NASA Space Apps Challenge in Vicenza

April 29-30, 2017

The 2017 edition of NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge took place on April 29-30 in 187 locations in 69 countries and involved a total of approximately 25,000 participants globally. Space Apps is a 48-hour global hackathon organized by NASA since 2012 to pull citizens together regardless of their background or skill level and have them tackle a challenge using robotics, data visualization, hardware, design and many other specialties.

The first edition of Space Apps in northern Italy, in Vicenza, was a smashing success, with 164 participants and 18 teams. Participants included students from local high school, including a group of students from the American high school hosted at the U.S. Army base at Caserma Ederle, who worked with their Italian colleagues to tackle this year’s challenges. Some of the Italian students said that this was the first time they had the opportunity to come to know American students from the school on base.

Space Apps Vicenza was very popular with regional and local print, TV and online media and received coverage on a daily basis. This large footprint was reflected in the event’s jury, with included the ConGen Milan PAO, the Vicenza Councilor for Youth, the Director General of Confartigianato, university professors, and representatives from local tech and manufacturing companies.