The ‘UCM Runners’ team from the Complutense University of Madrid has taken first place in ‘Talent 4 Cyber 2026’

The Joint Cyberspace Command’s university hackathon attracted 440 participants from 38 Spanish universities

The UCM Runners team, made up of four students from the Complutense University of Madrid, has taken first place in the Talent4Cyber 26 university hackathon, organised by the Joint Cyberspace Command (MCCE). The competition, which successfully concluded its third edition with a total of 440 students divided into 110 teams, was organised in collaboration with the University of Granada, the Polytechnic University of Cartagena and Trustlab, and saw the participation of 38 universities from 12 autonomous communities.

With this victory, the winners have secured their place on the MCCE team that will compete in Locked Shields 2027, the world’s largest and most complex international real-time cyber defence exercise, organised by the NATO-accredited Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE). Furthermore, the winning team of Talent4Cyber 26 will receive their award during the 8th MCCE Cyber Defence Conference, which will take place from 24 to 27 November in Madrid.

The university hackathon took place online over two days, during which participants completed 22 technical challenges inspired by military operation scenarios. The sessions were also broadcast live, hosted by industry specialists and featuring contributions from academics and professionals in the field.

The commander of the MCCE, Vice-Admiral Javier Roca, spoke at the opening of the competition, where he emphasised the need to maintain cooperation between the academic world and the cybersecurity sector.

In the first stage of the competition, participants undertook challenges in cryptography, networking, reverse engineering and forensic analysis. Twenty-five teams then progressed to the final stage on the second day, which focused on practical scenarios relating to the maritime sector. Through these exercises, the students applied their theoretical knowledge and teamwork skills in technical simulation environments.

The initiative has enabled students to engage directly with companies and institutions specialising in digital security. Through the launch of this project, the Ministry of Defence has promoted students’ training in technological subjects, whilst also highlighting the key role played by universities in information security and the defence of public networks.

Talent4Cyber has strengthened the university community’s involvement in promoting a culture of defence. It has also helped to bring cybersecurity closer to the academic world, encourage young people to pursue technical careers, and raise awareness of the need to protect the digital space.