The first winners of the EU Code Week Small Grants for Grassroots in Coding in the Nordic region have been officially announced, bringing fresh inspiration, creativity and innovation to classrooms and communities across Europe.

Led by the European Centre for Women and Technology (ECWT), the Nordic Regional Hub has selected three outstanding projects that showcase the power of grassroots initiatives to make coding and digital skills more accessible, engaging and inclusive.

A new initiative to grow digital skills across Europe

The EU Code Week Small Grants programme is designed to support local initiatives that promote coding, computational thinking and digital creativity, particularly among young people. With a strong focus on inclusion, the programme aims to inspire more girls and boys to explore STEM and STEAM pathways and consider future careers in digital.

The Nordic call, open from 7 November 2025 to 12 January 2026, attracted highly competitive applications from across all five Nordic countries. Following a rigorous evaluation process assessing feasibility, impact, scalability and innovation, three projects stood out.

1st Place: Niilo Napakettu (Nilo the Snowfox)

Led by leading teacher Jaana Hekkanen and the Napakettu Team at Hiukkavaara Comprehensive School in Oulu, Finland, this winning project brings coding to life through storytelling.

By introducing children to Nilo the Snowfox, a much-loved character, the project blends narrative and coding to spark curiosity and creativity among pre-primary and primary learners. Children engage in problem-solving and logical thinking while immersing themselves in imaginative stories, making coding both accessible and enjoyable from an early age.

This approach demonstrates how story-based learning can transform coding education into something meaningful, memorable and fun.

2nd Place: Mother & Daughter Evening on Artificial Intelligence

Organised by High5Girls and led by Marianne Andersen in Frederiksberg/Copenhagen, Denmark, this initiative takes a unique and powerful approach by engaging not just girls, but also their mothers.

Recognising the important role parents play in shaping educational choices, the project creates a shared learning experience where families explore artificial intelligence together. Through hands-on activities and discussions, participants learn how AI works, while also addressing topics such as bias, stereotypes and career pathways.

By combining education with meaningful conversation and a touch of Danish hygge, this initiative helps build confidence, awareness and support systems for girls considering futures in tech.

3rd Place: CodeClub Online

Developed by leading teachers Anu Kahri and Hanne Ritala in Finland, CodeClub Online offers a flexible and scalable solution for coding education.

The project will deliver remote coding lessons for pupils aged 6 to 13, alongside ready-to-use teaching materials for educators. With a strong focus on creativity, students will develop their own projects while applying coding to real-world and imaginative scenarios.

Its modular design makes it easy to replicate across different countries and educational settings, supporting long-term impact within the EU Code Week community and encouraging stronger engagement with STEAM subjects.

What happens next?

All three projects will be implemented between 1 February and mid-May 2026, bringing their ideas to life in classrooms, communities and online spaces.

These initiatives highlight the strength of grassroots innovation, showing how creative, local approaches can drive meaningful change in digital education across Europe.

To follow the winning projects and learn more, visit the ECWT website

Get involved in EU Code Week

EU Code Week welcomes activities all year round. Whether you are a teacher, parent, student or organisation, you can organise your own activity and help inspire the next generation of digital creators.

Explore resources, ideas and upcoming opportunities on the Code Week website, and do not forget to register your activities to be part of the growing community.

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EU Code Week is a grassroots movement that celebrates creating with code and supports learners across Europe in taking their first steps in coding, computational thinking, and digital creativity.  

To strengthen local communities in 2026, we are launching an international call for new community members in selected countries. We are looking for motivated educators and community builders who want to support schools, teachers, and local organisers to bring EU Code Week to more learners.

Who can apply? 

This call is open to applicants in the countries listed below. The roles available vary by country, depending on local community needs and structure. We especially encourage educators and community builders with an interest in digital education, coding, and peer learning to apply.
 
If you are applying from a country not listed, you may select “Other” in the application form. Please note that priority will be given to applications from the countries specified in this call.

Leading Teachers  ( open in )

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden. 

Ambassadors  ( open only in )

France and Norway 

Leading Teachers 

Leading Teachers are motivated and enthusiastic educators who help promote EU Code Week and support their peers to organise activities. As a Leading Teacher, you should be able to dedicate a few hours per week to activities such as: 

• Participating in community events 
• Encouraging teachers and school leaders in your country/region to organise lessons/activities and register them on the Code Week website 
• Sharing and promoting teacher training opportunities 
• Supporting development and localisation of teaching resources in your language 
• Training teachers interested in coding 

Ambassadors 

Ambassadors play a key role in strengthening the EU Code Week community at national and regional level. They help coordinate local efforts, support community members, and act as a bridge between the community and the wider Code Week initiative. In this call, the Ambassador role is open only in France and Norway.  

