Regulations and Terms

TecStorm is a technology competition, taking place online between January 4 and March 31, 2027, and onsite in Lisbon on April 16, 17, and 18, 2027.

Participation is team-based. Teams will develop a project based on a previously and duly submitted idea. The idea may have been partially developed before the competition, but not fully completed.

Each project will compete in one of categories defined by the organization. At the end of the event, the sponsor of each category is responsible for awarding the prize to the winner of that category.

Team evaluation will be divided into three stages:

• First stage: After the ideation phase, the best teams from each category will be selected to present their projects at the final in Lisbon. This decision will be made by a committee based on project progress and submitted documents.
• Second stage: At the final, two teams per category will be selected for the ultimate evaluation. This decision will take into account project progress, business model, prototype, and pitch.
• Third stage: A final jury will select the winners of each category and the overall event, based on the previous criteria.

TecStorm aims to:

• Promote entrepreneurial spirit among university students;
• Encourage creativity and innovation in higher education;
• Raise awareness of social challenges and foster active participation in solving them.
• Raise awareness among university students about social issues and encourage their participation in solving them.

TecStorm is organized by JUNITEC – Junior Enterprise of Instituto Superior Técnico.

During the event, teams will have access to technical support, limited to clarifications regarding materials, provided by JUNITEC members.

Approved teams will have access to materials requested and approved in their application, as per Article 7.

Dates for the different phases of the event are:

• November 9, 2026: Registration opens.
• December 13, 2026: Registration closes.
• January 24, 2027: Deadline for submission of detailed project information.
• February 10, 2027: Announcement of teams selected for the final.
• April 16, 17, and 18, 2027: Final phase held in person in Lisbon.

Eligibility requirements:

• Applicants must be 18 or more years old, or have their 18th birthday in the year of the competition.
• Applicants must hold a valid enrollment certificate from any higher education institution for the academic year 2025/2026 or 2026/2027.

Team structure:

• Teams must consist of 3 to 5 members.

Restrictions:

• Applicants who have won previous editions of the competition are not eligible to participate.

Steps to apply for TecStorm:

1. Individual registration through the event's official website.
2. Application through the event's official website.

Submission requirement:

By the end of the ideation phase, teams must submit their project by January 24, 2027.

The project submission consists of the following points:

• Project Identification: The team must present the project title;
• Description: Provide a description of the idea to be developed (max. 3000 characters), including: a detailed explanation of the problem to be addressed; a description of the commercial potential; expected outcomes;
• Team Motivation: Explain the team’s motivation for participating;
• Scientific Component: Describe how the project will be executed, including technical support;
• Attachments: Additional documents supporting the idea may be submitted, and submitting a video pitch is recommended.

1. Registration cancellation can be made by sending an email to the organizing team using the contact provided on the event page.
2. The cancellation will only be accepted and deemed valid if sent to the organizing team by February 19, 2027.
3. If the cancellation occurs after the mentioned date, the participant, if not residing in Lisbon, must reimburse 50% of the costs associated with their participation to JUNITEC, specifically those related to accommodation and travel.

To provide the best possible working conditions, only the best ideas will be selected to participate in TecStorm. The evaluation will be based on the following criteria:

• Project: Relevance, creativity, innovation, market size, and social impact;
• Impact: Scope and relevance of the solution. How much the idea can benefit society or solve real problems.

This evaluation will be carried out by the organizing team in collaboration with its partners.

1. The event program can be consulted on the event's website.
2. The organizing team reserves the right to change the program without prior notice until the event's start date. Any changes will be communicated in writing to participants.

1. The organization will provide teams with some of the budgeted materials exclusively for the execution of the project. The organization does not commit to providing all the materials requested by the teams. The organization will select, from the materials requested by the teams, those that it can supply and will inform the teams of the materials that will be guaranteed.
2. In addition to the materials provided by the organization, teams are free to use their own materials.
3. After the event, all technical materials provided must be returned upon request by the organization.
4. If the materials are not returned, the team will be responsible for covering the full cost of the materials.

1. On the 24h hackathon, projects will undergo continuous evaluation carried out by a JUNITEC team, resulting in a progress report.
2. Projects must be submitted by 08:30 AM on April 18, 2027. Any team that fails to meet this deadline will be automatically disqualified.
3. At the end of the competition, JUNITEC guests, together with professionals from the sponsors of the six categories, will evaluate the teams based on the following criteria:
   • Pitch - 35%;
   • Business Model - 15%;
   • Prototype - 25%;
   • Progress Evaluation - 25%.
4. From the evaluations described in points 1 and 3, the top two teams from each category will be selected to participate in the final evaluation.
5. The final evaluation will include the final product of the project (Prototype), Pitch, and Business Model. The evaluated pitch will have a maximum duration of 3 minutes, followed by 5 minutes for questions. To choose the winners, the public can also vote, through a QR code that will be available after the presentations.

