17 Startup Competitions in India Open for Applications — August 2026

As of 16 August 2026, 17 startup competitions in India are accepting applications. Two are newly launched: BEAUTY&YOU India 2026, backed by The Estée Lauder Companies and Nykaa, and Techtonic Innovations in Clean Energy by Social Alpha.

The remaining 15 close within the next 14 days, including XPRIZE's Build with Gemini competitions and HUL TechTonic Season 8. Deadlines fall between 16 August and 25 August 2026.

At a Glance

CS Girlies Annual Hackathon - Technology For Wellness (Computer Science Girlies)

CS Girlies Annual Hackathon - Technology For Wellness is an online hackathon organized by Computer Science Girlies, a community supporting women and non-binary individuals in computer science. The theme is "Technology For Wellness", asking participants to build projects that promote mental, physical, or emotional well-being through technology. The competition is beginner-friendly and open to all, with an emphasis on first-time hackers and underrepresented groups in tech.

The hackathon runs fully online from August 14 to August 16, 2026, so the deadline is today, August 16. Participants can work individually or in teams. Projects are submitted via Devpost and judged on creativity, impact, and technical execution. The prize pool is ₹4.5 L.

YouCam API Skin AI & Apparel VTO Hackathon (Perfect Corp)

YouCam API Skin AI & Apparel VTO Hackathon, hosted by Perfect Corp, invites developers, designers, and innovators to build applications using the YouCam API. The challenge is divided into two tracks: Skin AI (skin analysis, diagnostics, and personalization) and Apparel Virtual Try-On (VTO). Winners share a prize pool of ₹5.5 L.

Open to developers, data scientists, AR/VR enthusiasts, and entrepreneurs worldwide. Solo participants and teams are welcome. The deadline is August 17, 2026. Submissions are accepted via Devpost, and the competition applies Perfect Corp's AR and AI technology to beauty and fashion retail.

Ideathon (MANIT Bhopal)

Ideathon 3.0 is a two-stage ideathon organized by Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal. Participants design scientifically grounded solutions for humanity's future around a rotating Kerr black hole, covering interstellar travel, infrastructure development, system stabilization, and large-scale energy extraction using the Penrose Process. The first prize is ₹10,000.

Open to students, professionals, and space enthusiasts. Teams of 1–4 members are allowed, including inter-college and inter-specialization teams. Round 1 requires a technical proposal (PDF, max 30 pages, solution overview up to 2,000 words) submitted via Unstop by August 17, 2026. Shortlisted teams advance to Round 2.

OregonHacks (OregonHacks)

OregonHacks is an online hackathon organized by OregonHacks, open to participants globally. The event is beginner-friendly and open-ended, with a special emphasis on social good. The prize pool is ₹9,200 (approximately $100).

The hackathon runs online from August 15 to August 17, 2026. Participants can work individually or in teams. The deadline is August 17, 2026. Projects are hosted on Devpost. No prior hackathon experience is required.

Build with Gemini XPRIZE (XPRIZE Foundation)

Build with Gemini XPRIZE is a global innovation challenge presented by XPRIZE in collaboration with Google. It seeks novel applications using Google's Gemini AI models to address critical global issues across multiple domains. The prize pool is ₹180 Cr.

Open to individual developers, researchers, startups, academic teams, and established companies from around the globe. The deadline is August 17, 2026. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged to tackle complex problems.

Code Carnage (HackFinity)

Code Carnage is an online hackathon organized by HackFinity with a $10,000 prize pool (approximately ₹9.2 L). Themes include Education and Machine Learning/AI. It is beginner-friendly and open to individuals and teams worldwide, including Indian participants.

The hackathon runs from July 18 to August 18, 2026. The deadline is August 18, 2026. Submissions are accepted via Devpost.

XPRIZE Build with Gemini Hackathon 2026 (XPRIZE)

XPRIZE Build with Gemini Hackathon 2026 is a global competition organized by XPRIZE to build solutions using Google's Gemini AI platform. The cash prize pool is $2,000,000 (approximately ₹184 Cr), with a top prize of $500,000.

Open to developers, engineers, students, and entrepreneurs globally, including Indian teams. Solo participants and teams are welcome. Submissions are accepted via Devpost. The deadline is August 18, 2026.

CockroachDB × AWS Hackathon - Build with Agentic Memory (Cockroach Labs, AWS)

CockroachDB × AWS Hackathon - Build with Agentic Memory is a global online hackathon organized by Cockroach Labs in partnership with AWS. Participants build applications combining CockroachDB's distributed SQL capabilities with AWS cloud services to create intelligent, memory-aware systems. The prize pool is ₹8.1 L.

Open to developers, engineers, data scientists, and teams worldwide. No prior CockroachDB experience is required; resources and mentorship are provided. The hackathon runs from June 30 to August 18, 2026. The deadline is August 18, 2026.

Code Forge 2026 (G.H. Raisoni College of Engineering & Management)

Code Forge 2026 is an 8-hour software development hackathon organized by the Department of Science & Technology, G.H. Raisoni College of Engineering & Management, Nagpur. The theme is Intelligent Systems. The prize pool is ₹25,000.

Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students from recognized colleges and universities. Participants must carry a valid college ID. The deadline is August 19, 2026.

