PAULA MONTOTO CASTELAO AWARDS
for the best Bachelor’s/Master’s Theses applied to industry
2025/2026
1st prize €5,000
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2nd prize €3,000
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3rd prize €2,000
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1st prize €5,000 · 2nd prize €3,000 · 3rd prize €2,000 ·
A tribute to a technological legacy
As one of the flagship initiatives of the Denodo UDC Chair in Data Engineering, AI and Technological Innovation, a special award will be created in honor of Paula Montoto Castelao, a lecturer at UDC and one of Denodo’s first professionals, who passed away in early 2025.
The Award for the Best Bachelor’s Thesis (TFG) in Computer Science with Business Applications is conceived as a lasting tribute to her legacy and to a career spanning more than 25 years at Denodo, where she played a key role in the company’s development and growth. As a leading figure in R&D and a key technical reference, Paula made a decisive contribution to the success of the Denodo Platform.
In addition to her outstanding professional career, her work as a lecturer at UDC for over two decades allowed her to educate and mentor several generations of engineers, leaving a strong impact on the Galician and international technology ecosystem.
FAQs
Requirements
1
Students who have defended their Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis during the corresponding academic year in any of the following programs taught at the Faculty of Computer Science may apply:
Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering
Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science and Engineering
Bachelor’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence
Any official Master’s programs taught at the Faculty of Computer Science
Call objective
2
To recognize projects that stand out for their academic excellence, innovation, and potential application in professional and business environments.
Evaluation criteria
3
Originality and technological innovation
Scientific, technical, and methodological quality
Applicability and transfer to the business environment
Contribution to sustainable development or digital transformation
Evaluation committee
4
The evaluation of applications will be carried out by an Evaluation Committee composed of five members appointed by the Denodo – UDC Chair in Data Engineering, AI and Technological Innovation.
In the event of a conflict of interest involving any member of the Committee in relation to the evaluation of any of the submitted projects, that member shall abstain from participating in the evaluation of that project, and an alternate evaluator may be appointed.
Frequency
5
Annual
Application
Applications must be submitted through the following form.
The deadline will remain open until October 1, 2026.