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until the UN Datathon!
Leverage technology and your expertise to develop innovative solutions for a more sustainable and equitable future

Join us on this journey of innovation, exploration, and problem-solving as we harness the power of data to create a more sustainable and resilient world.

Datathon participants will develop innovative data-driven applications, tools or statistical models combining geospatial data with other data sources to help advance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

3-6 Nov 2023

70 hour Hybrid Datathon

Hosted in Montevideo by INE Uruguay
Organized by UN and partners in conjunction with the Festival de Datos

Participate remotely!

or on site at several locations around the world!

Main Venue: Montevideo, Uruguay

Official Satellite locations:
At UN Big Data Regional Hubs: Dubai (UAE), Hangzhou (China), Kigali (Rwanda,) Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); at participating universities: Brisbane (Australia), Geneva (Switzerland), and at the UN Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)

Can I join?

Teams of 3 - 5 researchers, students, professionals from academia, national statistical offices, other government agencies, private sector companies or enthusiasts with a background in data science, statistics, economics, and social sciences are all welcome to apply!

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About

Following the success of the past three hackathons, the United Nations Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UNCEBD), Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY), Uruguay's National Institute of Statistics, and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data are hosting the "2023 UN Datathon". This is an exciting opportunity for students and data professionals to contribute solutions to the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Datathon is is organized from 3-6 November in conjunction with the Festival de Datos in Uruguay (7 to 9 November 2023). Participants may have the opportunity to have their work shown or presented at the Festival de Datos and winners' projects have a chance to be taken forward by the UN and its partners.

At a Glance

Participant Info

For more detailed info on the UN Datathon including the application process and scoring rubric, check the Participant Info page.

Datasets

Geospatial and geocoded datasets curated by the UN which will be provided via the UN Global Platform and AWS

Important dates

FAQs

Webinars

Contact

Join the mailing list and follow our socials below.

Previous Hackathon winners

2022 UN Big Data Hackathon

Closing ceremony with winners' presentations

2021 Youth Hackathon

Winning presentation: Sustainability

2020 AIS Hackathon

Winners videos

Opportunities

  • Create innovative solutions
  • Gain insights on SDGs
  • Drive positive change
  • Solve real-world problems
  • Make a difference
  • Learn and develop skills
  • Collaborate and network
  • Professional visibility
  • Mentorship opportunities
  • Recognition and Prizes *

* Teams will be recognized for such distinctions as best team, best team by region, best visualization, best presentation, best student teams, and others! Prizes may include the possibility of projects being incubated and/or travel to select international data conferences in 2024.

Stay connected

JOIN the Mailing list       

Not sure if you want to apply for the UN Datathon yet but want to stay informed?

UN Datathon Group on the Global Network

Have a question? Join the UN Datathon Group for support before and after the UN Datathon. Click here for more details on joining the Global Network.

Marketing resources:
Video (short) Video (long) Posters QR Code Instagram

Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

In-person attendance is not a requirement because the Datathon can be done virtually. However, the in-person teams will benefit from networking and additional in-person events such as training workshops and the Festival de Datos in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The detailed programme in each location will be announced in due time.
The funding is limited and mostly intended for data scientists working in national statistical offices.
Yes.
Yes, we have a dedicated UN Datathon group on the Global Network of Data Officers and Statisticians at https://yammer.com/unstats/ for support and questions ahead of the Datathon and we will offer a Slack channel for timely support during the Datathon. Inquires can also be sent to un-big-data-hackathon@unmgcy.org