GeoHack 26, the Geospatial Hackathon 2026, is jointly organized by the IEEE GRSS Kolkata Chapter and the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Bhubaneswar. This hackathon is a key component of the International Workshop On Deep Learning And Artificial Intelligence (DLAI-10), providing a platform for participants to showcase their innovative thinking and skills in geospatial data analysis and machine learning.
The challenge aims to integrate geospatial technologies into real-life applications, connecting multidisciplinary creative participants to build realistic and sustainable solutions. Participants are invited to develop and present innovative ideas for tackling critical real-life challenges using geospatial data and AI.
Themes & Problem Statements
Participants will focus on developing solutions for the following key areas:
- Crop Disease & Productivity Mapping
- Forest Fire Detection & Risk Mapping
- Smart Crop Advisory System for Small and Marginal Farmers
- Landslide Risk Mapping & Detection
- Smart Drought Prediction & Management
The hackathon emphasizes combining AI with geospatial intelligence to deliver scalable, sustainable solutions to environmental and agricultural problems, with an expected outcome of prototype-level innovative solutions.
Technologies Expected
Teams are encouraged to leverage technologies related to:
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing
- Machine Learning / Deep Learning
- Satellite imagery analysis
- Python/MATLAB-based geospatial libraries
- AI-based prediction and mapping systems
Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be judged based on:
- Innovation and originality
- Practical feasibility
- AI/ML implementation quality
- Geospatial data utilization
- Scalability and social impact
- Presentation and demonstration quality
Competition Format & Timeline
GeoHack 26 features a two-round structure:
- Round 1: Screening & Shortlisting — Teams will submit a presentation (PPT) detailing their ideas. Submissions will be evaluated for innovation, feasibility, and geospatial relevance. The last date for Round One submission is June 20, 2026. Results for shortlisted teams will be published on June 30, 2026.
- Final Round: Offline Development — Shortlisted teams will participate in a 24-hour offline coding and development round at the IIIT Bhubaneswar institute on July 10, 2026. Teams will build prototype solutions, which will then be evaluated by a jury.
Prizes
- Winner: Prize Worth ₹10,000
- Runners Up: Prize Worth ₹7,000
Eligibility
Teams of 1 to 3 members are eligible to participate. The competition is open to individuals and teams demonstrating innovative thinking in geospatial data analysis and machine learning, particularly those who can address the specified problem statements.
