Second Edition of the Techathon: VIU’s Innovation Initiative, in Collaboration with Nex·ia, Promotes AI Solutions for Data Centers
The Techathon at the International University of Valencia (VIU) is an innovation initiative that simulates real-world business environments to develop technological solutions for current challenges. In its second edition, the program was supported by Nex·ia, the Artificial Intelligence Center of Planeta Formación y Universidades, and its partner Google Cloud, with the challenge focusing on water and energy efficiency in data centers.
In this context, a team of students developed an artificial intelligence solution capable of predicting climate risks and optimizing resource use in digital infrastructure, emerging as the winner of the challenge.
AI to Improve Efficiency in Data Centers
A total of 56 students participated in the Aqua-IA challenge, which focused on applying artificial intelligence to improve the sustainability of data centers. The winning team, Voltha-IS, has developed a predictive climate intelligence SaaS platform that enables users to: anticipate climate-related operational risks, optimize key indicators such as PUE (energy efficiency) and WUE (water efficiency), reduce resource consumption, and dynamically adjust computing workloads.
This solution facilitates more efficient management of critical infrastructure, improving its sustainability and reducing operating costs. Additionally, it incorporates traceability and auditing mechanisms that support regulatory compliance in this area.
Aquair, a Finalist with Digital Twin Technology
Among the highest-rated projects is Aquair, a finalist in this edition. Its proposal consists of a digital twin capable of transforming climate data into actionable information, including real-time operational alerts, energy consumption forecasts, and economic impact estimates—an approach that enables organizations to anticipate risks, improve decision-making, and move toward more efficient and sustainable operating models.
Collaboration with the Tech Ecosystem
The Techathon has benefited from the collaboration of companies such as Telefónica Tech, Nedgia (Naturgy Group), and Saetayield, as well as technological support from Google Cloud through Nex·ia. This connection with the business world exposes students to real-world industry challenges and fosters solutions aligned with current market needs.
The initiative stands out for integrating technical and business expertise. While engineering and data science students developed the technological solutions, business professionals worked on market strategy, financial viability, and regulatory and ethical compliance. The result is a set of proposals that combine artificial intelligence, sustainability, and business acumen—key elements for addressing the challenges of digital infrastructure.
