INNOV8E Hackathon 2026

Eligibility Open to all currently enrolled undergraduate and postgraduate college students Students from any discipline are eligible — Engineering, Science, Commerce, Arts, Management, etc. Each participant may register with only one team Team Formation Minimum team size: 2 members Maximum team size: 5 members Inter-specialization teams: Allowed — cross-domain collaboration is encouraged One designated Team Lead must represent the team for all official communications Problem Statements / Tracks Teams must align their idea with one of the following 7 tracks (1 problem domain per team): Track Theme Focus Areas T-01 Artificial Intelligence & ML AI-driven tools, ethical AI, automation, NLP, computer vision T-02 Sustainability & Climate Clean energy, carbon reduction, waste management, green tech T-03 Healthcare & Well-being Digital health, mental health, diagnostics, telemedicine, biotech T-04 Smart Cities & Infrastructure Urban mobility, IoT, smart governance, disaster management T-05 FinTech & Financial Inclusion Digital payments, microfinance, fraud detection, crypto literacy T-06 EdTech & Future of Learning Accessible education, gamification, personalised learning, skilling T-07 Open Innovation Any idea addressing a pressing societal challenge outside the above tracks Event Format & Rounds Stage 1 — Idea Submission (Online) Teams submit a 1–2 page abstract covering: problem statement, proposed solution, target users, and expected impact along with prototype Deadline: 26th April 2026, 11:59 PM Submission via the official registration portal Stage 2 — Shortlisting (Evaluation by Committee) A panel of reviewers evaluates all submitted abstracts Top teams will be declared. Important Dates Milestone Date / Deadline Registration Opens 21st April 2026 Registration Deadline 24th April 2026, 11:59 PM Abstract Submission Deadline 26th April 2026, 11:59 PM Judging Criteria (Total: 100 Points) Criterion Max Score What Judges Look For Innovation & Originality 25 pts Uniqueness, creative problem-solving, out-of-the-box thinking Feasibility & Technical Soundness 25 pts Realistic implementation with current or near-future technology Real-World Impact 20 pts Scale of impact, target beneficiaries, societal/economic value Presentation Quality 20 pts Clarity, slide structure, confidence, Q&A handling Market / User Research 10 pts Research into target audience, competitor analysis, problem validation Rules & Regulations Originality & Intellectual Property All submitted ideas must be original and the sole intellectual property of the participating team Building upon open-source tools is permitted with proper attribution Ideas published publicly are disqualified Plagiarism Policy Any form of plagiarism — copying slides, content, or ideas from other teams — results in immediate disqualification at any stage The organizing committee reserves the right to disqualify any team found in violation Time & Submission Rules Abstract submission must be completed before 11:59 PM on 26th April 2026 — late submissions will not be accepted Code of Conduct All participants must maintain a respectful, inclusive, and professional environment Participants must comply with all instructions from the organizing team and volunteers Decisions of the judges and organizing committee are final and binding Prizes & Recognition All Registered Teams: Digital E-Certificate of Participation All Winner Teams: Digital E-Certificate of RecognitionWhatsapp Group Link - https://chat.whatsapp.com/LXr6GjMqIDKBELqNEygMiR?mode=gi_t