Registration for the IA Challenge, the first UPC artificial intelligence competition, is open until 15 November. The initiative connects university talent with the industrial world and the major challenges facing society.

Launched for the first time by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), the competition invites students to submit innovative ideas that use AI to address a wide range of challenges.

This first edition is supported by the companies that form part of the Connèxia UPC programme: Cetaqua, Fractus (via the Fractus-UPC Deep Tech Hub), Mecalux, Schneider Electric, CaixaBank Tech and the ENIA Siemens Energy AI Chair. Energy Sustainability for a Decarbonized Society 5.0.

The goal of the competition is to boost the impact of AI in the UPC’s areas of knowledge—architecture, engineering, science and technology—with the aim of improving quality of life and addressing business challenges that contribute to this goal.

The call is open to more than 30,000 bachelor’s and master’s students from the UPC’s 18 schools, who may participate individually or in teams of up to three members. In the individual category, students may submit their final thesis as their entry.

Connecting students and companies

The initiative also offers UPC students the opportunity to work on six real-world challenges proposed by four partner companies, all of which are leaders in their sectors:

• Schneider Electric proposes using an in-house tool to monitor energy consumption at a real facility in order to recommend the most suitable electricity tariff.
• Mecalux presents three industrial storage and logistics challenges: using computer vision AI for quality control in warehouses, predictive maintenance of its own machinery and raw material purchasing planning.
• Fractus is inviting students to develop an AI-based patent analysis system to detect prior disclosure.
• Cetaqua proposes creating an AI model to predict the concentration of trihalomethanes (compounds that pose a risk to public health) in drinking water to improve management.

These specific challenges will allow students to apply their AI knowledge to real-world problems with potentially significant industrial and societal impact.

Project prototype in a website or app

All submitted projects—whether student-led innovations in various fields or responses to the six company-sponsored challenges—must be based on AI technologies and implemented in a working prototype that demonstrates their use, such as a website or a mobile app.

Prizes, ranging from €500 to €3,000, will be awarded in two categories:

• Best project at each UPC school (individual and team categories).
• Best overall UPC projects (first and second place in each category).

Winners of the overall UPC prize will gain direct access to the Emprèn UPC technology-based project incubation programme, which offers mentoring, guidance and access to incubation pathways to help transform ideas into real market-impacting ventures.

The deadline to register and submit projects has been extended to 15 November. Proposals will be assessed by a jury composed of teaching staff and professionals from partner companies, who will evaluate the submissions in terms of innovation, creativity, impact, technical feasibility, ethics and responsibility, and user experience.

With this challenge, the UPC reaffirms its mission to foster innovation, provide excellent training and maintain strong ties with industry, encouraging creativity and entrepreneurship among students in the face of today’s social challenges.

Further information

• Rules for the 1st UPC Artificial Intelligence Challenge (IA Challenge)