For more information, see our community page: https://codeweek.eu/community

How selection works 

This is an international application form published through EU Code Week channels. However, the selection process is organised at local level: 

• Applications will be shared with the relevant National/Regional Hub for the country you apply to. 
• A local selection committee will be formed with the local established community and evaluate the applications. 
• After selections are completed, all applicants will be informed by email.  

Timeline 

The call will remain open on a rolling basis. Applications will be reviewed periodically, and candidates may be selected throughout the process. We therefore encourage early applications, as roles may be filled progressively. 

How to apply 

Apply via the form here:

Apply now

Language note: The application form is in English. You are welcome to use translation tools to support your application if needed. 

Questions?
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at: info@codeweek.eu 

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As part of the Code Week Hackathons 2026 – Hello Future: AI for the common good, learners in France came together for a focused hackathon experience exploring one key question: how can AI be used to create positive social impact?

The hackathon was organised with 1re STI2D students from Lycée Polyvalent Dorian, within the Académie de Paris. Working in teams, students combined creativity, critical thinking and technical skills to imagine solutions grounded in real societal challenges.

Four teams, four ideas

In total, 23 students took part collaborating across four teams:

• Eye CAM (winning team)
• Quick CV
• IADsauveurMy I
• A Hotel

Each team presented a unique concept, showing how AI can support people, communities and everyday life when designed with purpose.

The winning project: Eye CAM

As in previous editions, one team was selected to represent France at the European level

This year, the project that stood out was Eye CAM: glasses incorporating an AI solution that enables visually impaired and blind people to move around more independently and receive real-time information about their surroundings.

It’s a strong example of what “AI for the common good” looks like in practice — using technology to increase autonomy, accessibility, and inclusion.

Thank you to everyone who made it possible

A huge congratulations to all participating students for their engagement, inventiveness and ambition to put technology to work for the common good.

We also want to warmly thank the teachers and mentors who supported the teams, and extend special thanks to Alexandre Singier for the welcome at SIMPLONLAB.

The future looks promising — and resolutely inclusive.

The post France Code Week Hackathon 2026: Eye CAM Wins appeared first on Code Week.

A free learning app built by four schoolgirls has won Lithuania’s national EU Code Week Hackathon — and now they’re heading to the European Final on 11 March.

A new learning app created by four Lithuanian schoolgirls has won the national EU Code Week Hackathon — and now they are heading to the European stage.

The team “Rami galva” (“Calm Mind”) took first place with “IšmokAI”, a free learning app designed to make studying clearer, more effective and far less chaotic. On 11 March, they will represent Lithuania in the European #CodeWeek Hackathon Final, pitching their working solution to an international jury.

A real problem, turned into a real solution

Learning can be hard — especially when information feels messy, motivation drops, and AI tools return unreliable results. The idea for IšmokAI began with a familiar classroom frustration: history lessons that felt unclear, and the experience of AI tools pulling inaccurate dates and facts from untrustworthy sources.

So the team decided to build something better: an app that helps learners study with reliable, structured information — and suggests the best learning method depending on the topic and the learner’s focus.

“Our app IšmokAI supports a more effective learning process and better results. It helps prepare for tests and exams, and to learn a new topic. A clear structure helps you understand the subject better, which also increases motivation. The app is suitable for pupils, students, teachers — and anyone looking for ways to learn something new. It’s free to download, which makes its social impact even greater.”

Meet the winning team

The IšmokAI app was created by four students from Alytus, Vilnius and Telšiai:

• Austėja Bartkevičiūtė (Alytaus Adolfo Ramanausko-Vanago Gymnasium)
• Vlada Telesina (Vilnius Sholom Aleichem ORT Gymnasium)
• Andžela Lenkauskaitė (Telšiai Germantas Progymnasium)
• Ivita Barysaitė (Vilnius Laisvės Gymnasium)

What makes IšmokAI stand out?

The app helps learners study smarter by combining trusted content with practical learning techniques:

• Supports preparation for tests and exams
• Structures information using reliable sources
• Recommends learning methods such as Pomodoro, Active Recall, and more
• Takes motivation and attention span into account, helping users learn in manageable steps
• Designed for pupils, students, teachers, and anyone learning a new topic
• Free to download, increasing its potential social impact

The team’s goal is simple: one place where learners can understand what to study, how to study it, and how to stay on track.

Aligned with the European theme: “From Code to Community”

The jury recognised IšmokAI as the best national solution because it is:

• working and already tested
• useful and validated by students
• tackling a real challenge in education
• strongly aligned with this year’s European theme: “From Code to Community: Digital Skills and Social Impact.”

