire challenges through innovative solutions. The largest open hackathon on the island, organised by AdTech Holding, concluded its fourth edition in Limassol in November with over 100 developers participating in a 48-hour coding marathon focused on the theme, Tech vs Wildfires.
Photo: cyprus-mail.com
This year’s event received funding from the European Union’s NextGenerationEU via the Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan, aiming to transform the island’s recent experiences with catastrophic fires into practical technological solutions for prevention, real-time protection, and post-fire recovery.
During the hackathon, 25 teams collaborated across three tracks: early-warning systems, real-time monitoring, and post-fire assessment. Their prototypes included drone-based surveillance systems, AI-driven risk prediction tools, and platforms to coordinate volunteer efforts.
AdTech Holding highlighted that focusing on a single, pressing national issue enabled a concentrated effort from the community, enhancing collaboration between developers, public authorities, and emergency responders. CEO Alex Vasekin remarked that the tragic summer events had resonated with the tech community, and hosting the hackathon was “an opportunity to unite bright minds around ideas that can help shape a safer and more resilient future for Cyprus.”
The hackathon also received significant institutional support. Nicodemos Damianou, the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, attended to share insights on the government’s ongoing efforts in wildfire prevention and the critical role participants could play in national preparedness.
Support for the event came from various sponsors and partners, including Mayflower as the exclusive platinum sponsor, Nexxie Group as the gold sponsor, and TechIsland, i-Con, and The Warehouse, which hosted the event for the second consecutive year.
Despite a brief promotional period, interest in HackTech exceeded expectations. A joint committee of government representatives and AdTech executives was tasked with selecting the most impactful submissions. AdTech CAO Elena Dolya noted the impressive volume and quality of ideas, highlighting the community’s recognition of improvement opportunities and their willingness to take action.
The judging panel featured experts from IT, business, and emergency response sectors, including representatives from the Deputy Ministry, Nexxie Group, Mayflower, the Limassol Fire Department, and the national ambulance service. Mentorship was provided by professionals from AdTech, Quadcode, and Exness, who guided teams in refining their concepts and preparing prototypes for final presentations.
After a competitive Demo Fest, a prize fund of €30,000 was awarded to three standout teams. Nexxians took first place for their federated, AI-driven Cyprus Fire Digital Twin System, designed to enhance situational awareness and decision-making during wildfires. Cold Reload secured second place with a community-driven platform that connects volunteers, organisers, and those in need during emergencies. DasoPhylax rounded out the top three with their monitoring system for large forest areas, utilising wireless cameras and microcontroller-based inference units to provide year-round alerts.
Additionally, participants voted for a People’s Choice Award, which went to Re:Earth for its EchoGuard solution, designed to provide nature with a voice by converting satellite and AI data into sound and visualisations that help communities better understand post-fire risks and recovery processes.
Four editions in, HackTech has firmly established itself as a vital platform where developers, public authorities, and private companies converge to test ideas with tangible real-world impacts. This year’s emphasis on wildfire challenges once again demonstrated the tech ecosystem’s readiness to respond to pressing local issues.
