JUVRio awards 50 young people with tickets to Rock in Rio after innovation marathon.

Following the competition, the winning teams will have their solutions supported by Usina de Startups, with mentoring and specialized guidance to develop and transform their ideas into real projects - Press Release / JUV Rio

The Rio de Janeiro City Hall, through the Municipal Secretariat of Carioca Youth (JUVRio), held, last Tuesday (September 1st), the JUV in Rio – Hackathon Rock in Rio, a journey of creativity, technology, innovation and youth leadership that brought together 100 young people from Rio, aged 16 to 29, at the Casa da Juventude Centro, in Gamboa.

The initiative was carried out by JUVRio, through the Opportunities Club, in official partnership with Junior Achievement and Rock in Rio.

The ten highest-ranked teams were awarded prizes, and their members won tickets to Rock in Rio 2026, with access for September 13th. Since each team consists of five participants, 50 young people will go to the City of Rock. Ten mentors who guided the development of the young people's ideas will also receive tickets.

Over six hours of immersion, participants were challenged to develop solutions related to the theme "For a Better World," using creativity, critical thinking, technology, innovation, collaboration, and social impact to address real-world problems.

Inspired by Junior Achievement's Innovation Camp methodology, the activity utilized Design Thinking tools, a people-centered approach based on collaborative and empathetic processes. The young participants worked in teams, investigated problems, explored possibilities, tested hypotheses, and developed proposals that were presented to a judging panel at the end of the activity.

The challenge also encouraged participants to transform their ideas into concrete solutions. Throughout the journey, the teams had the support of mentors and volunteers to structure their proposals and prepare the pitch, a presentation in which they had to explain the identified problem, the developed solution, its potential impact, and the feasibility of the idea.

Since 2025, the Opportunities Club has benefited more than 11 young people enrolled in JUVRio courses, offering free extracurricular activities such as workshops, guided tours, and participation in cultural, sporting, and educational events.

The Municipal Secretariat for Youth in Rio de Janeiro (JUVRio) is an agency of the Rio de Janeiro City Hall, created in 2021, and has already reached more than 500 young people through public policies focused on access to education, professional training, employability, entrepreneurship, and civic participation.

Projects will receive specialized guidance.

The ideas presented at the Hackathon will continue to evolve. The ten winning teams will be mentored by Usina de Startups, a company that systematically creates, builds, and accelerates businesses, functioning as an innovation "factory" through mentorship. The goal is to support the development and maturation of the solutions presented, expanding their potential impact and creating possibilities for their future implementation.

All 100 participants of the JUV in Rio Hackathon will receive a 100% scholarship to study English at Seda College, an English language teaching platform led by the Irish Seda Education Group.

Selected young people

The tickets distributed to the Hackathon winners are personal and non-transferable, linked to the young people's CPF (Brazilian tax identification number), and cannot be sold, donated, given away, exchanged, or transferred to third parties.

Check out the selected ideas below.

WHAT IF WANTING TO CHANGE THE WORLD WASN'T ENOUGH?
The project proposes an app that connects young people to volunteering and community mentoring opportunities, encouraging participation in social actions and strengthening ties with the community. The platform allows users to learn about local problems and projects, find practical ways to contribute, and transform their time spent volunteering into skills development, certifications, and job opportunities through an Impact Passport that records actions, skills, and experiences gained.

Participants:

• Esther Heloise Bastos da Silva

• Gabriela Chaves Rocha

• Beatriz da Silva Ferreira

• Michael Sacramento dos Santos Braga

• Gabriel Lameu

NO RADAR
The project proposes an app aimed at young people aged 15 to 29 in Rio de Janeiro, with the goal of facilitating access to information about social actions, projects, and institutions in the region. The platform will allow for the mapping of collaboration opportunities, registration for activities and professional rewards, as well as the issuance of certificates and encouragement of extracurricular activities and service exchanges. Key features include offline maps, a personalized algorithm, and the possibility of in-person scheduling, bringing young people closer to social, educational, and environmental initiatives.

Participants:

• Amanda Gurgel Manhães

• Maria Eduarda dos Santos Meira Miguel

• Giovanna Cristina Moreira Marques

• Mariana Lázaro Morais

• Ana Clara dos Santos Correa

LIGA.AI Your health safety in one link.
The project uses artificial intelligence to facilitate urban communication and access to information on health and safety and basic sanitation for residents of the Baixada Fluminense region. The proposal is to install communication kiosks at strategic points, connecting residents to public agents and professionals responsible for addressing local needs. The initiative seeks to expedite communication in vulnerable situations and improve the quality of life of the population, starting in the Baixada Fluminense and, in the future, expanding its reach throughout the state.

