Results & Announcements

To address the growing human health risks posed by the climate crisis and identify innovative technological solutions with both practical feasibility and potential for broader application, Tsinghua University, in partnership with The University of Hong Kong, the National University of Singapore, and the Asian Universities Alliance, is organizing the 2026 Asian Climate-SDG Technology Innovation Hackathon for Next-generation (ACTION): Safeguarding Human Health in the Climate Crisis. The Semi-finals has now been successfully concluded.

With strong support from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the WHO Representative Office in China (WHO China), the International Competence Development Committee, and Envision Group, the hackathon aims to inspire young people to pursue innovative practices at the intersection of climate change and health, and to contribute the insights, creativity, and solutions of Asian youth to global sustainable development.

Since the launch of the hackathon in March 2026, the organizing committee has received 76 high-quality proposals. Through a preliminary review, 50 teams were selected to advance to the preliminary round. From mid-July to mid-August, the Organizing Committee assigned one-on-one mentors to each of the 50 shortlisted teams, who provided guidance to help them further refine and strengthen their proposals.In the second half of August, a second round of expert review was conducted, from which 25 outstanding teams advanced to the next stage. On September 4th, an online defense session was organized, during which a judge panel composed by distinguished experts (shown below) conducted a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the teams’ projects, assessing their technical innovation, health impact, feasibility, scalability, and presentation. Ultimately, 15 teams were selected to advance to the semi-final round (see the list below) and will participate in the Hong Kong Roadshow on September 21, where 5 final teams will be selected to participate in the COP31 conference, where they will showcase their innovative solutions to global peers and experts.

Semi-finalists of the 2026 Asian Climate-SDG Technology Innovation HackathOn

(Sorted by the first letter of the university name)

Introduction to Review Experts

Experts from International Organizations：

From left to right and top to bottom, they are: Mr. Ben Churchill (Director, Regional Office for Asia and the South‑West Pacific, WMO); Mr. Xiaopeng Jiang (National Professional Officer, WHO Representative Office in China); Ms. Rachel Seungyun Lee (Technical Officer, WHO Asia‑Pacific Centre for Environment and Health); and Ms. Huixin Zheng (Senior Programme Coordinator, Hong Kong Red Cross).

Industry Experts：

From left to right, they are: Ms. Aijing Lei (Vice‑President of Tsinghua Holdings Sci‑Tech Innovation Holding Co., Ltd); Mr. Xiaochen Lei, Neil (Head of Wearable Sports & Health, Head of Xiaomi Sports & Health Lab); Mr. Andy Yu (Carbon Market and Nature Investment Lead, Tencent).

Academic Experts：

From left to right, they are: Bin Chen (Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Deputy Director (Interim) of Urban Systems Institute at the University of Hong Kong); Mr. Jingtao Ding (Assistant Professor, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University).

The Organizing Committee extends its sincere gratitude to all experts and scholars who contributed to the review process, as well as to our partner universities and supporting organizations for their invaluable support. We look forward to the final teams delivering more outstanding performances and making meaningful contributions to advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Organizing Committee of the Asian Climate-SDG Technology

Innovation HackathOn

September 2026