Deadline: August 27, 2025
Are you passionate about sustainability, technology, and innovation? The AI Environmental Footprint Measurement Hackathon 2025 is your chance to make a real difference by developing groundbreaking tools to track and reduce the environmental impact of artificial intelligence (AI).
This global hackathon brings together innovators, developers, researchers, and climate advocates to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time: measuring and minimising the carbon and water footprint of AI systems.
About the Hackathon
The AI Environmental Footprint Measurement Hackathon 2025 focuses on creating practical, scalable tools that can help measure and manage AI’s environmental impact. Participants will design solutions that can:
- Measure AI’s carbon emissions (considering energy sources, compute intensity, and geographic variables).
- Track water usage in data centres, particularly for cooling.
- Enable real-time monitoring through AI or IoT platforms.
- Provide optimisation recommendations for reducing environmental impact.
- Conduct lifecycle assessments from development to disposal.
This initiative addresses the urgent need for standardised, actionable methods of assessing AI’s growing environmental footprint.
Timeline & Key Dates
- Registration & Orientation: August 1 – 27, 2025
- Proposal Submission Deadline: August 29, 2025
- Prototype Development (Proof-of-Concept Phase): September 1 – 30, 2025
- Final Presentations: October 15, 2025
Who Can Participate?
The hackathon is open to participants worldwide. Eligible applicants include:
- Innovators and entrepreneurs
- Developers and data engineers
- Researchers and students
- Climate and sustainability advocates
- Tech enthusiasts
Participants can apply as individuals or in teams, with interdisciplinary groups (AI, climate science, sustainability, engineering) strongly encouraged.
Judging Criteria
All submissions will be evaluated based on:
- Innovation – originality of the idea.
- Accuracy – precision in environmental measurement.
- Feasibility – practicality, scalability, and adaptability.
- Impact – potential to drive real-world environmental change.
- Presentation – clarity, communication, and effectiveness.
- Usability – ease of adoption by end-users.
Prize & Opportunity
The winning team or individual will receive a prestigious opportunity to present their solution at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. This global stage offers unmatched visibility, networking, and influence in shaping the future of sustainable AI.
Why This Hackathon Matters
Artificial intelligence is revolutionising industries, but its environmental costs are substantial:
- High energy consumption, leading to significant carbon emissions.
- Large water usage for cooling massive data centres.
- E-waste and material challenges from hardware production and disposal.
The AI Environmental Footprint Measurement Hackathon 2025 provides a collaborative platform to address these urgent issues with actionable, innovative solutions.
Quick Summary
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Registration | August 1 – 27, 2025 |
| Proposal Deadline | August 29, 2025 |
| Prototype Phase | September 1 – 30, 2025 |
| Final Presentations | October 15, 2025 |
| Eligibility | Global applicants (individuals or teams) |
| Focus Areas | Carbon footprint, water use, monitoring, lifecycle assessment, optimisations |
| Judging Criteria | Innovation, accuracy, feasibility, impact, presentation, usability |
| Prize | Present at COP30 in Belém, Brazil |
How to Apply
Ready to make an impact? Take the next step:
Contact grantsdatabase.org for proposal drafting, refining, and review to strengthen your chances of success.
