Opportunity brief
About INDUX 5.0:
- INDUX 5.0 is an international level 24-hour AI hackathon hosted by Vikrant University, Gwalior, bringing together student innovators, academia, and industry to build working AI solutions for problems that actually matter in manufacturing, healthcare and safety, security, sustainability, commerce, language, and space.
- This isn't a slide-deck competition. Teams clear a three-stage selection funnel, then get 24 hours on campus to turn a validated idea into a demonstrable prototype in front of an industry academia jury.
- Expected participation: 1000+ innovators.
Why Participate:
- ₹2,25,000 total prize pool
- Mentorship from industry practitioners and academic experts
- Real problem statements contributed by industry partners
- Certificates, pan-India visibility, and pathways to take your idea further
- Zero participation fee to register compete on the strength of your idea
Themes / Focus Areas (Pick One):
- AI & Generative AI
- Smart Manufacturing
- Industrial IoT (IIoT)
- Robotics & Intelligent Automation
- Cybersecurity & Digital Trust
- Digital Twin & Simulation
- Computer Vision & Image Processing
- Retail & Intelligent Commerce
- Multilingual AI & Language Technologies
- Environment, Health & Safety (EHS)
- Sustainability & Green Technologies
- Data Analytics & Predictive Intelligence
- Space Technology & Exploration
- Defence, Security & Strategic Technologies
Timeline & Stages:
- Stage 1 - Online Registration
- 14 September – 1 October 2026 · No participation fee
- Stage 2 - Abstract, PPT & Video Submission
- Till October 2026 · Submit your problem statement, proposed AI solution, a presentation deck, and a 3-minute video pitch (optional)
- Stage 3 - Online Interview & Team Screening
- 8 - 9 October 2026 · Shortlisted teams present to an industry and academic jury over online meeting
- Stage 4 - Selection Announcement & Registration Fee Payment
- 10 - 20 October 2026 · Selected teams confirm their slot
- Stage 5 - On-Site 24-Hour Hackathon
- 2 - 3 November 2026 · Build, iterate, and demo a working prototype in 24 hours at Vikrant University, Gwalior. Winners announced on site.
Rewards & Prizes:
- Total Prize Pool: ₹2,25,000
- Winner - ₹1,00,000
- 1st Runner-Up - ₹75,000
- 2nd Runner-Up - ₹50,000
- All participants also receive a certificate of participation, mentorship from industry and academic experts, pan India visibility for their project, and opportunities to take the idea forward with partner organisations.
Eligibility:
- Team based participation
- Participants must complete online registration before 1 October 2026 and clear the submission and interview stages to qualify for the on-site round
- Selected teams must be physically present at Vikrant University, Gwalior on 2 - 3 November 2026
What You Submit (Stage 2):
- Abstract - problem statement, proposed AI solution, intended impact
- Presentation (PPT) - approach, tech stack, feasibility, novelty
- 3-Minute Video Pitch — team introduction and solution walkthrough (optional)
Evaluation Criteria:
- Submissions and prototypes are assessed by an industry academia jury on innovation and originality, real world impact, technical depth of the AI/ML implementation, feasibility and scalability, prototype and demo quality, and clarity of presentation.
Rules:
- Each team selects one theme from the 14 focus areas
- All code and assets built during the 24 hour on-site round must be original work by the team; open source libraries and APIs are permitted with attribution
- Teams must be present on campus for the entire 24 hour round
- The jury's decision is final and binding
- Organisers reserve the right to modify the schedule or format; registered teams will be informed of any changes.