Valencia, May 7, 2026 – Opentop, the innovation hub of ValenciaPort, has announced the opening of the call for participation in the 6th edition of the Valenciaport Hackathon, a unique event aimed at startups, scale-ups, and technology-based SMEs. Registrations are open until May 25 through the official Opentop website. This event will be held in person on June 30 and July 1 at the iconic Edificio del Reloj at the Port of Valencia.
In its sixth edition, the Valenciaport Hackathon will adopt a format focused on companies with functional and innovative products or MVPs, with strong market potential.
During two intensive days of co-creation, nine startups will be selected to tackle three challenges proposed by prominent companies in the logistics-port sector, working alongside expert mentors and representatives from the challenging companies.
Challenges of the 6th Valenciaport Hackathon
The three challenges of this edition have been designed to address current issues in the port sector:
- Challenge 1: Energy Management System – Development of a multivector EMS (Energy Management System) to integrate renewable energy, storage, and electricity consumption in the port sector. Proposed by Hitachi Energy.
- Challenge 2: Response to Disruptions – Creation of an AI-powered monitoring and response platform to anticipate and manage disruptions at the Port of Valencia, such as weather events, energy issues, cyberattacks, or congestion. Proposed by the Innovation Committee of the Valenciaport Cluster.
- Challenge 3: Intelligent Access and Mobility in the ZAL – Defining a management model for access, security, and mobility at the ZAL (Logistics Activities Zone) of the Port of Valencia. Proposed by VPI Logística.
Prizes and International Opportunities
The event will conclude with a grand final in which participants will present their solutions to an international jury.
The first prize will consist of €6,000 and the second prize of €3,000, both awarded to the best technological solutions proposed by the startups. Furthermore, the winners will also have the opportunity to participate as speakers at the Port Entrepreneurship International Congress (PEIC), to be held in October, which is a key platform for the international projection of the logistics-port sector.
The call is aimed at startups, scale-ups, and legally established tech SMEs with functional products or MVPs and demonstrable market potential. This hackathon is expected to become an essential event in the open innovation and entrepreneurship calendar of the logistics-port sector.
Organization and Support
- The 6th Valenciaport Hackathon for Startups is made possible thanks to the commitment of many stakeholders.
- The event is organized by Opentop, the innovation hub of the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandía, promoted by the Valenciaport Foundation and the Port Authority of Valencia.
- The challenges have been proposed by Hitachi Energy, the Innovation Committee of the Valenciaport Cluster, and VPI Logística.
- The €3,000 prize is supported by Fundación Juan Arizo Serrulla.
- The event is supported by the Asociación Naviera Valenciana (ANV), APMT, Boluda, Infoport, Nealis Innovation Hub and The Whiteam Technology Services as supporters, and is driven within the innovation ecosystem together with Ideas UPV, Invest in Valencia, Startup Valencia and València Innovation Capital.
- The organizing partners are Innova y Acción, with the financial support of the Agència Valenciana de la Innovació (AVI).
Open Registrations
Startups interested in participating in this edition of the Valenciaport Hackathon have until May 25 to register. For more information and to register, please visit the official page at www.opentop.es.
