The Government of India has unveiled the 5G Innovation Hackathon 2026, a flagship initiative by the Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Communications. This national-level hackathon aims to accelerate innovation in 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies while strengthening India’s digital ecosystem.
Launched under the 100 5G Use Case Labs Initiative, the hackathon invites participation from students, startups, MSMEs, and innovators across the country to develop scalable and impactful telecom solutions.
Call for Proposals Open Till 17 April 2026
The hackathon officially commenced on 20 March 2026, with the last date for submission of proposals set as 17 April 2026. Applications must be submitted through designated institutions under the 100 5G Use Case Labs Initiative, which will act as nodal centres.
The selection process will follow a multi-stage evaluation, including:
Institute-level screening
Regional committee assessment
National-level evaluation through presentations
Prototype development and testing
Final evaluation based on physical demonstrations
Seed Funding and Access to Advanced 5G Labs
To support innovation, the government has allocated a ₹50 lakh seed funding pool for selected teams. Participants will also get access to state-of-the-art infrastructure at 100 5G Use Case Labs across premier academic institutions.
This will enable innovators to develop, test, and refine real-world 5G applications, bridging the gap between ideas and implementation.
Prize Pool Exceeding ₹10 Lakh and IPR Support
The hackathon offers attractive rewards and recognition, including:
First Prize – ₹5,00,000
Second Prize – ₹3,00,000
Third Prize – ₹1,50,000
Best Idea Award – ₹50,000
In addition, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) support will be provided to up to 25 teams, helping innovators protect and commercialise their ideas.
The final winners will be announced on 1 October 2026, and the top innovations will be showcased at the prestigious India Mobile Congress 2026.
Focus Areas: 5G, AI, IoT and Beyond
The hackathon covers a wide range of cutting-edge technological domains, including:
5G and 5G Advanced applications
AI and Machine Learning in telecom networks
IoT solutions for healthcare, agriculture, education, and industry
Disaster management using 5G
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and RedCap devices
Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) integration
Network slicing and Quality of Service (QoS)
Telecom security and next-generation communication systems
These focus areas are aligned with India’s vision to become a global leader in next-generation telecom technologies.
Encouraging Indigenous Innovation and Digital Transformation
The hackathon is a major step toward promoting indigenous innovation and reducing dependency on imported technologies. By supporting startups and young innovators, the initiative aims to:
Strengthen India’s telecom ecosystem
Encourage research and development in emerging technologies
Promote AI-led digital transformation
Enable scalable solutions for real-world challenges
How to Apply
Interested participants can submit their applications online through the official DoT portal. The initiative is open to individual innovators, teams, startups, and MSMEs, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to India’s 5G innovation journey.
