ā ļø REGISTRATION WILL OPEN SOON
š NASA Space Apps Challenge Ahlen 2026: A DevFest Special!
š Location: Virtual
šļø Dates: Saturday, November 14 ā Sunday, November 15, 2026
š Innovate with NASA Data, Build the Future! š°ļø
š”Innovation Without Borders ā Launch Your Ideas from Ahlen!
Space is not just about distant stars; it's about the future we create right here on Earth.
At NASA Space Apps Challenge Ahlen 2026, we invite you to be part of that future.
Collaborate. Create.
Change the World.
This unique hybrid event invites 50 participants ā coders, engineers, designers, entrepreneurs, scientists, students, and creatives ā to collaborate and transform NASAās open-source data into solutions that can change our world.
DevFest 2026: Building Safe, Secure and Scalable Solutions with AI and Cloud.
This year, DevFest 2026 will empower developer communities worldwide to architect the future. We'll focus on driving the practical integration of AI and Google Cloud into their solutions. Our goal is to equip developers with the skills to build innovative, scalable, and ethically sound applications, acknowledging their pivotal role in shaping a technology-driven future that benefits everyone.
About DevFest
DevFest is the world's largest community-driven tech conference, bringing together passionate developers from around the globe. Hosted annually by Google Developer Groups, DevFest offers a unique opportunity to explore developer tools, learn from Google and Google Developer Experts, and connect with fellow developersĀ developers.google.com
ā ļø Important Notice
This event is ONLINE, offering virtual participation.
š§āš» Participation is limited to 200 online attendees. Early registration is highly recommended to secure your place.
Event Dates: Saturday, November 14 ā Sunday, November 15, 2026
š About DevFest Ahlen 2026
This yearās NASA Space Apps Challenge is hosted as a special edition of DevFest AhlenāÆ2026 ā part of the worldwide DevFest conference series from Google Developer Groups.
By combining DevFest with Space Apps in Ahlen, we bring
Global-scale energy and expertise, tailored to our community.
Talks and workshops on topics like AI/ML, Flutter, Google Cloud, Earth Engine, and Responsible Innovation.
A live hybrid experience: networking, learning, and hacking under one roof.
The chance to interact with Google Developer Experts, local tech leaders, and global innovators.
About Our Local NASA Space Apps Challenge Ahlen EventAhlen is a city that distinctively blends rich history with a forward-thinking spirit.Ā
Our most unique local symbol is the Mammoth š, commemorating the prehistoric woolly mammoth fossils discovered right here.Ā
This connection to ancient discovery provides a powerful backdrop for your modern innovations.
Our vibrant local tech community, including GDG Ahlen members, fosters a highly collaborative environment, perfect for tackling the ambitious challenges set by the NASA Space Apps Challenge.
š About the NASA International Space Apps Challenge
The NASA International Space Apps Challenge is the globeās largest annual hackathon.
Every October, thousands of innovators across hundreds of local eventsāboth virtual and in-personātackle challenges authored by NASA experts using open Earth and space data.
š NASA Space Apps 2025 by the numbers:
114,094 registered participants from around the world
18,860 teams across
167 countries and territories
11,511 projects submitted, all built to tackle 20 NASA-curated challenges
Collaboration with 15 international space agency partners (global number)
Nearly 10,000 innovative projects, spanning apps, analytics, games, and visualizations (global number)
š Why Ahlen 2026 is unmissable
ONLINE INNOVATION: Participate comfortably, remotely online, connecting with diverse minds.
UNIQUE LOCAL INSPIRATION: Draw inspiration from Ahlen's "Mammoth" history as you explore new frontiers.
GLOBAL IMPACT, LOCAL ACTION: Contribute to solutions for real-world NASA challenges, making your mark on a global stage from Ahlen.
COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT: Engage with a supportive local tech community eager to learn, share, and innovate together.
š„ Who should apply?
Open to all curious, creative minds ā no elite credentials required.
Ideal for students, professionals, makers, educators, developers, scientists, and tech enthusiasts.
Just bring your passion and teamwork spirit.
Join the largest annual global hackathon and DevFest on November 14-15, 2026.
#DevFest #SpaceApps #NASASpaceAppsChallenge
Agenda
Day 1
10:00 AM: Welcome & Kick-off!
Greetings from Local Lead (Anna Muzykina)
Introduction to NASA Space Apps Challenge Ahlen 2025: Mission, global scale, and the Ahlen edition's hybrid approach within DevFest.
