What will the future of payments in India look like?
The DRUNIX Hackathon 2026, a fintech innovation initiative launched by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in collaboration with Citi, is inviting innovators to imagine, build and prototype solutions that could transform India's payments ecosystem.
Launched at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026, the hackathon brings together technology enthusiasts, developers, entrepreneurs and innovators to explore new possibilities in digital payments.
The central idea is clear:
Participants are encouraged to go beyond ideas and turn their concepts into working fintech prototypes that can address real-world challenges and create meaningful impact.
The DRUNIX Hackathon is an opportunity for innovators to collaborate, ideate and develop technology-driven solutions for the rapidly evolving fintech and payments ecosystem.
Participants will have the opportunity to explore new approaches to payment technologies and build solutions designed with three important principles in mind:
The hackathon is particularly relevant for those interested in fintech, digital payments, software development, APIs, artificial intelligence, financial technology and entrepreneurship.
The hackathon is organised by two major names in the financial and technology ecosystem:
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) × Citi
NPCI plays a central role in India's digital payments infrastructure, while Citi brings extensive global experience in financial services and technology.
Together, the organisations aim to encourage innovators to explore new ideas and technologies that could contribute to the next generation of payment solutions.
One of the exciting aspects of the DRUNIX Hackathon is the opportunity for selected innovators to access NPCI APIs and infrastructure for developing their solutions.
Instead of simply preparing a theoretical concept, participants can potentially use these resources to prototype and demonstrate how their solutions could work in practice.
This provides an excellent opportunity for developers and technology students to gain hands-on experience in building solutions around real-world fintech infrastructure.
The hackathon encourages participants to follow a journey from ideation to implementation.
A successful team could begin by identifying a problem in the payments ecosystem, develop an innovative approach, design the technical architecture and then build a functional prototype.
The focus is therefore not just on having a great idea.
Participants are expected to collaborate, experiment with technology and develop solutions that demonstrate both technical potential and real-world usefulness.
The hackathon is open to innovators interested in technology-driven solutions for the fintech and payments ecosystem.
It can be an excellent opportunity for:
Participants should be prepared to ideate, collaborate and develop a working prototype using the resources and infrastructure made available during the hackathon.
Are you a college student or early-career professional interested in AI, Web3, cybersecurity, cloud technologies, hardware, and innovative software solutions ? ORION 1.0 is a national-level hackathon that gives teams an opportunity to solve challenging technology problems and compete in a 24-hour offline finale.
Organised by Microsoft Club SIST, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai , ORION 1.0 features an online qualifier followed by a 24-hour offline Grand Finale at the SIST Chennai campus.
Convergence 1.0 is a 32-hour hackathon organized by the Coding Club of JIS College of Engineering (JISCE), bringing together builders, developers, designers, and technology enthusiasts for an intensive in-person innovation experience.
Hosted at JIS College of Engineering, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, the hackathon challenges participants to collaborate, build technology-driven solutions, and turn innovative ideas into working projects.
Competitive programmers from universities across India can take part in the ICPC Asia Amritapuri Regional 2026, the regional programming contest that brings three-person university teams together to compete in a challenging programming environment.
The 2026 edition features 380 onsite opportunities across four locations — Kollam, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, and Mysuru. The regional also offers a ₹3 lakh prize pool and provides teams with a pathway toward the larger ICPC competition.
The International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) is a team-based programming competition in which university students solve challenging algorithmic and programming problems under time constraints.
At the Amritapuri Regional, teams consist of three contestants who work together using a shared computer. The competition focuses on problem-solving, logical thinking, programming skills, teamwork, and the ability to tackle unfamiliar problems under pressure.
The Amritapuri regional has been associated with ICPC competitions for more than a decade, with Amrita hosting regional contests since 2012.
The 2026 regional will be conducted across four host locations:
The official website describes the event as a multisite regional, allowing participating teams to compete at the location that works best for them. The contest experience and competitive standards are intended to remain consistent across the four sites.
Each ICPC team consists of three contestants, subject to the official ICPC eligibility requirements.
A faculty coach from the participating college must register the team.
The preliminary-round registration fee for Indian teams is:
₹1,500 per team
The official website lists 25 September 2026 as the registration deadline and 27 September 2026 as the payment deadline.
The journey from registration to the regional onsite contest consists of several stages.
Teams need to consist of three eligible students from the same college. A faculty coach registers the team.
Registration deadline: 25 September 2026
The registration fee is ₹1,500 per team.
Payment deadline: 27 September 2026
Registrations are reviewed and confirmed. The organizers state that confirmation is expected within approximately 40 hours.
For registration-related assistance, teams can contact the official support team at icpc@am.amrita.edu or via WhatsApp at 80890 62917.
Selected teams must submit the required undertaking form.
Deadline: 1 October 2026
Registered teams can participate in a practice contest using CodeChef and Safe Exam Browser (SEB).
The practice contest is scheduled to start on 26 September 2026. The organizers note that Safe Exam Browser does not work on Linux.
The ICPC India Preliminary Round will be conducted online on:
3 October 2026
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
The preliminary contest will take place in a proctored environment under the prescribed contest conditions.
Teams will be shortlisted for the regional onsite contest according to the published onsite selection criteria.
The website states that shortlisted teams will be notified by 15 October 2026.