A hackathon full of ideas with social impact

Lithuania’s EU Code Week Hackathon invited teams of 14–19-year-old students to explore how digital technologies and AI can help solve challenges across five key areas:

• the future of work
• healthcare
• agriculture
• sustainability
• education

“The EU Code Week Hackathon shows how digital skills can be used to create change, bring social benefit to the community, and contribute to improving our lives.”

Other finalist apps celebrated at the national final

The national final also highlighted four more impressive youth-built solutions:

Plantiful (Team: “Init for the cookies”) — Sustainable community

Team Innit for the cookies

A gardening and sustainability app encouraging people to grow plants locally, supported by an “AI grandma”, with a forum for sharing tips, recipes, and (in future) donating surplus produce.

HealthAhead (Team: “Coder Cats”) — Responsible living

Team Coder Cats

A health app that reminds users about preventative health checks and helps families track what tests are needed, when, and why — promoting the idea that “health starts before symptoms”.

Potrimpo (Team: “Šunažolės”) — Harmonious connection

Team Šunažolės

An app encouraging young people to spend more time outdoors, explore nature, and build awareness of environmental issues by scanning plants and building a virtual “island” of discoveries.

Fiturum (Team: “Futurum”) — Youth power

Team Futurum

A free AI-powered sports app that creates personalised training plans and adapts as the user progresses — designed to tackle common barriers like low motivation and not knowing where to start.

Supporting young creators

The hackathon was supported by a mentoring team including Dovilė Daulenskienė, Justina Valentukevičė, and Neda Žutautaitė, who helped participants shape their ideas, plan development, and present solutions for different audiences.

Neda Žutautaitė, Chair of the jury and Director of the “Knowledge Economy Forum”, highlighted the value of initiatives like this in connecting young people’s digital skills with real-world challenges — from wellbeing and education to sustainability and healthy living.

Next stop: the European Final on 11 March

On 11 March, the Lithuanian winners will compete online in the European Final against national hackathon winners from Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Ukraine, France, Spain, and Slovenia.

Lithuania has already shown strong results in previous years — and this year, the team “Rami galva” is ready to make their mark.

Let’s cheer them on — and celebrate every young creator using technology to drive positive change.

Read the original article (Lithuanian):
https://www.epilietis.eu/…/programele-ismokai…/

With thanks to ESET for supporting the hackathon with a prize: the cybersecurity card game “kiberNODAS”.

The post From Code to Community: Lithuanian students win the national EU Code Week Hackathon and advance to the European Final appeared first on Code Week.

From 14–22 January 2026, the online hackathon “Hello, Future! Technical Solutions for a Changing World” took place as part of EU Code Week. This year, 27 teams from across Ukraine joined the hackathon to develop digital solutions with real social impact.

Participants represented 13 regions of Ukraine and worked under highly challenging conditions — across different schedules of power outages, with unstable internet connections, forced breaks due to lack of electricity, and a constant need to adapt.

Power outages became part of the hackathon reality: teams worked from laptops and power banks, rescheduled meetings, adjusted their workflows, coded at night, and made the most of the hours when electricity was available.

Despite these challenges, 21 teams successfully completed their projects and presented them to the jury during the first round. On 22 January, 12 finalist teams presented their solutions in the final pitching session, where the winners were announced.

What happened: key highlights

• Online format hosted via Google Meet and Eventornado
• Participation of teams from 13 regions of Ukraine
• Three trainings for participants
• Work under real-life constraints caused by power outages and unstable connectivity
• Trainer-led practical sessions on programming opportunities, teamwork, and pitching
• Independent team work over several days
• Final pitching session with 12 finalist teams and announcement of winners

The hackathon combined trainer-led practical sessions with intensive independent team work. Overall, the event fostered creativity, collaboration, resilience, and the practical application of digital and entrepreneurial skills.

Participants and teams at a glance

Winning teams

Following the final pitching session, the jury selected three winning teams:

1. Fast & Curious — Dnipro Industrial Vocational College
2. NODEs — Khmelnytskyi National University
3. CodeSix — V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University

Team selected to represent Ukraine at the European EU Code Week Hackathon: Fast & Curious.

Project highlight: BitBorn – Interactive Learning Through Play (Fast & Curious)

Team: Fast & Curious
Solution: BitBorn – Interactive Learning Through Play

BitBorn is an educational web-based game designed to make learning electronics and technical thinking engaging, practical, and motivating for teenagers and students. The project combines interactive storytelling, problem-solving, and hands-on simulation, allowing learners to acquire knowledge through action rather than passive theory.

