NASA Space Apps Challenge comes to Armenia in 2026 through three coordinated city-level Local Events - Yerevan, Gyumri, and Armash - each an official NASA Space Apps Local Event within the world's largest annual space hackathon, spanning 450+ locations across 150+ countries. Over 48 hours, student, developer, and startup teams in each city will build solutions using open NASA and space-agency data, joining a global community of innovators tackling real challenges in Earth science, space exploration, and technology.
This edition introduces a new format: angel investors and venture capital representatives are invited to join as judges across the three cities, evaluating team solutions alongside the technical and scientific panel. The format is built around one goal - giving investors and emerging tech talent a real opportunity to meet, not just present. Judges get direct, early access to vetted teams before anyone else does; teams get a rare chance to put their work in front of active decision-makers. What starts as a judging conversation is designed to continue as future productive cooperation, well beyond the hackathon weekend.
The Armash Local Event, organized by the Armenian Space Forum and rooted in its work at the ARMAS Mars analog research station, anchors this multi-city effort. Drawing on that experience, the Armenian Space Forum supports the organizing teams in Yerevan and Gyumri with shared judging structure, sponsor coordination, and event planning - helping each city run a strong, independent Local Event while giving investors and sponsors one consistent way to engage across all three.
The Arm Space Forum focused on pushing the boundaries of space exploration through collaboration, innovation, and preservation in Armenia. This ASF will unite global experts and enthusiasts in a series of key events, research projects, and preservation efforts to advance our understanding of space.