CodeFury 9.0 (IEEE UVCE Computer Society)

CodeFury 9.0 is the flagship annual national-level hackathon organized by the IEEE UVCE Computer Society. It is conducted entirely online and presents problem statements inspired by real-world challenges across diverse domains. The prize pool is ₹60,000.

Open to all Indian college students (undergraduate and postgraduate) from any discipline. Intercollegiate teams are welcome. Individual registration is required; team formation is facilitated later. The deadline is August 19, 2026.

Kurukshetra 2.0 Hackfest (MIT Arts, Commerce & Science College)

Kurukshetra 2.0 is a national-level 24-hour hackathon organized by MIT Arts, Commerce & Science College, Alandi, Pune. Tracks include AI/ML, Cyber Security, Blockchain, and Open Innovation. The prize pool is ₹1 L.

Open to all college students across India. Teams can be solo, duo, or groups of 3–4 members. No prior elimination rounds. The deadline is August 20, 2026. Problem statements are released at the start of the hackathon.

HUL TechTonic Season 8 (Hindustan Unilever Limited)

HUL TechTonic Season 8 is the eighth edition of Unilever's annual technology case study competition organized by Hindustan Unilever Limited. It invites first-year MBA students from India's premier B-schools to tackle real-world business challenges using AI, strategic thinking, and creativity. The prize pool is ₹6.3 L.

Competition is open exclusively to first-year students pursuing full-time MBA programmes at 14 designated institutes: FMS Delhi, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Lucknow, IIM Mumbai, JBIMS Mumbai, SJMSOM IIT Bombay, SPJIMR Mumbai, SCMHRD, XLRI Delhi, and XLRI Jamshedpur. Teams must consist of exactly three members from the same campus; cross-specialisation teams are allowed. The deadline is August 20, 2026.

Nexora (HackHere)

Nexora is a national-level 24-hour hybrid hackathon organized by HackHere, hosted at SNS iHUB, Coimbatore. Tracks include Cyber Security, Blockchain, AI, and others. The prize pool is ₹30,000.

Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students from any recognized institution. Teams of 1–4 members; inter-college and inter-department teams are allowed. The deadline is August 20, 2026.

Specathon 2026 (St. Peter’s Engineering College)

Specathon 2026 is a 36-hour national-level hackathon organized by GRADIENT CLUB, the technical club of the Department of CSE (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) at St. Peter’s Engineering College, Medchal, Telangana. Domains include Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Data Science, Agriculture, Waste Management, Blockchain, Auto Tech, and IoT. The prize pool is ₹60,000.

Open to all undergraduate students from recognized institutions across India. Teams of 2–4 members are encouraged; interdisciplinary teams are welcome. Each participant can be part of only one team. The deadline is August 20, 2026.

Open Atlas - AI for Social Good Hackathon 2026 (Open Atlas)

Open Atlas — AI for Social Good Hackathon 2026 is a global online hackathon organized by Open Atlas. It invites developers, data scientists, and innovators to build AI-powered solutions for education, fintech, health, and other social sectors. The prize pool is ₹9 L.

Open to individuals and teams worldwide, including Indian participants. The hackathon runs from June 20 to August 20, 2026. The deadline is August 20, 2026. Projects are submitted via Devpost.

Techtonic Innovations in Clean Energy 2026 (Social Alpha)

Techtonic Innovations in Clean Energy 2026 is a newly launched national challenge by Social Alpha focused on India's energy transition. It seeks solutions for the Decentralised Renewable Energy (DRE) sector, energy storage, and grid integration, addressing gaps like rural power outages, clean cooking access, and a projected battery demand of 244 GWh by 2035. Winners receive between ₹1 Cr and ₹6 Cr.

The program is open to startups and technology developers working on low-carbon energy systems. The deadline for applications is August 21, 2026.

BEAUTY&YOU India 2026 (The Estée Lauder Companies)

BEAUTY&YOU India 2026 is a newly launched beauty entrepreneurship and innovation program by The Estée Lauder Companies, in collaboration with Nykaa and supported by Startup India, DPIIT. It aims to discover and empower founders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and creatives shaping the future of beauty for Indian consumers. The program offers a prize pool of ₹40 Cr.

The program accepts applications across all stages — from pre-launch concepts and early-stage ideas to established beauty brands, creative projects, and breakthrough technologies. Categories span skincare, hair care, fragrance, makeup, wellness, and beauty-adjacent areas. The deadline is August 25, 2026.

Before Applying

Two eligibility patterns stand out. Student-only competitions — Code Forge, CodeFury, Kurukshetra, Nexora, and Specathon — require current enrollment and, in some cases, a valid college ID. HUL TechTonic Season 8 is the most restrictive: it is open only to first-year full-time MBA students at 14 designated B-schools, and teams must be exactly three members from the same campus. For sector-specific programs, Techtonic Clean Energy is focused on energy/DRE startups, while BEAUTY&YOU targets beauty innovation at any stage.

Timing is tight across the board. CS Girlies Annual Hackathon closes today, August 16, followed by four competitions on August 17 and three on August 18. The two newly launched programs — Techtonic Clean Energy and BEAUTY&YOU India 2026 — close on August 21 and August 25 respectively. All applications are submitted directly through the organiser's platform (Unstop, Devpost, or the program portal); none require a nomination or pre-screening step. If you miss a deadline for CS Girlies Annual Hackathon or HUL TechTonic Season 8, both are annual editions and will return in 2027.