Set in a retro-futuristic, post-apocalyptic narrative, learners take on the role of a “Seed Program” restoring broken systems step by step. The learning process is built around real-world tasks such as understanding basic electricity, diagnostics, soldering, and robotics repair — encouraging learning through experimentation and reflection.

Voices from the hackathon

“We are sincerely grateful for this hackathon and the incredible organisation This experience was extremely valuable for us, as we worked closely together on a truly meaningful project and became even more united as a team. Despite challenges such as power outages and unstable conditions, these obstacles only strengthened us and made the result even more valuable.”

— NODEs team

“Today I had the opportunity to be a member of the jury at a student hackathon. The teams presented very strong and creative ideas. I was especially impressed by how confidently students use artificial intelligence in their projects. It is inspiring to see young people apply AI technologies to solve real problems and think innovatively. Such initiatives clearly demonstrate the importance of developing digital skills in Ukraine and show the strong potential of future European innovators.”

— Nataliia Perekhryst, jury member

“This hackathon is not only a story about technology, but also about resilience, adaptability, and responsibility of young people who continue to create meaningful solutions for society even under difficult circumstances.”

— Natalia Honcharova, organiser and project manager, Junior Achievement Ukraine

Resilience, creativity and future-ready skills

“Hello, Future!” was more than an online competition — it was a powerful demonstration of what young people can achieve when they are supported to build, collaborate and keep going, even when conditions are unpredictable.

Congratulations to all participating teams, mentors, trainers, judges, and organisers — and best of luck to Fast & Curious as they represent Ukraine at the European EU Code Week Hackathon.

Want to join the EU Code Week movement? Explore activities, resources, and ways to take part at codeweek.eu.

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On 30 December 2025, the EU Code Week Türkiye Hackathon brought young innovators together for a fast-paced national showcase of ideas, teamwork and digital creativity.

Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education, the event built on an impressive wave of interest: nearly 120 hackathon ideas were submitted and evaluated, with 11 teams selected to compete at the final event (10 teams were planned, but the 10th and 11th teams received the same score, so 11 teams advanced).

Across themes such as future jobs, health, agriculture, sustainability and education, participants demonstrated what Code Week is all about: learning by doing, building with technology, and working together to create solutions that matter.

From ideas to finalists: how teams were selected

The Türkiye Hackathon began with a strong pipeline of creative proposals.

• Nearly 120 ideas were reviewed by a preliminary judging panel
• 11 teams were selected to compete at the national event
• Each team included 4 to 6 participants
• Final presentations were evaluated by a jury of 5 judges

The result was an exciting line-up of school-based teams ready to pitch, prototype and problem-solve in real time.

Event flow: pitching, judging and celebration

The national hackathon followed a clear structure, starting with a welcome and moving into team presentations, jury deliberation and the final announcement.

Programme at a glance

Finalist teams who presented

• Ali Güral Lisesi
• Demirören Medya ve Teknoloji Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Lisesi
• Sezai Karakoç Anadolu Lisesi
• Sabancı Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Lisesi
• Halil Kale Fen Lisesi
• Rize Türkiye ve Odalar Birliği Fen Lisesi
• Taşköprü Fen Lisesi
• Ankara Fen Lisesi
• Şehit Gökhan Bayraktar Anadolu Lisesi
• Ankara Atatürk Lisesi
• Pertevniyal Lisesi

The winning team: ETHOS AI

After the final scoring, ETHOS AI achieved the highest score and won first place.

Their winning idea focused on healthcare solutions, reflecting the hackathon’s emphasis on using technology for real-world impact.

As national winners, ETHOS AI earned the right to represent Türkiye at the EU Hackathon event in March.

Thank you to everyone who made it possible

Hackathon Türkiye was a strong example of what happens when education leaders, mentors and young people come together around a shared mission: building confidence, creativity and digital skills through hands-on challenges.

A big thank you to:

• All participating students and teams for their creativity and commitment
• Mentors and teachers for supporting preparation and teamwork
• The judging panel for their time and expert evaluation
• Our collaborators at the Ministry of National Education and the wider Code Week community

“Birlikte ürettik, birlikte öğrendik ve geleceğe değer kattık.”

What’s next?

Congratulations again to ETHOS AI as they prepare to represent Türkiye at the EU-level hackathon in March. We cannot wait to see how their idea develops, and to celebrate even more youth-led digital innovation across Europe.

Want to join the EU Code Week movement? Explore activities, resources, and ways to take part at codeweek.eu.

Related: Read more about another national hackathon on the Code Week blog: National EU Code Week Hackathon Croatia.

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