Open to all Spanish secondary and high school students who haven't started university yet. Join the national selection for IOAI 2026 and compete in Abu Dhabi.
Spain's gateway to the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence. We connect talented high school students with the world's premier AI competition through expert training and national selection.
August 2-8, 2026 in Abu Dhabi
The global competition bringing together the brightest high school minds to tackle cutting-edge AI challenges. IOAI sets the Olympiad standard for young AI talent worldwide.
Official IOAI accreditation for Spain
As the organization authorized by IOAI, Harbour.Space is solely responsible for selecting and preparing Spain's national teams for the Olympiad.
AI just hit gold-medal performance on the world's toughest coding challenges, surpassing top human teams in what experts call a watershed moment toward AGI. This is your opportunity to be part of the next wave of breakthroughs.
Be among the first Spanish students to compete globally.
Develop algorithmic thinking, AI fluency, and problem-solving abilities that define the future.
Gain recognition from leading labs, universities, and startups watching this space closely.
Connect with like-minded innovators who are shaping what comes next in AI.
Students interested in representing Spain at the IOAI must meet the following criteria:
Clear path from beginner to Team Spain. Three phases designed for progressive skill development
No AI Experience? No Problem. Artificial intelligence may feel unfamiliar, but that's the point; you don't need prior experience to begin. The Basic Cycle introduces core AI ideas and applications through simple online tests. Feel free to explore resources while you participate; even using tools like ChatGPT is encouraged!
Entry point for all students, regardless of previous AI or computing experience. Accessible and inclusive, introduction to foundational AI topics.
Higher difficulty while maintaining accessibility. Focus on problem-solving, reasoning and applied AI understanding.
Round 2 raises the level of challenge. In this round, students are introduced to technical terms, diagrams, graphs and data visualizations, making AI concepts more concrete while staying clear and accessible.
Questions in this round prepare the ground for the next step of learning: the practical use of tools through programming, bridging the gap between conceptual understanding and hands-on application.
The Preparatory Cycle develops practical AI skills through hands-on challenges—no programming experience required, though it helps. Full task details will be published by the end of 2025; until then, review the IOAI 2026 Syllabus to get a head start.
Practical AI tasks combined with theoretical challenges. Students apply their skills and critical thinking through hands-on problem-solving.
Participants may receive data sets for analysis and will be required to submit both:
Preparation with practical sessions and lectures, followed by the final selection round for Team Spain.
The Scientific Committee and Harbour.Space faculty will deliver a series of preparatory lectures and hands-on sessions to help participants get ready for the next stage of the competition. Students will fully immerse themselves in theory and practical tasks aligned to IOAI standards.
Elite program for Spain's representatives. Intensive preparation leading to international competition in Abu Dhabi.
Comprehensive preparation with experienced faculty to master IOAI competition standards.
Training is based on the IOAI 2026 syllabus:
Elite residential training camp in Tenerife bringing together Spain's top AI talents for final intensive preparation with world-class experts. Free for Team Spain members, open to all passionate AI students.
Represent Spain at the world's premier AI competition, competing against elite international teams.
We invite sponsors and partners to support students representing Spain at the IOAI. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact us at ioai.spain@harbour.space
Anyone who has yet to start a bachelor’s degree by September 2026 is allowed to participate. Contestants must be 20 years old or younger on 1 July of the year of the IOAI edition in which they are participating.
Contestants must have been normally enrolled in full-time primary or secondary education on or after 1 December in the year prior to the IOAI, or, in the case of home-schooled students, must not have received a high-school diploma (or equivalent), and must be working toward such a credential on 1 December of the year prior to the IOAI.
All selection rounds are conducted individually. Only the Final IOAI round involves team participation. Teams are formed by the Scientific Committee from participants who have successfully passed all stages of the national selection.
Absolutely. No prior AI knowledge is required to start IOAI. Curiosity and a willingness to learn are what matter most. Early rounds focus on general problem-solving and fundamentals. If you qualify for Round 4, Harbour.Space coaches and faculty will teach you the AI-specific content you need step by step.
We’re happy to help. Email us at IOAI.spain@harbour.space. To speed things up, include:
We aim to reply within 2–3 working days.
No, participation is free of charge.
