May the Darkness Be With You 2026

Think Beyond a Single Use

The best ideas often give existing resources a new purpose. Repurpose old electronics, revive forgotten technologies, transform underused spaces, or create solutions that help people share, repair, and reuse what they already have.

Think beyond single-purpose solutions. How could one device, product, or resource create value in multiple settings and situations, such as at home, at work, on a camping trip, at the beach, during community events, or in emergency situations?

The goal is simple: extend the life, usefulness, and impact of existing resources through creativity, technology, and smart design.

Drawing playful inspiration from Star Wars, the May the Darkness Be With You theme challenges you to think like both a retro tinkerer and a sci-fi visionary. Whether you are reviving old technologies, creating multi-purpose solutions, or reimagining how resources can serve future communities, your mission is to transform the familiar into something valuable, useful, and unexpected.

Mix Retro Inspiration with Future Thinking

Explore the intersection of retro and futuristic thinking. Breathe new life into old technologies, combine vintage components with modern innovation, or imagine how future communities could reuse resources more intelligently and sustainably.

Your project could focus on:

• Giving discarded electronics a second life
• Creating multi-purpose tools and devices
• Building systems that encourage sharing, repair, and collaboration
• Reimagining mobility, energy, outdoor life, or everyday experiences
• Turning waste, surplus materials, data, or equipment into something valuable

Join the event as a participant to explore and be inspired, or step up as a hack contestant to pitch your own solution — solo or with a team, the Force is with you! Think like a scavenger, build like a maker, and innovate like a futurist. From rugged survival gadgets and adaptive spaces to connected communities and circular resource systems, every project is an opportunity to turn today's overlooked assets into tomorrow's opportunities.

Why Participate?

1) Showcase your work to a wider audience, build your professional presence, connect with industry professionals, and receive valuable expert feedback.

Confirmed jury members in Oulu (updated 30.9.2026)

• Hiirosoft oy
• Bittium Biosignal
• More to be announced in October & November

International jury: We are also welcoming an online jury member from Takagi Building, Japan, a Tokyo-based company interested in ideas that give new value to older buildings and spaces while strengthening communities.

The event will also bring together company experts, stakeholders, business developers, researchers, and other professionals. Take the opportunity to meet people face to face, exchange ideas, and discover new perspectives. Sometimes the most meaningful conversations and connections happen through spontaneous, in-person encounters.

2) Win exciting awards

Outstanding teams will have the opportunity to win special awards, including:

• Main Award (to be announced in November)
• Takagi Building Special Award: an opportunity to stay free of charge at one of Takagi Building's properties in Japan
• Additional prizes and award details to be announced closer to the event

Choose Your Innovation Track

Track 1: Scrap-Tech & Cyber Survival (Dark Mode)

• The Vibe: High-tech utility born from discarded relics. Channel your inner scavenger to engineer rugged, winter-ready hardware.
• What Fits Here:
• Hacks that tackle freezing temperatures, darkness, mobility, or energy scarcity.
• Transforming broken consumer electronics, dead batteries, optics, or appliances into adaptive field tools, dynamic lights, or multi-use survival gear.
• Anything physical that looks like it belongs in a retro-futuristic outpost or a sci-fi scrap forge.

Track 2: Adaptive Spaces & Living Structures (Second life)

• The Vibe: Giving cold, forgotten, or underused spaces a second pulse through tech and modular design.
• What Fits Here:
• Interactive installations, digital twins, thermal sensing, or modular fixtures that breathe life into empty rooms, basements, or old buildings.
• Systems that adapt a single space for multiple uses (e.g., pop-up workshop by day, cozy community hub by night).
• Tools that track, map, or repurpose architectural materials to keep buildings and components circulating.

Track 3: Connected Commons & Shared Loops (Local Loops)

• The Vibe: Tech that connects people, unlocks idle gear, and keeps local resources flowing.
• What Fits Here:
• Smart sharing stations, lending kiosks, or automated lockers made from repurposed screens and controllers.
• Diagnostic benches, interactive repair guides, or community alert networks for swapping surplus heat, food, or tools.
• Platforms and interactive hardware nodes that turn solitary waste into shared community resilience.

