A three-day medical AI conference and hackathon at the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon, bringing clinicians, researchers, and technologists together to explore AI integration across diagnosis, treatment, and health system leadership.
Medica AI is an annual conference on artificial intelligence in healthcare, organised by the Champalimaud Foundation, one of Europe's leading biomedical research institutions. The 2026 edition runs across three days: a Google-sponsored hackathon on 15 July, the main single-day conference on 16 July, and an additional hackathon session on 17 July. The event sits at the intersection of clinical practice, biomedical research, and health technology, with a programme shaped by the Foundation's own scientific committee.
The Champalimaud Foundation's research credibility anchors the conference's scientific tone. Sessions address practical questions: how clinical roles change as AI enters diagnosis and treatment workflows, what governance frameworks are needed, and how to translate research into hospital practice. The hackathon format on days one and three gives developers and clinicians a hands-on track alongside the lecture programme.
The 2026 format combines a main scientific conference (16 July) with two hackathon sessions (15 July: Google Hackathon, sold out at 26 participants; 17 July: Extra Hackathon). An optional morning yoga class is offered to attendees.
Speakers confirmed for the 2026 edition include:
Google Cloud representatives participate in the hackathon track. Full speaker list of 20 available on the official event page.
Both. The main conference programme addresses clinical roles, governance, and health system change management, targeted at practitioners and administrators. The hackathon days are developer-focused, attracting AI engineers and data scientists working on medical applications.
The Champalimaud Foundation is both the organiser and the host venue. The conference is shaped by the Foundation's own scientists (Pedro Gouveia, Tiago Marques, and João Santinha form the scientific committee), giving it a strong research institution character rather than a commercial event profile.
The hackathon is targeted at participants with technical skills. The Google Hackathon on 15 July was sold out at the time of verification (26 participants maximum). The main conference on 16 July is more accessible to non-technical attendees.
The Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown sits at Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, on the northern bank of the Tagus River. Designed by architect Charles Correa, the campus combines research laboratories, a clinical centre, and event spaces with riverfront views. The Foundation hosts a range of scientific events throughout the year.
The Champalimaud Foundation is a Portuguese private non-profit scientific institution, established by the Champalimaud endowment to advance biomedical research and clinical innovation. Its research programmes span neuroscience, cancer biology, and computational biology. The Foundation runs specialised scientific conferences as part of its knowledge-sharing mission, with Medica AI being its primary annual event in the AI and healthcare space.
Medica AI is a focused institutional conference with genuine scientific credibility, anchored by Champalimaud's research reputation; its small size and hackathon format make it a niche but high-signal event for clinical AI researchers and health technology practitioners in the Iberian and broader European market.
Registration for the main conference is available via the Champalimaud Foundation events page. Pricing tiers:
The three-day format creates extended networking opportunities across conference and hackathon sessions. The small, curated attendance profile (~250 participants) favours depth of connection over breadth.
The event is described as hybrid; check the official page for virtual attendance details closer to the event date.
The Foundation is located in Belém, approximately 8 km from central Lisbon. It is accessible by tram (Line 15E to Belém), suburban train (Cascais line to Belém station), or taxi. Riverside walking paths connect it to other Belém landmarks.
The hackathon ticket (€150) includes the conference. The conference-only ticket (€49-€69) does not include hackathon access. Each is registered separately.
| Official website | https://www.fchampalimaud.org/events/medica-ai-conference-2026 |
| Register | https://congressos.leading.pt/geral/inseririnscricao.aspx?evento=285&formulario=650&lingua=en-GB |
| Champalimaud Foundation | https://www.fchampalimaud.org |