Build for Billions

technology enthusiasts to build innovative, inclusive, and scalable technology solutions that address challenges faced by billions of people. Participants explore how emerging technology can improve accessibility, trust, privacy, digital inclusion, and public service delivery at scale. Who Should Apply The hackathon is open to college and university students and eligible technology enthusiasts. Participants from any academic specialisation or discipline are welcome, and inter-college as well as inter-specialisation teams are allowed and encouraged. Each participant may be a member of only one team, and one member must be designated as the team leader for communication and submission purposes. Tracks / Themes The hackathon features three specialised tracks plus one Main Track recognising the best projects overall. 1. Agentic AI for Billions — Build intelligent, autonomous, and trustworthy AI agents that solve real-world problems for individuals, communities, businesses, and public institutions. Potential areas include AI agents for education, healthcare, agriculture, and financial inclusion; multilingual and voice-first AI assistants; agents for accessibility and assistive technology; autonomous workflows for public and social services; responsible, explainable, and human-centered AI systems; and creative applications of agents for day-to-day workflows. 2. Web3 and Privacy for Billions — Explore how decentralised technologies, cryptography, and privacy-preserving systems can empower individuals and communities while improving trust and digital ownership. Potential areas include privacy-preserving identity and authentication, decentralised applications for financial and social inclusion, verifiable credentials and digital ownership, secure data sharing and consent management, and blockchain solutions for transparency, trust, and accessibility. 3. Reinvent Digital Public Infrastructure for Billions — Reimagine digital public infrastructure (DPI) to make essential services more accessible, interoperable, secure, and inclusive. Potential areas include digital identity and authentication, payment systems for financial inclusion, data exchange and consent layers, public service delivery platforms, open and multilingual digital ecosystems, and DPI solutions for underserved and marginalised communities. Participants are encouraged to identify a meaningful problem, understand its users, and build a practical solution with the potential to create impact at scale. Format & Timeline The hackathon consists of one screening round followed by a 24-hour offline hackathon for shortlisted teams. Round 1 — Idea/Prototype Screening runs from 12 September to 24 September. Participants submit their proposed solution for evaluation by the screening panel, covering the problem statement, selected track, proposed solution and key features, target users and use case, technology stack, innovation and scalability, a prototype/wireframe/demo/GitHub repository if available, and a brief explanation of expected impact. Teams may choose only one problem statement or challenge within one of the three tracks. Teams are shortlisted based on the quality, feasibility, innovation, relevance, and potential impact of their submissions, and the top 50 shortlisted teams are announced through official communication channels. Round 2 — 24-Hour Offline Hackathon runs from 26 September, 10:00 AM to 27 September, 10:00 AM. The top 50 shortlisted teams develop and refine their proposed solutions, building a functional prototype or proof of concept. During the hackathon, participants are expected to develop a working prototype or MVP, demonstrate core functionality, document their implementation and technology stack, explain the problem, target users, and expected impact, and submit their final project before the hackathon concludes. The final submission deadline is 27 September, 10:00 AM, and prizes are announced at 6:00 PM on 27 September. Further details on venue, check-in, judging presentation format, and final submission requirements are communicated to shortlisted participants through official event channels. Evaluation Criteria Submissions are judged on problem relevance, innovation, impact and inclusivity, technical feasibility, scalability, user experience, and track alignment. Prizes The total prize pool is ₹1,00,000. The Main Track awards ₹20,000 for first place, ₹15,000 for second place, and ₹10,000 for third place. Each of the three specialised tracks awards ₹10,000 for first place and ₹5,000 for second place. Swags and goodies worth ₹10,000 are also part of the prize pool. Eligibility Open to college and university students and eligible technology enthusiasts from any academic specialisation. Teams must have 3–6 members, and inter-college and inter-specialisation teams are allowed. Participants must provide accurate details during registration and may be a member of only one team. Rules & Guidelines All submissions must be original work created by the participating team. Teams must select one primary track for their submission. Participants may use open-source libraries, APIs, frameworks, and publicly available datasets provided their use complies with applicable licenses and terms of service, and any third-party assets, datasets, models, APIs, or code must be properly acknowledged. Plagiarism, unauthorised copying, impersonation, and submission of previously developed projects without substantial new work are prohibited. Solutions must comply with applicable laws, ethical standards, and platform policies, and AI-based solutions must prioritise responsible development including privacy, safety, transparency, and mitigation of harmful bias. Teams must complete and submit their projects by 27 September, 10:00 AM, and may be asked to provide a working demonstration, source code, documentation, or a presentation. Participants are responsible for bringing their own equipment including laptops and chargers, and must comply with all venue, safety, and event-management instructions. Prize distribution is subject to the final decision of the judging panel and organisers, whose decisions are final and binding. About the Organiser The hackathon is organised by the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal — one of India's premier national institutes of technology. NITK regularly hosts technical events, hackathons, and student innovation initiatives, and the event is listed on Unstop, India's platform for student competitions and opportunities. How to Apply Registration closes on 24 September 2026. Apply via the official Unstop event page. Participants are advised to regularly check the official Unstop event page and follow the organisers' communication channels for updates regarding shortlisting, venue details, submission requirements, judging, and announcements. A WhatsApp community is available for all hackathon announcements.