How to Enter the Life & Tech Hack Challenge 2026

Students, researchers, and everyday innovators - showcase your bright (or dark) ideas! Submit your entry details here by October 27th 9:00am Finnish time

Competition video

Each team must submit a ~2-minute video showcasing their project which will be presented during the event. The video should include the following three components:

1. The Idea (≈30–40 seconds)
Introduce your concept, the problem or opportunity it addresses, and how it relates to the theme Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle.

2. The Making Of (≈40–60 seconds)
Show your design and development process. Highlight sketches, prototypes, repurposed materials, reused electronics, experiments, challenges, or key milestones along the way.

3. The Result (≈40–60 seconds)
Demonstrate your final solution in action. Explain its impact, intended users, and how it extends the life, value, usefulness, or versatility of existing resources.

Tip: Make the video engaging and visual. Show your team's creativity, technical skills, and the story behind your innovation.

How Will the Jury Assess Your Project?

The jury will evaluate each project based on three components:
A) Pre-recorded video (2 minutes)
B) Live demonstration at your booth during the event
C) Q&A session with the jury during the event

Evaluation Criteria

Projects will be evaluated across five criteria, each worth up to 20 points, for a maximum score of 100 points.

1. Repurposing Old Electronics

• How creatively and effectively does the project give old electronics a new life?
• We are looking for meaningful use of salvaged electronic components, not just decorative reuse. Strong projects integrate recovered parts, such as displays, batteries, sensors, optics, relays, controllers, cables, or enclosures, as functional parts of the solution.
• The highest scores will go to projects that demonstrate clever circular engineering and extend the useful life of existing electronic components through thoughtful reuse.

2. Futuristic / Retro Aesthetic

• Does the project turn old technology into something that feels futuristic?
• The project should have a clear and intentional visual concept that combines repurposed electronics with a sci-fi, cyberpunk, retro-futuristic, or "future built from the past" aesthetic.
• We value creative design, visual coherence, and the ability to transform discarded technology into something that looks both imaginative and purposeful.

3. Community & Real-World Utility

• Could the solution genuinely benefit other people?
• Projects should address a recognizable real-world need and demonstrate potential value beyond the project team itself. This could relate to campus life, shared spaces, mobility, energy awareness, accessibility, community facilities, or another local challenge.
• Higher scores will be given to solutions that could realistically be used, shared, or further developed for the benefit of a wider community.

4. Visual Appeal & Interactivity

• Does the solution invite people to engage with it?
• We are looking for projects that communicate clearly with their users and audiences. Interaction might include buttons, controls, sensors, displays, lights, real-time information, responsive feedback, or other creative ways of making the solution engaging.
• The strongest projects will be intuitive, visually compelling, and enjoyable to experience during the live demonstration.

5. Technical Craftsmanship & Engineering Quality

• How well is the solution designed, built, and demonstrated?
• The jury will consider the overall technical quality of the project, including reliable operation, stable software or firmware, thoughtful wiring, power management, physical construction, and safe implementation.
• Projects do not need to look commercially manufactured, but they should demonstrate careful engineering, reliability, and attention to safety, especially during the live demonstration.

Scoring

Each criterion is evaluated on a scale from 0 to 20 points:

• 0–5 points: Poor / Deficient
• 6–10 points: Fair / Basic
• 11–15 points: Proficient / Solid
• 16–20 points: Exemplary / Outstanding
  Maximum total score: 100 points

Ready to compete?

Sign up now and let the darkness inspire your brightest ideas—and may the prizes be with you! Enjoy demos, and a truly engaging experience!

Event programme (subject to change)

8:30-9:00 Breakfast and networking
9:00-9:05 Welcome and opening remarks
9:05-10:00 Hack videos (2 minutes per team)
10:00-10:25 Live Q&A with global participants
10:30-14:30 | Oulu On-site Programme (Hands-on activities and stands, including the Light Saber Competition and other exciting experiences)
10:30-11:15 Company presentations by jury members
11:20-12:00 Pizza lunch for all participants
12:00-13:00 Interactive demos, exhibitions, and discussions
13:00-13:40 Jury deliberation
13:45-14:15 Award ceremony, followed by coffee and cake
14:30 Closing remarks

Interested in joining as a visitor?

Registration is free. Sign up using the form below: [Visitor registration Link]

Questions?

For any inquiries about the competition or event, please contact: itee-community@oulu.fi *Please note that response times may vary depending on email volume and may take a few business days.

May the Force be with you.