1. Participants who neither reside nor study in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area will be eligible for accommodation and transportation support, under the terms of this Article.
2. Eligibility shall be determined based on the address and educational institution indicated in the application form. For verification purposes, JUNITEC reserves the right to request proof of residence or the participant's enrollment certificate from their higher education institution.
3. Eligible participants will be provided with accommodation for the night of April 16, 2027, in addition to the night of April 17, 2027, which is available to all participants.
4. Eligible participants will also be provided with transportation support for the trip to Lisbon on April 16, 2027, and the return trip on April 18, 2027, up to a maximum of €100 (one hundred euros) per participant, covering both trips.
5. Transportation support for the trip to Lisbon on April 16, 2027, and the return trip on April 18, 2027, will be provided as follows:
   1. Participants residing in Portugal: JUNITEC will purchase and provide bus tickets for both trips. JUNITEC is solely responsible for choosing the route and schedule, and participants may not claim alternative options or reimbursement for transportation arranged on their own.
   2. Participants residing outside Portugal: participants must purchase their own flights for both trips by February 18, 2027, and will be reimbursed up to a maximum of €100 (one hundred euros) per participant, covering both trips. Reimbursement requires proof of purchase (invoice or receipt) issued with JUNITEC’s tax identification number (NIF) and showing the purchase date and travel dates. Flights purchased after February 18, 2027, or invoices not issued with JUNITEC’s NIF, will not be eligible for reimbursement.
6. Any costs exceeding the amount set out in point 3(b), or any costs arising from options not provided by JUNITEC, are the sole responsibility of the participant.

1. Meals will be provided by the organization. However, it is the responsibility of each team to organize and plan their meals according to the resources and food options available during the event.
2. Participants are allowed to bring additional food to the event.
3. The organization will provide four main meals: lunch on Friday (April 16), lunch and dinner on Saturday (April 17), and lunch on Sunday (April 18), as well as various snacks and food items for participants, subject to availability. Additionally, participants that are not from Lisbon, will also have access to Friday (April 16) dinner.
4. Dietary restrictions must be reported to the organization during the registration process. If not reported, the organization does not guarantee the availability of alternatives to meet those dietary needs.

1. Teams will receive support from mentors and invited experts starting in February 2027. As this support is advisory in nature, any resulting actions are the sole responsibility of the participants and their teams.
2. After selection, each team will be assigned a strategic mentor to monitor the project's ideation progress leading up to the event and assist in drafting a Business Model outline.
3. Additionally, based on their technical needs, each team will be assigned a technical mentor with expertise in technologies. The purpose is to complement the technical skills of TecStorm participants and assist the team in planning the prototype development.

1. The monetary prize will be awarded to each of the winning teams by the sponsor of their respective category. JUNITEC acts solely as a mediator for this payment. To facilitate the payment process, a green receipt or isolated act must be issued through the financial portal.
2. JUNITEC reserves the right to exclude any team if inappropriate conduct by one of its members is observed during the event.
3. JUNITEC reserves the right to exclude any team if any form of plagiarism is discovered during the event. JUNITEC assumes no responsibility in such cases, which will instead fall on all members of the team.
4. JUNITEC reserves the right to exclude any team if one of its members is absent at any point during the event.
5. JUNITEC reserves the right to decide on any omitted or ambiguous cases in this regulation or the points mentioned above. Such decisions will be final and irrevocable.
6. JUNITEC is not liable for any material damages caused by a team member, and all responsibilities and applicable sanctions will rest on the individual responsible.
7. JUNITEC cannot be held liable for the non-occurrence of the event or any situation that may arise during the event.

1. No rights regarding pre-existing intellectual property held by the various participants of TecStorm will be transmitted or transferred among them, or to third parties, under this Regulation.
2. The intellectual property rights of the projects presented under this Regulation will belong to their creators/participants.
3. Without prejudice to the previous point, JUNITEC shall ensure that participants, upon application, mentors and invited experts, upon accepting their invitation to participate in TecStorm, sign a document authorizing JUNITEC to use the projects developed under this Regulation for academic purposes.
4. During the implementation of the Regulation, JUNITEC will inform mentors and special guests that they may provide JUNITEC and the participating students with ideas, suggestions, or comments (feedback) regarding the projects. JUNITEC will ensure that mentors and special guests expressly agree that all feedback will be given entirely voluntarily and that they grant JUNITEC and the participating students a free, perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide license to use, disclose, reproduce, license, distribute, or exploit the provided feedback.
5. If a third party makes any claim against JUNITEC alleging an infringement of rights resulting from the reproduction, use, or exploitation of works, software applications, or any components thereof created under this Regulation, JUNITEC will ensure that the participating students provide all necessary assistance for defense or settlement of such claims.
6. If JUNITEC is held liable for intellectual property rights violations and is required to make payments such as compensation, penalties, fines, or other guarantees, the participating students responsible for causing such payments will indemnify JUNITEC for all damages suffered and expenses incurred. The indemnification must be completed within a maximum of 15 (fifteen) days from the date of notification for that purpose.

1. In accordance with personal data protection legislation, JUNITEC, as the data controller, will process the personal data of applicants and participants for the purpose of organizing the event and enforcing this Regulation, specifically for:
   • Event application, for 1 year;
   • Internal management, for 1 year;
   • Sharing photos and videos on social media, after obtaining consent, for 1 year;
   • Sending newsletters with relevant communications, after obtaining consent, for 5 years;
   • Sharing data with sponsors and partners.
2. JUNITEC, with NIPC 502316128, is the entity responsible for data processing.
3. Personal data such as “Name,” “Date of Birth,” “[to be specified]” (...) are mandatory for the application process and, consequently, for registration as a participant in the event. Without this data, we cannot process your request.
4. The data in question will not be used for any other purpose without prior consent and will be retained by JUNITEC for up to five (5) years.
5. You may exercise your rights under applicable legislation (access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, portability) by contacting us in writing at the following email: geral@tecstorm.pt, without prejudice to the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority (www.cnpd.pt).
6. When you provide us with your personal data, they will be protected using security protocols suitable for internet communications and stored on a secure server with restricted access.
7. JUNITEC may share personal data with its service providers to fulfill the purposes described.
8. Please note that you may withdraw your consent at any time.
9. For more information about how your data will be processed, please contact us at geral@tecstorm.pt.

See also our Privacy Policy.