Aurora Global Hackathon
Hosted on DevpostFetched about 4 hours ago
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
to Friday, April 17, 2026
•
2 weeks long
Beginner FriendlySocial ImpactInnovationStartupIncubation
Student only
This hackathons is only open to students. Double check the event page for more information as this may mean only those from a particular university/country are eligible.
Event Type
online
10
Participants
$10,550
Prize Pool
0
Est. Projects
Sponsors
Organizers
Aurora is a global startup competition run by projectGRID- built for the next generation of founders. Not a hackathon. Not a coding contest. Aurora is where your startup idea gets pressure-tested, built, and pitched to people who can actually help it grow. The best teams don't just win prizes, they enter Aurora's Incubation Program and get real, long-term support to turn their startup into something fundable. The world doesn't need more hackathon projects that die on Monday morning. Aurora is designed from the ground up to produce real startups, with a structured pipeline that mirrors how real ventures are built and evaluated. - Stage 1 is a business round - idea, market, and vision - Stage 2 is about building - prototype or MVP - Stage 3 is a live Shark Tank-style pitch to investors and industry experts - Top 20 teams enter Aurora's Incubation Program regardless of final ranking. STAGE 1 — IDEA & BUSINESS ROUND Deadline: 17th April | Shortlist announced: 27th April This is where it starts. Submit your startup idea through the official Stage 1 Google Form (link below). https://forms.gle/qAvANHiBxDmAuVKx7 We're not looking for code. We're looking for founders who've thought deeply about a real problem. Top 200 ideas advance to Stage 2. ⚠️ Devpost registration does not count as your Stage 1 submission. You must complete the Stage 1 Google Form before 17th April to be considered. STAGE 2 - PROTOTYPING PHASE Deadline: 4th May | Shortlist announced: 9th May Shortlisted teams bring their idea to life. Build a working prototype, MVP, or high-fidelity product demo that validates your core concept. Judged on execution quality, product thinking, and how well the build reflects the business case from Stage 1. Top 20 teams advance - and automatically enter Aurora's Incubation Program. STAGE 3 - SHARK TANK ROUND 18th May | Live Pitch The final 20 teams pitch live to a panel of judges. This is your chance to defend your startup — the idea, the build, the market, and the vision. Awards: 🏆 Overall Winner 🎨 Best Design 💡 Best Innovation ⚙️ Best Tech Tech goods worth $10500! STAGE 4 - PRIZE & CLOSING CEREMONY 21st May | IIT Delhi (In-Person)* Winners are announced and prizes awarded at a live ceremony at IIT Delhi. *Winners do not need to be present at the offline event in-person. The top 20 teams from Stage 2 enter Aurora's Incubation Program - a long-term support system run by projectGRID. More details on what this includes will be shared with shortlisted teams directly. SCHEDULE Stage 1 Deadline (Idea Round) → 17th April Stage 1 Shortlist → 27th April Stage 2 Deadline (Prototype) → 4th May Stage 2 Shortlist → 9th May Shark Tank Round → 18th May Closing Ceremony (IIT Delhi) → 21st May HOW TO ENTER 1. Register on Devpost 2. Join the Aurora Discord → TBA 3. Submit your idea via the Stage 1 Google Form → https://forms.gle/qAvANHiBxDmAuVKx7 All shortlist announcements and updates go out on Discord first.