Expert Jury Selects Teams for the “GIS and Climate: Solutions for the Future” Hackathon
On 15 July, the student teams selected by the expert jury were announced.
The selected teams will continue their participation in this year’s national hackathon “GIS and Climate: Solutions for the Future”, held under the theme “Dynamic Geography and Natural Hazards: More Geospatial Data and Information for Better Decisions.”
The projects advancing to the next stage of the competition will receive funding of up to €500 and mentorship support to help develop their solutions over the coming months.
The jury, composed of distinguished researchers and experts, selected the following project proposals and teams:
- “Before the Flood: A Geospatial Digital Twin for Flash Flood Prevention in the Municipality of Kyustendil”
Team: Viktoria Spasova, Daniel Dyulgerski
University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy (UACEG)
- “Spatial Modelling and Risk Mapping of Debris Flows in Bulgaria”
Team: Ivana Ivanova, Yanitsa Ivanova, Yordan Koprivlenski
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
- “ReLeaf: Hot City to Cool” – A GIS-Based Analysis, Forecasting and Management of Urban Heat Islands
Team: Nia Minkova, Naya Ivanova
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
- “Unstable Terrain, Resilient Network: Landslide Risk Analysis and Infrastructure Vulnerability Assessment”
Team: Vladimir Pinkov, Betina Shishmanova, Hristo Naydenov
University of Mining and Geology “St. Ivan Rilski”
- “GIS Analysis and Nature-Based Solutions for the Ecological Adaptation of Gorni Dabnik Reservoir to Drought Conditions”
Team: Deyan Yosifov, Dimitar Dimitrov
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
- “Carbon Blind Spots: Geospatial Identification of Hidden Carbon Reservoirs in Urban Soils as a Tool for Climate Adaptation and Sustainable Urban Planning”
Team: Desislava Parvanova, Ivaylo Valchev
Institute for Climate, Atmosphere and Water Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (ICAWR – BAS)
- “GeoClimateGuard” – An Intelligent Web-Based GIS System for Active and Passive Wildfire Risk Assessment Using Sensors and Algorithms
Team: Ivan Mitin, Samuil Kalchev, Nikolay Arsenov, Liliya Tsvetkova, Boyan Baydanov
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
- “An Integrated GIS Model for Prioritising Prevention and Operational Preparedness for Fires in Agricultural Areas and Critical Infrastructure”
Team: Svetoslava Georgieva, Georgi Vasilev
Technical University of Sofia – Plovdiv Branch
- “Following the Fire: From Ashes to Geodata”
Team: Eliya Stoyanova (UACEG), Viktor Vitov (University of Mining and Geology “St. Ivan Rilski”).
The selected projects are to be completed by 15 October 2026. The best projects will be showcased during GIS Day 2026, which will take place on 18 November 2026 in Sofia.
The “GIS and Climate: Solutions for the Future” hackathon is organised by the National University Centre for Geospatial Research and Technologies, in partnership with Esri Bulgaria, Aerographica, and Geographica.
Follow the progress of the hackathon here and on our social media channels. Stay tuned for innovative solutions demonstrating how GIS technologies can contribute to a more sustainable future.
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