Opportunity brief
Build an AI-powered intelligence platform that transforms coaching institutes' messy data into predictive insights and a scalable SaaS business.
About the Competition
Jointly organised by Nextute Edtech Pvt. Ltd. and the Finance Club, IIT Patna, this case competition invites students from IITs and IIMs to solve a real-world challenge at the intersection of technology, finance, and education.
The Problem Statement: The Data Moat
Thousands of coaching institutes across India rely on paper OMR sheets, Excel files, registers, and WhatsApp groups to manage student data. This makes it difficult to identify learning gaps, predict student dropouts, provide meaningful progress reports to parents, and evaluate teaching effectiveness.
Your Mission: Design an AI-powered Institute Intelligence Platform that:
- Captures data from OMR scans, Excel/CSV files, Google Forms, and WhatsApp with minimal staff effort.
- Uses AI/ML to track topic mastery, predict dropout risks, and estimate exam performance.
- Generates actionable insights, personalised study plans, and bilingual parent reports.
- Works in low-bandwidth environments while protecting student data.
- Builds a scalable SaaS business with sustainable unit economics and a defensible data moat.
Competition Structure
Round 1: Online Submission
Participants must submit:
- Solution Deck: PDF in 16:9 format, maximum 12 content slides (excluding the title slide and appendix), covering system architecture, AI/ML methods, unit economics, and go-to-market strategy.
- Financial Model: Excel or Google Sheets with live formulas, clear assumptions, and at least one sensitivity analysis.
- Prototype/Code Repository (Optional): GitHub or Google Colab link showcasing an early implementation.
Submission Deadline: 21 October 2026
Round 2: Offline Grand Finale
Shortlisted teams will present their solutions at IIT Patna on 24 October 2026.
Deliverables include:
- A working prototype and live demonstration.
- An updated solution deck of up to 15 content slides.
- A detailed three-year financial model with scenarios and sensitivity analyses.
- A 2–4 page model and system report covering validation, cost per student, privacy, and limitations.
Pitch Format: 10-minute presentation and live demo, followed by 5–7 minutes of Q&A.
Live Curveball: Teams will receive a surprise technical, regulatory, or market scenario and approximately 60 minutes to adapt their solution and present their response.
Rewards & Perks
- Exclusive Collaboration Merch: Three limited-edition co-branded Nextute × Finance Club, IIT Patna hoodies for top-performing participants.
- Free Startup Mentorship: One month of free mentorship from Nextute Edtech for participants interested in building their own startups.
- Industry Jury: One judge representing Nextute Edtech.
- Internship Opportunities: Potential internship opportunities at Nextute Edtech for participants and organising team members, based on their skills and suitability.
Eligibility & Rules
- Eligibility: Currently enrolled undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students from any IIT or IIM, including online/hybrid programmes.
- Team Size: 2–4 members. Cross-institute and cross-disciplinary teams are welcome.
- Each participant may be part of only one team.
- All work must be original. AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Copilot are permitted, but their use must be disclosed on the final slide.
- Use synthetic data or properly cited public datasets. Do not use personal data without appropriate consent.
- Late submissions will not be evaluated. Team composition cannot change after the Round 1 deadline.
- PDF Naming Format: "TeamName_Case_Round.pdf"
- Teams retain ownership of their code. By submitting, teams grant the organisers a non-exclusive right to use submitted ideas and materials, with credit where publicly showcased.
- Judges' decisions are final. Any rule updates will be communicated to registered participants.
Important Notes
A complete institute-management ERP, a full question bank, or a production-ready mobile app is not required. A functional web prototype is sufficient.
Student privacy, applicable data protection requirements, and student well-being must remain central to every solution. At-risk predictions must support students through mentoring or remedial assistance, never public ranking or shaming.
Important Dates
- Registrations: Open now
- Round 1 Submission Deadline: 21 October 2026
- Offline Grand Finale: 24 October 2026 at IIT Patna