Participants:

• Gustavo Ferreira Gomes

• Mariana de Souza

• Bruna Zurmele Castro dos Santos

• Adriel Rodrigues Rabelo

• Thalita Trindade

REVIVA — REAL NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEMS, REAL COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS
The project proposes a platform that connects urban problems with people and initiatives capable of solving them within the community itself. Residents can register incidents with photos and location, while artists, volunteers, collectives, and public agencies receive the requests and indicate the best way to resolve them. The platform also allows users to track the process, record the before and after of actions, and create a public portfolio of transformations, always with the proper authorization from those responsible for the location.

Participants:

• Victor Calisto Vicente

• Gabriel Rodrigues Duarte

• Annabel Bezerra de Souza

• Sophia Peixoto dos Santos e Silva

• Arthur Bruno da Luz Ramiro Veiga

DEKA — A CURATORIAL AND EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENT FOR ART PRODUCERS, CONSUMERS, AND ARTISTS
The project proposes an online community and an app aimed at residents of the far West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, bringing together cultural and educational information and opportunities in a single space. The platform will offer curated events, recommendations and discounts, simplified content on calls for proposals, visual data, and maps of public services and facilities. The initiative seeks to organize and expand access to what already exists in the region, bringing young people and adults closer to the production and consumption of culture and contributing to the reduction of territorial inequalities.

Participants:

• David Cardoso Firme

• Maynara Batista Marques da Silva

• Perla Ester Emilio de Oliveira

• Maria Vitória Corrêa Cardoso

• Isabelly de Andrade Machado

MADA'S — MOVEMENT FOR WELCOMING, DIRECTING AND ACCESSING
The project proposes a platform that connects people to opportunities for interaction, learning, support, therapy, and social participation, according to their interests and lifestyle. Based on each user's profile, the platform recommends activities, people with similar interests and experiences, encouraging face-to-face meetings and the building of real connections. The initiative seeks to combat loneliness and isolation, promote well-being, and increase people's participation in the community.

Participants:

• Douglas Lourenço de Oliveira

• Brenda da Hora da Silva

• Leticia Teles Pimenta

• Ana Paula Pereira da Silva

• Karen Ferreira

RAISE
The project proposes a collective space aimed at young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 29, where they can sell products and services in exchange for offering a monthly workshop related to their work. The space also provides support services, such as psychological counseling, legal and financial guidance, provided by recent graduates. The initiative seeks to encourage entrepreneurship, promote the exchange of knowledge, strengthen the local economy, and expand training opportunities for young people.

Participants:

• Ana Júlia Oliveira Santos do Carmo

• Luisa Ruivo Fernandes

• Dhominique de Oliveira Bittencourt

• Amanda Victoria Apolinário Velloso

• José Augusto Freire de Melo

YOUNG PEOPLE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE — A WEBSITE FOR EVERYONE
The project proposes a website created by young people to facilitate access for other young people, especially those in situations of social vulnerability, to opportunities and information. The platform will bring together calls for proposals, competitions, and social projects, offering step-by-step explanations to facilitate understanding, as well as mapping opportunities, promoting exchanges and donations, and providing evaluations and experiences from people in the field. The initiative seeks to broaden access to knowledge, strengthen the feeling of belonging, and facilitate the discovery of new opportunities.

Participants:

• Jaqueline Marisa Pombal Machado

• Daniella Freire Santos

• Alice Barbosa Correia

• Bruno Ribeiro Alves

• Leticia Leandro da Silva

CONNECT FEST
The project proposes an app that connects young people to social projects and volunteer activities, transforming participation into opportunities for recognition and access to festival experiences. Users accumulate points, advance in a ranking, and can earn rewards such as gifts and tickets. The initiative seeks to broaden access to different festival niches, promote inclusion, and increase the visibility of social causes and NGOs.

Participants:

• Vitor Rodrigues de Oliveira

• John Victor Moreira de Abreu

• Ana Claudia do Amaral Coelho

• Ana Carolina do Amaral Coelho

• Isabela Alves Menezes Calazans Pereira

CULTURATING — EDUCATION AND CULTURE
The project proposes an app that connects young people aged 12 to 29, students in the public school system, with cultural events and activities in Rio de Janeiro. The initiative seeks to use culture as a tool for motivation and school engagement, identifying young people with low attendance or lack of motivation and connecting them to new cultural experiences.

Participants:

• Raoni Nunes Ramos

• Wesley Simões de Andrade

• Maria Rita dos Santos do Nascimento

• Eloah dos Santos

• Mahara Queiroz