Government Launches 5G Hackathon with Seed Funding and Prizes

5G Innovation Hackathon 2026 Launched: DoT Invites Entries, Offers Funding and ₹10 Lakh Prize Pool​

Government Opens Submissions Under ‘100 5G Use Case Labs’ Initiative​

New Delhi, March 21: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched the second edition of the ‘5G Innovation Hackathon 2026’, aimed at accelerating the development of next-generation telecom solutions using 5G and allied technologies.

The initiative is part of the government’s ‘100 5G Use Case Labs’ programme, with submissions open until April 17. The hackathon is designed to encourage scalable and innovative applications across sectors by leveraging advanced telecom capabilities.

Participation Open for Students, Startups, and MSMEs​

The hackathon invites entries from a wide pool of participants, including students, startups, MSMEs, and independent innovators from across the country.

According to the DoT, proposals must be submitted through designated institutions that are part of the 100 5G Use Case Labs network. These institutions will act as nodal centres for receiving and processing applications.

Multi-Stage Evaluation Process for Entries​

All submissions will undergo a structured, multi-stage evaluation process. This includes institute-level screening, followed by regional committee assessments and national-level evaluations based on presentations.

Shortlisted teams will receive support for prototype development, after which final evaluations will be conducted through physical demonstrations of the solutions.

Focus on AI, IoT, and Sectoral 5G Applications​

The hackathon covers a wide range of thematic areas, including 5G and 5G Advanced-based use cases, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning applications in telecom, and innovations in network operations and maintenance.

Participants can also develop IoT-enabled solutions targeting key sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and industrial automation.

Financial Support and Infrastructure Access for Selected Teams​

Selected teams will receive financial assistance as well as access to advanced infrastructure available at the 100 5G Use Case Labs set up across leading academic institutions. This support is intended to help teams test, validate, and refine their solutions into functional prototypes.

A dedicated seed funding pool of ₹50 lakh has been allocated for prototype development.

Prize Pool Exceeds ₹10 Lakh with Additional IPR Support​

The hackathon offers a total prize pool exceeding ₹10 lakh. The winner will receive ₹5,00,000, while the runner-up and second runner-up will be awarded ₹3,00,000 and ₹1,50,000 respectively. A special Best Idea award of ₹50,000 has also been announced.

Additionally, up to 25 teams will receive support for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) filing.

Final Results to Be Announced at India Mobile Congress 2026​

The final results of the 5G Innovation Hackathon 2026 will be declared on October 1, 2026. Winning entries will be showcased and awarded at the India Mobile Congress 2026, the DoT said.