AI Synergy Hackathon 2026

Overview

Find the real problem. Prove the thinking. Beat the baseline.

Organised by Sangillence, in partnership with Gwalior AI Summit v2 at ABV-IIITM Gwalior.

A new kind of hackathon. We don't give you a problem statement; we give you a real case study. You work with AI to find the real problem inside it, propose your own problem statement, and then propose a solution to that exact problem. Your AI conversations are the main evidence of your thinking.

Eligibility:

• Open to all UG and PG students in India, any discipline.
• Team size: 2 to 4 members.
• Inter-college teams: allowed.
• Inter-specialization teams: allowed and encouraged.
• One person can be part of only one team.
• Coding is not required. Your prototype can be an AI workflow, a no-code build, a chatbot, a clickable mockup with AI logic, or code.

Problem Spaces:

• 6 problem spaces, each given as a detailed case study set in Madhya Pradesh:
• AI for All: The Fingerprint That Won't Match
• AI in Agriculture: The Token Before the Seed
• AI in Healthcare: The First 28 Days
• AI in Tourism: The City of Music Nobody Hears
• AI for Energy and Environment: The October Smoke
• AI in Sports: The Trial Day
• Each team picks one case study and submits one problem statement and one proposed solution.

Format and Process:

Round 1 – Online Ideation (10 days) till 14th of oct:

• Pick one case study.
• Work with any AI tool (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or similar) to dig from the case to one real problem.
• Write and submit one problem statement (half page, fixed template).
• Work with AI to design a solution to that same problem.
• Submit:
• your AI chat share links, tagged "Problem" or "Solution", from every member
• your problem statement
• your proposed solution (one page, fixed template)
• a short self-declaration from each member

Chat links are analysed with Sangillence's AI-collaboration scoring. The top 15–20 teams are invited to Round 2.

Round 2 – Campus Final (36 hrs, on campus at ABV-IIITM Gwalior):

• Blackout Defence (3 min, no devices): defend your own problem statement.
• Build Sprints (about 3.5 hours total): build your solution with AI.
• Twist Card: a new constraint arrives mid-build.
• Red Team Exchange: critique another team's solution and defend your own.
• Final Demo + Baseline Duel (6 min demo + 4 min Q&A): compare your solution with an AI's answer to the same problem.

Evaluation:

Round 1:

• AI chat links: 40%
• Problem statement: 25%
• Proposed solution: 20%
• Self-assessment accuracy: 15%

Round 2 (winners decided on Round 2 score only):

• Blackout Defence: 15
• AI orchestration: 20
• Fidelity to your own problem: 10
• Adaptability: 15
• Red Team: 10
• Baseline Duel: 20
• Realism and communication: 10

Rules:

• AI tools are allowed and expected in both rounds, except during the Blackout Defence.
• Submit only official share links of AI chats. Screenshots or pasted text are not accepted.
• Every member must submit their own chat links. Submit all chats used for the case, not selected ones.
• Chats must be dated within the Round 1 window.
• Your Round 2 solution must solve the problem you submitted in Round 1. If your problem changes, you must explain why.
• Team members cannot be changed after Round 1 closes. Finalists may attend with fewer members, not different ones.
• The Round 2 team must be the same as the Round 1 team. College ID will be checked at check-in.
• Work shown in Round 2 must be built on the day. Round 1 material may be reused.
• Any evidence you gather must be real. Fabricated interviews or data lead to disqualification.
• Do not collect personal data of minors, new mothers or infants. Do not record Aadhaar, card or ID numbers of anyone.
• The following lead to disqualification: edited or broken chat links, chats dated outside the window, and copied work.
• The judges' decision is final.

Data and Privacy:

• Submitted chats are used only for scoring and AI-collaboration research.
• Personal details are removed before scoring.
• Raw chats are deleted by [retention date TBC].
• Participation requires consent at submission.

Recognition:

• 1st, 2nd and 3rd place: cash prizes [TBC] + certificates
• Best in each problem space: certificate
• Best Calibrated participant: certificate
• Sharpest Red Team: certificate
• All finalists: Certificate of Excellence
• Every Round 1 participant: a personal Synergy Profile based on their AI chats

Important Dates [TBC]:

• Registration opens:
• Round 1 window:
• Round 1 results:
• Round 2 (campus final): October 2026

Fee: 100 per person