Introduction to the 2025 Challenges (as released by NASA).
Support already prepared teams.
11:00 AM: š Team Formation & Idea Brainstorming
Facilitated brainstorming sessions for initial project ideas.
Mentors available for initial guidance.
12:00 PM: ā Lunch Break & Networking
š¤ Break for self-arranged meals, virtual networking channels open.
1:00 PM: š ļø Dive Deep & Develop
Teams begin intensive work on their chosen challenges, utilizing NASA's vast open data.
Dedicated Mentors (from the local tech community, including GDG Ahlen) will be available to provide technical support, data guidance, and problem-solving assistance.
4:00 PM: ā Dinner Break
Online: Break for self-arranged meals.
5:00 PM: š ļø Continued Coding & Late Mentorship
Teams continue development, refining their initial prototypes.
6:45 PM: ā
Day 1 Wrap-up
Reminders for Day 2
Day 2
10:00 AM: Morning Kick-off & Q&A
Recap of Day 1 progress, motivation for the final push.
Q&A with organizers/mentors.
10:30 AM: Hacking Session 2: Refine & Polish
Teams focus on finalizing their solutions, debugging, and polishing their deliverables (e.g., code, visualizations, prototypes).
Mentors provide critical feedback and final technical assistance.
12:00 PM: Lunch Break & Final Touches
In-person: Provided lunch.
Online: Break for self-arranged meals.
1:00 PM: Project Submission & Presentation Preparation
Teams prepare their final project pages, demonstration videos, and short presentations for judging.
3:00 PM: Project Presentations & Judging Session
Each team will deliver a short presentation and demo of their solution.
Our panel of local judges will evaluate projects based on NASA criteria.
Presentations will be integrated seamlessly for both in-person and online teams.
7:00 PM: PROJECT SUBMISSION DEADLINE
All projects must be submitted to the global platform. This is a strict deadline!
7:30 PM: Closing Remarks
Announcement of NASA Space Apps Ahlen 2026 Local Nominees Day.
Recognition for all participants, mentors, volunteers, and partners.
Concluding remarks from the Local Lead.
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Speaker
Anna Muzykina - GDG Ahlen Organizer (Founder CTO & CEO @ Proofa)
Iām a dedicated Developer with a strong focus on community building and empowering women in technology. As the GDG Organizer for Ahlen and Münster, I actively foster tech communities and mentor women entering the industry. As a Women in Data Science (WiDS), I provide guidance and support to aspiring women technologists.
With a deep expertise in Dart, Firebase, and AI ecosystems, I speciaā¦
Moderator
Denys Doroshev - GDG Ahlen Organizer (C0-founder & COO @ Proofa)
I'm a Product Manager and Organizer for Google Developers Group (GDG) Ahlen, where I work to foster innovation, collaboration, and growth within the developer community.
In my professional career, I serve as a Senior Regional Sales Manager at Metal Work Pneumatic, focusing on B2B sales in industries like metallurgy, machine building, and agriculture across Ukraine. I also work as a Tecā¦
Host
Anna Muzykina - GDG Ahlen Organizer (Founder CTO & CEO @ Proofa)
Iām a dedicated Developer with a strong focus on community building and empowering women in technology. As the GDG Organizer for Ahlen and Münster, I actively foster tech communities and mentor women entering the industry. As a Women in Data Science (WiDS), I provide guidance and support to aspiring women technologists.
With a deep expertise in Dart, Firebase, and AI ecosystems, I speciaā¦
Judges
Atuoha Anthony - EV1 Health (Lead Mobile Engineer)
Atuoha Anthony is a Senior Mobile Software Engineer with a track record of building scalable, high-performance applications across various platforms, including Android, iOS, web, and others, primarily using Flutter & Dart, alongside Kotlin and Swift, and leveraging AI.
Saheed Adewumi - Proofa (GDE Cloud AI & CTO PROOFA)
Cloud Engineer & GDE Cloud AI
Saheed Adewumi is a Google Developer Expert (GDE) for Cloud AI and a seasoned Software and Cloud Engineer. He is deeply committed to architecting innovative solutions at the intersection of Agentic AI and cloud infrastructure. As a dedicated Community Developer Advocate, Saheed bridges the gap between coā¦
Complete your event RSVP here: https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-ahlen-presents-nasa-space-apps-challenge-ahlen-2026/.