TA Hackathon (2026): Results & Updates

Results & next round

Applications for this round closed on 1 August 2026. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.

Selections for this programme are announced by People Matters. Official links are listed under Sources below.

We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.

About this competition

TA Hackathon is India's first hackathon created exclusively for Talent Acquisition and HR leaders. For years, TA teams have used hackathons to discover talent—this one flips the script and challenges the TA community to solve its own hiring problems.

Who Should Apply TA leaders, recruiters, HRBPs, HR-tech professionals, people analytics experts—and anyone who's looked at a hiring process and thought, "There's a better way." Working professionals across India in Talent Acquisition, HR, and people roles are eligible to participate. Independent recruiters and professionals between roles are also welcome.

Format & Timeline The competition has two stages. Stage 1 is an online submission: register, unlock the case study, and submit a 3-minute video presentation by 3rd August 2026, 11:00 AM IST. The top 4 teams qualify directly for the Grand Finale. Results are announced on 3rd August by 5:00 PM IST. Stage 2 is the Grand Finale on 6th August at TechHR India 2026 in Delhi, where 6 teams (4 shortlisted + 2 wildcard teams selected on-site) pitch live before a CHRO jury and fellow HR leaders. Each team gets a 5-minute live presentation followed by a jury Q&A. The audience votes live alongside the jury's evaluation. Two winners are announced—a Jury Winner and an Audience Winner.

Evaluation Criteria

Problem Framing — Did you identify the real hiring bottlenecks and their root causes?
Solution & Feasibility — Is your solution practical within a real team's budget and constraints?
Innovation & Differentiation — Does your idea bring a fresh perspective beyond the obvious?
Impact & Storytelling — Can you back your solution with measurable impact and present it memorably?

Prizes

Jury Winner: ₹1,00,000 cash + trophy + certificate
Audience Winner: ₹50,000 cash + trophy + certificate
All 6 finalists: Certificate of Recognition from Unstop and People Matters
All participants: Participation Certificate
Shortlisted teams receive complimentary passes to TechHR India

Eligibility Open to working professionals across India in Talent Acquisition, HR, and people roles. Solo participation or teams of up to 3 members.

About the Organiser People Matters is a leading platform for HR and talent management professionals in India, known for organising TechHR India, one of the country's largest HR technology conferences. Unstop is a popular platform for student and professional competitions, hackathons, and hiring challenges in India.

How to Apply Register on the Unstop platform, build your team (1–3 members), unlock the case study, and submit a 3-minute MP4 video by 3rd August 2026, 11:00 AM IST. Shortlisted teams must attend TechHR India on 6th August to pitch live.

Prizes & Awards

Amount: Up to ₹1.5 Lakhs

What You Get

Two cash prizes are awarded: the Jury Winner receives ₹1,00,000 in cash plus a trophy and certificate, and the Audience Winner receives ₹50,000 in cash plus a trophy and certificate. All 6 finalists receive a Certificate of Recognition from Unstop and People Matters, and shortlisted teams also get complimentary passes to TechHR India 2026. Every participant receives a Participation Certificate.

How to apply

Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.

1
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
2
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.