Young champions of the JUV in Rio Hackathon experience an unforgettable day at Rock in Rio.

Winning teams will have their solutions supported by Usina de Startups, with mentoring and specialized guidance - Press Release / JUVRio

For 50 young people from Rio de Janeiro, last Sunday (September 13th) had a different meaning. After going through a marathon of creativity, technology, and innovation at JUV in Rio – Hackathon Rock in Rio, they experienced something in the City of Rock that, for many, seemed distant. The group of young people were awarded tickets to Rock in Rio 2026 after being among the ten highest-ranked teams in the challenge promoted by the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Youth Secretariat (JUVRio), through the Opportunities Club, in official partnership with Junior Achievement and Rock in Rio.

In early September, 100 young people were selected for the Hackathon held at the Casa da Juventude Centro, a day dedicated to brainstorming solutions to real-world problems under the theme "For a Better World." During six hours of immersion, the teams were divided and, using Design Thinking tools, identified problems, developed ideas, and prepared proposals that were presented to a judging panel. With the support of mentors and volunteers, the groups also had to transform their ideas into pitches, presenting the potential impact and feasibility of the solutions.

Now, amidst the Rock in Rio crowd, the winners were able to experience what it's like to be at one of the world's biggest music festivals. The moment was marked by the opportunity to see up close artists they already followed.

– It has always been my dream to come to Rock in Rio and I am very happy to be here. During the marathon, our project envisioned a space where young people aged 18 to 29 could sell their product or service. In exchange, as payment for the space, they would have to offer a class about their business to other young people as well, thus multiplying this knowledge – said Daniela Freire Santos, 17, a resident of Irajá.

The experience also allowed the young people to share the moment with their own teammates. After spending hours working together to build a solution, they had the opportunity to celebrate the result inside the City of Rock.

Gabriel Lameu, 20, helped develop the project "What if changing the world wasn't enough?", which proposes an app that connects young people to volunteering and community mentoring opportunities, encouraging participation in social actions and strengthening ties with the community.

"It's great to realize that there's someone who wants to hear our ideas. Young people also want a better world, and at the Hackathon, we had a unique and very exciting experience, especially at the moment of victory. It goes beyond winning these tickets. It's also an opportunity to show our strength. This app that we came up with, for example, aims to help people learn about local problems and projects and ways to contribute so that others can develop their skills and gain job opportunities. All of this would be recorded in the Impact Passport, which would show the actions, skills, and experiences acquired by those who were reached," explains the young resident of Realengo.

The initiative that took the young people to Rock in Rio is part of a larger effort to connect young people from Rio de Janeiro with new opportunities. Since 2025, the Opportunities Club has benefited more than 11 young people enrolled in JUVRio courses, with free extracurricular activities, including workshops, guided tours, and participation in cultural, sporting, and educational events.

The Rock in Rio experience doesn't end the journey that began at the Hackathon. The ten winning teams will have their ideas supported by Usina de Startups, a company specializing in the creation, building, and acceleration of businesses. Through mentoring and specialized guidance, the young people will be able to continue developing the solutions presented during the competition and transform their proposals into projects with implementation potential.

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