We are excited to announce the results of the Spatial AI Challenge 2024, a global competition that invited researchers, developers, and innovators to harness the power of artificial intelligence and geospatial data to tackle real-world sustainability challenges. Hosted on the I-GUIDE Platform, the challenge emphasized reproducibility, FAIR data, and open science.
After a rigorous review process based on six core criteria—Notebook Quality, AI-Ready Data, FAIR Data Principles, Impact and Applicability, Novelty, and Innovation through Storytelling—we are proud to recognize the top-performing teams whose work stood out in both technical rigor and societal relevance.
🥇 Winner
Team: Purdue RCAC
Team members:
- Jungha Woo, Purdue Research Computing
- Elham Jebalbarezi Sarbijan, Purdue Research Computing
Summary:
This project developed GeoMapCLIP, a fine-tuned extension of GeoCLIP, to automatically localize unknown geospatial images using visual cues. Judges praised its well-structured, reproducible notebook, engaging storytelling, and generalizability across domains like agriculture, hydrology, and historical mapping.
🥈 Second Place
Wildfire Threat Detection for Transportation Infrastructure using U-Net for Semantic Segmentation
Team: Center for Naval Analyses (CNA)
Team members:
- John Crissman, CNA
- Joel Diaz, CNA
- Angie De Groot, CNA
- Jeremiah Huggins, CNA
- Lars Hanson, CNA
- Matthew Prebble, CNA
- Steven Habicht, CNA
- Shaun Williams, CNA
- Carey Whitehair-Conde, CNA
- Rebekah Yang, CNA
Summary:
This submission presented a compelling approach to identifying wildfire risk for critical infrastructure using deep learning and open data. It leveraged a U-Net-based pipeline and performed well in data readiness, FAIR practices, and applicability to real-world emergency response planning.
🥉 Third Place
Pipeline for Roof Material and Geometry Classification
Team: Roof Mapper
Team members:
- Julian Huang, University of Chicago
- Alex Monito Nhancololo, University of São Paulo
- Yue Lin, University of Chicago
Summary:
Focusing on disaster resilience, this project used satellite imagery and OSM data to classify roof materials across urban environments. Reviewers appreciated its real-world applicability, integration of open tools, and clear documentation.
Prizes & Recognition
The Spatial AI Challenge 2024 celebrates excellence, impact, and innovation in geospatial artificial intelligence. To recognize the outstanding achievements of our top teams, we are pleased to offer the following awards and opportunities:
🥇 1st Place
- Travel support including Free registration for up to three team members to the I-GUIDE Forum 2025
- Featured showcase opportunity in the Forum program
- Official Certificate of Achievement
🥈 2nd Place
- Travel support including Free registration for up to two team members to the I-GUIDE Forum 2025
- Official Certificate of Achievement
🥉 3rd Place
- Travel support including Free registration for up to one team members to the I-GUIDE Forum 2025
- Official Certificate of Achievement
All winning teams will also receive:
- Recognition on the I-GUIDE Platform website
- Opportunities to connect with geospatial AI leaders and collaborators
- Promotion in the I-GUIDE Quarterly Newsletter and social media channels
We look forward to celebrating these accomplishments next month at the I-GUIDE Forum 2025!
Evaluation Framework
Submissions were evaluated on the following:
- Notebook Quality (Code clarity, structure, execution)
- AI-Ready Data (Completeness, accessibility, structure)
- FAIR & Open Science (Licensing, metadata, reproducibility)
- Impact (Applicability and social/environmental relevance)
- Novelty (New data, new methods, or problem framing)
- Innovation in Storytelling (Engagement, visualization, communication)
Thank You to All Participants
We extend our deepest gratitude to every individual and team who participated. Your contributions demonstrate the power of collaboration, transparency, and innovation in solving some of today’s most complex geospatial challenges.
For questions or future involvement, contact us at events@i-guide.io and stay tuned for updates on the I-GUIDE Forum 2026, where winning teams will be invited to present their work!