Opportunity brief

Note: "The registration will be confirmed via a confirmation email"

BIOCODEX 2026

Bioinformatics Hackathon | BioYUVA 2026

Organised by: Club Genova, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tiruchirappalli

Flagship Technology Partner: Boltzmann Labs

1. OVERVIEW

BioCodeX is the flagship bioinformatics hackathon of BioYUVA 2026, organised by Club Genova, the biotechnology society of SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tiruchirappalli.

The hackathon challenges student teams to work on an industry-led problem statement, formulate a scientific hypothesis, and develop a computational solution using AI-powered bioinformatics tools.

The competition is designed to evaluate scientific reasoning, computational tool proficiency, problem-solving ability, adaptability, and performance under time constraints, followed by a final presentation and defence before a panel of expert judges.

2. ABOUT BOLTZMANN LABS

Boltzmann Labs is a BioAI company with a vision to revolutionise drug discovery through data-driven solutions for precision medicine.

Its AI-powered products and services span multiple areas of drug discovery, including:

Target and biomarker identification
Small-molecule design
Antibody design
Protein engineering
Custom synthesis planning

As the Flagship Technology Partner of BioCodeX, Boltzmann Labs will provide participants with access to its computational tool suite and will set the industry-led problem statements at the core of the competition.

3. ELIGIBILITY

BioCodeX is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Eligible programmes include:

B.Sc.
B.Tech.
B.E.
M.Sc.
M.Tech.
M.E.
Other bachelor's and master's degree programmes

Team Requirements:

Team size: 1–6 members
Individual participation is permitted.
All members of a team must belong to the same college/institution.
Each participant may be a member of only one team.
COMPETITION FORMAT

The competition will be conducted across two rounds.

ROUND 1 — ONLINE ROUND

Duration: 30 Hours

An industry-led problem statement, developed in association with Boltzmann Labs, will be released to all registered teams at the beginning of the round.

Teams will work remotely within a 30-hour window to analyse the problem, formulate a scientific hypothesis, and develop a solution using the Boltzmann Labs tool suite.

Teams may also use additional bioinformatics tools where appropriate, provided that their use is clearly documented and justified.

Each team must submit its solution along with:

Scientific hypothesis and reasoning
Methodology and workflow
Tools used at each stage
Analysis and results
Explanation and justification of the proposed solution

Selected teams will qualify for the final round based on their submissions.

ROUND 2 — ON-CAMPUS FINAL

Venue: SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tiruchirappalli

Duration: 6 Hours

Qualifying teams will attend the final round in person at SRM IST Tiruchirappalli.

At the start of the final round, we will announce on-the-spot changes to the problem statement.

Teams will then have 6 hours to analyse the revised challenge, adapt their approach, implement the required changes, and develop their final solution.

At the end of the round, teams will present and defend their solutions before a panel of judges.

The results will be announced following the final presentations.

5. PARTICIPATION PROCESS

Step 1 — Registration

Step 2 — Workshop

All registered participants will have access to a workshop covering the use of Boltzmann Labs' computational tools before the competition.

Step 3 — Problem Statement

The industry-led problem statement will be released to registered teams at the beginning of Round 1.

Step 4 — Tool Credits

Each registered team will be allotted a specified quantity of credits for the Boltzmann Labs tool suite.

Step 5 — Online Challenge

Teams will have 30 hours to analyse and solve the problem using Boltzmann Labs tools and any additional bioinformatics tools they choose to employ.

Step 6 — Submission

Teams must submit their solution along with a clear explanation of their scientific approach, methodology, tools used, analysis, results, and justification.

Step 7 — Qualification

Selected teams will advance to the on-campus final at SRM IST Tiruchirappalli.

Step 8 — Final Challenge

Qualifying teams will receive changes to the problem statement and will have 6 hours to adapt their solution to the revised challenge.

Step 9 — Presentation and Defence

Teams will present their final solution before the judging panel and answer questions regarding their methodology, results, and scientific reasoning.

Step 10 — Results

The winners will be announced at the conclusion of the final round.

RULES AND REGULATIONS
Teams must use the Boltzmann Labs tool suite as part of their solution.
Additional bioinformatics tools may be used, provided their use is clearly explained and justified.
Teams must clearly mention which tools were used at each stage of their workflow.
Each registered team will be allotted a specified quantity of credits for the Boltzmann Labs tool suite.
Once a team's allotted credits are exhausted, no additional credits will be provided.
The use of AI tools is permitted, provided their use is properly disclosed and explained.
Every team must be able to explain and defend every part of its submission.
Any work that a team cannot adequately explain may be discounted and may result in disqualification.
Team size must be between 1 and 6 members.
All members of a team must belong to the same college/institution.
Each participant may belong to only one team.
Participants must comply with all instructions and deadlines communicated by the organisers.
The decision of the judges shall be final and binding.
EVALUATION CRITERIA

Scientific Novelty — 25%

Originality of the scientific hypothesis and proposed approach.

Scientific Feasibility — 25%

Biological and technical soundness of the solution, along with its real-world validity.

Tool Usage and Explanation — 20%

Effective use of Boltzmann Labs and other bioinformatics tools, along with the ability to clearly explain their application.

Performance Under Constraint — 15%

Quality and effectiveness of the work completed within the allotted time, particularly during the final round.

Presentation and Defence — 15%

Clarity of presentation, scientific communication, and ability to defend the proposed solution.

Total — 100%

8. PRIZES

Total Prize Pool: ₹10,000

First Prize: ₹5,000

Second Prize: ₹3,000

Third Prize: ₹2,000

9. ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

In addition to the cash prizes:

Winning participants will receive an opportunity to intern at Boltzmann Labs, subject to the company's selection process.
Winners will receive certificates and recognition.
Top-performing teams will gain exposure to an industry-led BioAI problem-solving environment.
ORGANISER AND PARTNER