We are looking for teams with ideas of civic tech solutions to participate in our 2026 EaP Civic Tech Hackathon on 17-19 April in Chisinau, Moldova, and compete for the EaP Civic Tech Award!
The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Facility invites applications for its 2026 EaP Civic Tech Hackathon, the seventh edition of the programme helping civic tech enthusiasts develop and launch civic tech solutions for the Eastern Partnership region.
This year about 15 established teams of civic activists from EaP countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and IT professionals from EaP and EU countries will work on their proposed civic tech solutions addressing four societal challenges in the region: online disinformation & misinformation, social polarisation, civil society resilience, and forced displacement. The most promising solutions developed during the 2026 Hackathon will be nominated for the EaP Civic Tech Award, which provides EU financial and expert support for further development and launch. The expected average amount of support per winner is EUR 10,000; up to EUR 12,000 may be awarded on an exceptional basis.
The 2026 EaP Civic Tech Hackathon will be held in a hybrid format, combining an online incubation phase on 19 March – 3 April with an in-person Hackathon event in Chisinau, Moldova, on 17-19 April. The working language of the Hackathon is English.
The registration for our 2026 EaP Civic Tech Hackathon is already open! Apply by 2 March 2026!
Applications are accepted only from teams with an idea of a civic tech solution and a minimum set of technical skills to prototype it. Unlike some previous editions, individual applications are not eligible for the 2026 Hackathon.
Each team must include, as a minimum:
- One civil society representative from an EaP country, who is the author of the idea and will act as the team leader; and
- At least two technical experts (developers, designers, data experts, etc.), including at least one developer.
There is no upper limit on the number of team members. However, the organisers will cover travel and accommodation costs for up to three team members per team to participate in the offline Hackathon in Chisinau; additional members may contribute remotely. In exceptional cases, if the author of the idea has the technical skills needed to work on the prototype, the team may have only 2 team members.
Participation is open to citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Technical experts from EU Member States may participate as members of Hackathon teams.
Please check the Hackathon Guidelines for eligibility criteria.
Proposed civic tech solutions should address one or more of the following challenges:
- Counteracting online disinformation and misinformation
- Tackling societal polarisation
- Strengthening civil society resilience
- Supporting refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and asylum-seekers
On an indicative basis civic tech solutions proposed for the 2026 EaP Civic Tech Hackathon may include solutions that:
- enable citizens identify and/or act against online misinformation & disinformation;
- help citizens meaningfully engage in policy- and decision-making, including at the community level, by enabling access to or simplifying their digital participation, feedback and dialogue;
- foster collaboration between communities;
- improve CSOs’ security and adaptability and/or organisational transparency by enhancing their communication, data protection, fundraising and management tools;
- support CSOs in providing services to citizens;
- capacitate communities and organisations to engage and motivate citizens, stakeholders and allies for a specific development need or cause.
Solutions should respond to concrete needs of communities in the EaP region or of EaP citizens living abroad and demonstrate clear user–system interaction (for example through web platforms, mobile applications, interactive maps, plugins or similar tools). Please check the Hackathon Guidelines for more information, and visit our Bank of IDEAS for some ideas of digital tools developed by the Hackathon participants and Civic Digital Fellows.
Around 15 teams will be shortlisted for the 2026 EaP Civic Tech Hackathon.
On 19 March – 3 April 2026 the shortlisted teams will participate in an intensive Online Incubation Programme. The programme includes pitching sessions, individual meetings with the Hackathon mentors and mentors-led webinars and will help the teams refine their ideas and prepare for the Hackathon.
On 17-19 April 2026 the teams will meet in-person with the Hackathon mentors and organisers in Chisinau, Moldova. There they will work on the prototypes of their civic tech solutions, with the mentors’ support and advice. On the final day, the teams will present their prototypes to peers, mentors and organisers, and together will evaluate the presented solution.
Up to five top-scoring teams will be invited to apply for the EaP Civic Tech Award to get the EU support to develop and launch their digital solutions. One or more winning teams will receive financial support averaging EUR 10,000 (up to EUR 12,000), along with mentoring and administrative support, to fully develop and launch their solution.
- Call for applications opens: 9 February 2026
- Application deadline: 2 March 2026, 23:00 CET
- Apply online at https://ict.eapcivilsociety.eu/
Applications must be submitted in English via the online application system. Applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully read the Hackathon Guidelines before applying.
For questions related to the application process, please contact: [email protected].
Participation in the Hackathon is free of charge. For the selected teams the European Union covers:
- travel costs to/from Chisinau (if required),
- hotel accommodation in Chisinau,
- meals during the offline Hackathon.
To help you better understand the hackathon and the application process, we are hosting an Information Webinar, so you can ask the Hackathon organisers any questions you may have about the 2026 EaP Civic Tech Hackathon and the application process:
- Date: 24 February 2026
- Time: 1:00 PM CET (Brussels time)
- Location: Zoom webinar
- How to join: register at https://bit.ly/2026Hackathon