The regional onsite contest is scheduled for:
1–2 January 2027
The four host locations are Kollam, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, and Mysuru.
| Registration Closes |
| 25 September 2026 |
Artificial Intelligence is transforming every industry, and the next generation of innovators needs more than just theoretical knowledge—they need hands-on experience. NERDS 1.0, India's First AI Hackathon for Schools, is designed to help students develop practical AI skills, solve real-world problems, and present innovative solutions with confidence.
This unique innovation program combines structured learning, mentorship, teamwork, and competition to prepare students for the future of technology.
Amazon has officially announced HackOn With Amazon 6.0, one of India’s most anticipated hackathons for engineering and technology students. The competition offers participants an opportunity to solve real-world customer problems through innovative technology solutions while gaining exposure to Amazon’s engineering culture and leadership.
Artificial Intelligence is shaping the future—and if you're ready to be part of that transformation, ET AI Hackathon 2.0 is your opportunity to shine. Organized by The Economic Times in partnership with Unstop, this national-level hackathon is designed to discover and empower India’s brightest AI talent.
Whether you're a student, developer, or AI enthusiast, this competition offers a platform to innovate, build, and showcase real-world AI solutions.
Participants begin with an AI-proctored multiple-choice assessment.
This round evaluates:
Shortlisted teams move to an intensive build phase:
Focus areas include:
Top teams advance to the final stage where they:
Evaluation Criteria:
๐ฐ Total Prize Pool: ₹10,00,000
Participants don’t just compete—they get noticed.
Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025: A Nationwide Innovation Movement
The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, has announced the launch of the Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025. This nationwide initiative is designed to inspire innovation, creativity, and problem-solving skills among school students, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Grab, a leading name in technology and innovation, is inviting tech professionals across India to participate in GrabHack: Shaping the Future – Dream It. Build It. Grab It. This premier hackathon is designed exclusively for working professionals and aims to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence to solve real-world problems in fintech, user experience, and payment systems.
Set to be hosted at Grab’s Bengaluru office, the hackathon will bring together India’s brightest tech minds in a competitive and collaborative environment. Participants will work on innovative ideas under one of three specialized tracks:
Generative AI + Agentic Automation in Fintech
Gen AI-enabled Personalized & Intuitive User Experiences
Generative AI for Monetizing Payment Capabilities
The competition is open to all working professionals in the tech domain with at least one year of experience. Participants must form teams of 2 to 4 members and may come from different organizations or specializations. Cross-organization collaboration is encouraged, and while gender-diverse teams are recommended, it is not mandatory.
Round 1: Treasure Hunt
An engaging, non-elimination round where teams can earn bonus weightage for progressing through a digital treasure hunt of up to 10 levels.
Round 2: Executive Summary Submission
Participants submit a 2-slider PPT or a 2-minute video pitch outlining their solution to one of the given problem statements. A case launch webinar will be held to provide further context and guidance from Grab’s leadership.
Round 3: Grand Finale at Grab Bangalore
On July 5–6, 2025, selected teams will be invited to Grab’s office in Bengaluru for a 24-hour hackathon. They will build their solutions and present them to Grab’s senior leadership. Teams are responsible for their own travel and stay. Each presentation will include a 10-minute pitch followed by 5 minutes of Q&A.
Winner: ₹3,00,000
1st Runner-up: ₹2,00,000
2nd Runner-up: ₹1,00,000
All Finalists: Opportunity to interview with Grab (subject to T&C)
All Grand Finale Participants: Receive an exclusive welcome kit
GrabHack provides a powerful platform for professionals to showcase their expertise, connect with industry leaders, and explore potential career opportunities with Grab.
For those ready to innovate with AI and solve industry-scale challenges, GrabHack 2025 is the stage to shine.
HACK-A-ADDICT: A Hackathon to Combat Substance Abuse
Innovation meets social responsibility at HACK-A-ADDICT, a 24-hour hackathon dedicated to tackling the critical issue of substance abuse through groundbreaking technology. Scheduled for January 18th and 19th, 2025, this transformative event invites participants to design impactful applications that focus on prevention, awareness, and support for those affected by addiction.
Unleash your creativity and coding prowess at the SAWiT.AI Hackathon 2025, India’s leading women-only Generative AI (Gen AI) hackathon! This exciting event invites women from across the country to tackle real-world challenges, collaborate with industry experts, and contribute to the advancement of the Bhashini LLM (Language Model) through the creation of cutting-edge datasets.
InCTF Junior is a unique opportunity for students in grades 7 to 12 to learn and engage with the exciting field of cyber security. The program aims to democratize cyber security education, making it accessible to everyone at a young age, and set them on a path toward successful careers in this fast-growing industry.
Learn: Access world-class resources provided by team bi0s, including the bi0s wiki and YouTube channel, to learn essential concepts in cyber security. Practice your skills with a challenge archive designed to enhance your learning experience.
Hack: Participate in the Capture The Flag contest, a gamified approach to learning cyber security. Start with simple challenges and gradually progress to more complex real-world scenarios that will test your hacking skills.
Win: Top performers on the CTF leaderboard will receive exciting prizes and exclusive access to online cyber security training after the contest. All participants will also receive certificates to acknowledge their efforts and achievements.
Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to kick-start your cyber security career!
Join the ranks of India's brightest young hackers and be part of the InCTF Junior 2024 experience. For more details and to register, visit the official InCTF Junior website.
Gear up to learn, hack, and win! Be the change in the cyber security landscape of India.
