DataHeist

DataHeist is a four-hour Capture The Flag (CTF) × Machine Learning challenge hosted at Delhi Technological University (DTU), New Delhi. Teams race against the clock to crack a series of CTF-style challenges, uncover hidden datasets, determine which data is genuinely useful, and build the strongest predictive model for a real-world problem.

What to Expect

• Crack the CTF: Solve a set of CTF-style challenges to obtain the datasets needed for the modelling task.
• The Twist: Not every dataset you uncover will be useful. Some datasets are intentionally bad, while others contain the information needed to build an effective solution.
• Build & Predict: Analyse the available data, develop a predictive model, and generate predictions for the given real-world problem.

Event Format

• Single round: one continuous, approximately 4-hour competition.
• Rolling submissions: teams may submit predictions throughout the four hours.
• Evaluation: each submission is scored against hidden test data using the competition's specified evaluation metric.
• Live rankings: scores update the leaderboard in real time, letting teams track performance.
• Iterate & improve: teams can refine their approach and make further submissions, subject to the competition's submission rules.

Guidelines

• Team size: 1–3 members.
• Eligibility: students from different colleges and specialisations are eligible to participate.
• Multiple teams from the same institution are allowed.
• Teams may use the internet and publicly available resources for research during the competition.

Prizes

• Winner — ₹3,000 + Goodies
• Runner Up — ₹2,000 + Goodies
• 2nd Runner Up — ₹1,000 + Goodies
• Total prize pool: ₹6,000

Event Details

• Mode: In-person
• Venue: Delhi Technological University (DTU)
• Date & Time: 16th October 2026, 11:00 AM
• Duration: 4 hours
• Registration Deadline: 15th October 2026

About the Organiser Delhi Technological University (formerly Delhi College of Engineering) is one of India's premier engineering institutions, located in New Delhi. DTU has a strong tradition of student-led technical societies and hosts a wide range of hackathons, coding competitions, and innovation challenges. DataHeist is organised as part of IEEE Day 2026 at DTU, bringing together students from across colleges and specialisations to test their skills in cybersecurity, data investigation, and machine learning under time pressure. The event is designed for students interested in data science, ML, and security, offering a hands-on environment to apply theoretical knowledge to a practical, competitive problem.

A WhatsApp group is available for participants to coordinate and receive updates.