Opportunity brief
Overview:
Build with AI. Compete Pan-India. Win from a ₹20 Lakh Cash Prize Pool.
The GITAM National AI Challenge 2026 is a national-level AI competition inviting Class 11 and 12 students, as well as students from undergraduate colleges, to identify real-world problems, build AI-powered solutions, and compete against some of the strongest student teams from across India.
Participants can enter individually or in teams of up to 4 members and progress from an online prototype submission to expert-led strategy workshops, competitive pitches, semifinals, and the Grand Finale.
Prize Pool:
- Winner: ₹9 Lakh
- Second Prize: ₹6 Lakh
- Third Prize: ₹3 Lakh
- 1st Runner-Up: ₹1 Lakh
- 2nd Runner-Up: ₹1 Lakh
- Total Cash Prize Pool: ₹20 Lakh
Competition Format:
Don't just participate - prepare to stand out! Join GITAM's exclusive Pitch Preparatory Webinar series to understand the challenge, decode Round 1 and Round 2 expectations, gain expert insights, and equip yourself with the skills and clarity to make your submission count.
Stage 1: Idea & Prototype Submission
- Format: Online
- Last Date of Submission: 23rd May, 2027
Participants must identify a meaningful problem and present an AI-powered solution through a 5-slide pitch deck.
The submission should cover:
- Problem & Relevance: What problem are you solving, who does it impact, and why does it matter?
- AI Integration: How is AI being used in the solution – LLMs, APIs, custom models, automation, open-source tools, AI agents, or other technologies?
- Prototype: A working demo, functional prototype, wireframe, application interface, or proof of concept.
Top 200 teams advance to Stage 2.
Stage 2: Workshops + Quarter Finals
- Format: Online
- Timeline: 31st May - 5th June, 2027
The Top 200 teams will enter a high-intensity development and pitching phase featuring:
- Expert workshops.
- Quarter-final pitches before a jury.
Teams will receive guidance from startup founders, CXOs, product leaders, and industry professionals to strengthen:
- Product concept and functionality.
- User experience.
- Problem statement and value proposition.
- Business or social-impact model.
- Pitch deck and storytelling.
- Jury Q&A preparedness.
Following the Quarter Finals, the Top 100 teams will progress to the Semi Finals.
Stage 3: Semi Finals + Grand Finale
- Format: Offline
- Timeline: 12th and 13th June, 2027
Day 1: Semi Finals
The Top 100 teams will pitch their solutions before jury panels.
From these, only the Top 20 teams will move to the Grand Finale.
Day 2: Grand Finale
The Top 20 teams will make their final pitch before the jury and compete for the ₹20 Lakh cash prize pool.
Evaluation Criteria:
- AI Application & Technical Depth – 30%: Originality, relevance, sophistication, and effectiveness of AI implementation.
- Practical Utility & Scalability – 25%: Real-world usefulness, market or societal relevance, adoption potential, and scalability.
- Working Prototype & Execution – 25%: Prototype quality, functionality, technical execution, UI/UX, and overall implementation.
- Pitch & Business Clarity – 20%: Clarity of problem, solution, target users, value proposition, impact, market potential, and future roadmap.
Eligibility & Team Rules:
- Participants may register individually or in teams of up to 4 members.
- Each participant/team must submit one original AI-powered solution.
- The solution must address a clearly identified problem.
- Participants may use AI APIs, LLMs, open-source models, automation tools, and other relevant technologies.
- Major external tools and technologies used should be disclosed.
- Inter-institution and inter-specialization team rules will be specified in the final participation guidelines.
Competition Rules:
- All submissions must be the participant's/team's original work.
- Plagiarism, falsification, or misrepresentation may lead to disqualification.
- Participants must adhere to the submission format, deadlines, and round-specific instructions.
- Teams may continue refining their solutions between rounds.
- Shortlisted teams must participate in scheduled workshops and pitching rounds.
- Jury decisions across all stages will be final.
- Detailed pitch durations, schedules, and final round instructions will be communicated to shortlisted teams separately.
- The same student cannot compete in multiple teams.