Como 1907, together with its investment arm Como Ventures and Google DeepMind, will host a two‑day AI hackathon named Data on the Lake on 24 and 25 July 2026 in the lakeside city of Como, Italy. The invitation‑only event is designed for data scientists, machine‑learning engineers and sports‑technology professionals who want to tackle concrete challenges faced by a professional football club.
A hackathon built on real football data
Participants will be immersed in a curated dataset drawn from Como 1907’s operations, giving them the chance to experiment with frontier AI techniques on the same data streams that shape on‑field strategies and club management. The competition will focus on two prize tracks: technical innovation, rewarding novel algorithmic approaches, and practical utility, honouring solutions that can be deployed directly within a club’s decision‑making pipeline.
Rewards and pathways to pilot
Winners will receive cloud‑computing credits, a potential pilot partnership with Como 1907, and the opportunity to present their work at future Como Ventures or The Players Fund gatherings. The judging panel will be composed of members from Como 1907’s data‑science and football operations teams, Google DeepMind contributors, as well as representatives from Como Ventures and The Players Fund, ensuring a multidisciplinary evaluation of each submission.
Connecting talent with the football ecosystem
Beyond the code‑centric competition, the hackathon will feature networking sessions that link emerging technologists with club executives, investors and founders who are shaping the future of sport. Mo Dabbah, Chief Technology Officer of Como 1907, highlighted the ambition of turning raw football data into smarter, more responsive decisions, underscoring the event’s role in bridging technical expertise with industry insight.