EBS Hackathon 2026
EBS Hackathon 2026
Advancing an open, modular ecosystem for breeding informatics
May 11-15, 2026
CIAT Cali–Palmira, Colombia
Beyond the code, thank you for hosting!
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the CIAT genebanks for hosting, supporting, and collaborating a use case to the hackathon in Cali, Colombia.
The EBS Hackathon supports the evolution of the Enterprise Breeding System (EBS) into an open, modular, and collaborative ecosystem that strengthens CGIAR’s digital breeding infrastructure. The event brings together developers, breeders, researchers, and data scientists to explore new ways of extending EBS through integrations, modular tools, and community-driven innovation.
EBS is an open-source breeding informatics platform that supports crop breeding programs serving resource-poor farmers worldwide. EBS promotes interoperability standards that connect breeding tools, data systems, and databases across the digital breeding ecosystem.
The week-long event combines structured discussions, technical workshops, and collaborative project sessions where participants prototype ideas and develop proof-of-concept solutions for the EBS ecosystem.
Collaborative
Developers, breeders, and data scientists working together
Interoperability
Strengthen integration between breeding data platforms
Hands-On
Design and prototype real solutions for the EBS ecosystem
Impactful
Develop tools that support breeding innovation and global food security
Purpose
Support the evolution of the Enterprise Breeding System (EBS) into an open, modular, and collaborative ecosystem. The hackathon brings together developers, researchers, and partners to explore new ways of extending EBS through integrations, modular tools, and community-driven innovation that strengthen CGIAR’s digital breeding infrastructure.
Objectives
- Promote the vision of EBS as an open-source ecosystem.
- Encourage collaboration across CGIAR and partner organizations.
- Develop proof-of-concept (PoC) solutions that extend EBS capabilities.
- Contribute to the development of governance, contribution guidelines, and community practices for the EBS ecosystem.
- Gather insights to inform the future roadmap of EBS.
Use Cases
Hackathon teams will work on high-impact use cases designed to strengthen integration, interoperability, and analytics across the EBS ecosystem. These collaborative projects will focus on building practical proof-of-concepts that advance end-to-end workflows, improve cross-system connectivity, and support scalable digital solutions across CGIAR. Below are the use cases:
#1
Developing an end-to-end Bioflow analytics pipeline on Fairgrounds using federated EBS and external data sources, enabling reproducible and scalable analytics workflows
#2
Extending native EBS–Bioflow integration to support automated genomic analyses, including streamlined genotypic data ingestion and standardized analysis result storage
#3
Connecting genebank accessions from GGCE with EBS breeding outcomes to improve traceability, measure germplasm impact, and support data-driven breeding decisions
#4
Stress-testing GIGWA with high-density genomic datasets to evaluate scalability, enterprise readiness, and suitability for large-scale breeding and genebank operations
#5
Exploring interoperability between ClimMob and EBS to create scalable patterns for breeding data integration and multimodal trial data management
#6
Simplifying EBS architecture to improve modularity, developer experience, and open contribution pathways for a stronger community of practice
#7
Improving consistency of experimental design factors between EBS and Bioflow
Event Access & Format
The hackathon will bring together invited participants from teams working across key platforms and initiatives, including EBS, Fairgrounds, Bioflow, ClimMob, Genebank systems, Gigwa, BrAPI, and related tools. Participants include software developers, breeders, data scientists, bioinformaticians, and system administrators collaborating on breeding informatics.
Join us at CIAT in Cali, Colombia for the full collaborative hackathon experience, where participants will work together onsite through technical sessions, team collaboration, and hands-on hacking activities throughout the event.
Schedule
Day 1: Kickoff & Preparation
May 11
→ Opening and Welcome Coffee
→ Team Organization & Use Case Preparation
→ AWS Foundation & Amazon SageMaker AI
→ Hacking Sessions
Days 2: Hack, Learn & Build
May 12
→ AWS HPC
→ Accelarate Research with AWS
→ Hacking Sessions
Day 3-4: Hacking Time!
May 13-14
→ Hacking Sessions
→ Community Dinner
Day 5: Presentation & Wrap-Up
May 15
→ Feedback & Discussion
→ Event Wrap-Up
Partners
Bringing together leading platforms in breeding interoperability (BrAPI), scalable data orchestration (Fairgrounds),
and advanced analytics (Bioflow) to power a fully connected EBS ecosystem.
About the Communities
Enterprise Breeding System (EBS)
EBS is an open-source breeding informatics platform developed for crop breeding programs serving resource-poor farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It connects and builds upon existing breeding software to offer a single powerful tool for modern breeding workflows.
Development is led by Breeding for Tomorrow Science Program and the Breeding Resources Initiative.
Breeding API (BrAPI)
BrAPI is a standardized RESTful web service API specification for communicating plant breeding data. It enables interoperability between breeding databases and tools, making it easier to integrate different systems and share data across the breeding community.
BrAPI is developed and maintained by an international community of breeding informaticians.
Fairgrounds
Fairgrounds is CGIAR’s collaborative data platform designed to make research data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) across the global agricultural research ecosystem. It connects diverse data sources into a unified, scalable environment that supports advanced analytics and cross-system workflows.
Development is led by CGIAR and its partners to strengthen data governance, interoperability, and innovation across research programs.
Bioflow
Travel Guide
The EBS Hackathon 2026 will take place at the CIAT Campus in Cali–Palmira, Colombia, a leading center for agricultural research and innovation within CGIAR.
The campus provides a collaborative environment with facilities that support workshops, team collaboration, and technical sessions throughout the event.
Getting to Cali
The nearest airport is:
✈ Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport (CLO)
Located approximately 30–40 minutes from the CIAT campus.
International participants can typically connect through major regional hubs such as Bogotá, Panama City, or Miami.
Transportation options from the airport include taxis, ride-sharing services, and arranged transportation.
Travel Preparation
Participants traveling internationally may need to prepare the following:
- Valid passport
- Applicable visa requirements
- Travel insurance (recommended)
Please review the Colombian entry requirements before planning your trip.
Before Your Flight
To speed up immigration procedures, travelers are encouraged to complete the Migración Colombia Check-Mig online form prior to departure.
Accommodation & Transportation
Accommodation
Participants will be accommodated at Hotel Spiwak Chipichape, offering a comfortable and convenient stay near the event venue.
All registered participants will receive additional details regarding booking arrangements, transportation, and on-site coordination prior to the event.
Transport
Use official airport taxis or ride-hailing services (Uber, DiDi) when traveling from the airport. Avoid unregistered taxis and confirm the destination as CIAT – Km 17 Recta Cali–Palmira, Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Colombia.
Currency & Safety
Currency
The local currency is the Colombian Peso (COP). Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels and major establishments, but carrying some cash is
recommended for taxis and small purchases.
Safety
Cali is a major city with active business and research communities. Visitors are encouraged to follow standard travel precautions, such as using authorized transportation and keeping personal belongings secure.
📍Address: The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture CIAT – Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
🌤 Climate: Warm tropical climate
🗣 Language: Spanish (English widely used in the research community)
📩 Contact Person: Andre Moretto (a.moretto@cgiar.org)
EBS Hackathon 2026
Advancing breeding informatics for global food security, in partnership with BrAPI, Fairgrounds, and Bioflow.
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