ET AI Hackathon 2.0

The ET AI Hackathon 2.0 is a nation-scale innovation challenge organized by The Economic Times in partnership with Unstop. It aims to discover and celebrate India's brightest emerging AI talent by bringing together sharp minds to solve real-world AI problem statements. The hackathon covers three tracks: Business Innovation, Social Impact, and Open Innovation. Participants can join individually or in teams of 1 to 4 members, and cross-college, cross-discipline, and cross-year teams are encouraged. The competition begins with an online AI assessment to test foundational knowledge, followed by an intensive prototype build sprint, and culminates in a Grand Finale where top teams present their solutions to an industry jury. A total prize pool of ₹10,00,000 is distributed among winners, with additional career opportunities such as Pre-Placement Interviews (PPIs), internships, and jobs with leading AI-first companies. All participants who successfully submit in Phase 2 receive a Certificate of Participation, and finalists gain national recognition across ET platforms.

• Total prize pool of ₹10,00,000 (Winner: ₹5L, 1st Runner-Up: ₹3L, 2nd Runner-Up: ₹2L).
• Open to all Indian students, professionals, and AI enthusiasts.
• Tracks: Business Innovation, Social Impact, and Open Innovation.
• Career opportunities: PPIs, internships, and jobs with AI-first companies.
• All Phase 2 submitters get a Certificate of Participation.

Open to students, professionals, and AI enthusiasts across India. Participants can apply individually or form teams of 1 to 4 members. Each participant can be part of only one team. All ideas, code, documents, and assets must be original and created during the hackathon. Plagiarism or use of pre-built projects will lead to disqualification.

ET AI Hackathon 2.0 is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

The most recent application window for ET AI Hackathon 2.0 closed on 15 May 2026. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.

• Cash prizes: Winner receives ₹5,00,000, 1st Runner-Up ₹3,00,000, and 2nd Runner-Up ₹2,00,000.
• Top performers gain opportunities for Pre-Placement Interviews (PPIs), internships, and jobs with leading AI-first companies.
• All Phase 2 submitters receive a Certificate of Participation.
• Finalists and winners receive national recognition across ET platforms.
• Finalists get direct access to industry experts, founders, and AI practitioners, with opportunities to present ideas to industry leaders and hiring teams.

ET AI Hackathon 2.0 is offered by The Economic Times. It is delivered directly by The Economic Times as a competition. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

The selection process consists of multiple phases. First, participants must register on the Unstop platform and form teams. Then, they complete an online MCQ assessment to test foundational AI knowledge. Based on performance, teams are shortlisted for Phase 2, where they pick a problem statement and build a prototype. The best prototypes advance to the Grand Finale, where teams present their solutions to an industry jury, which selects the winners.

Before you apply to ET AI Hackathon 2.0, keep the following documents ready:

• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

ET AI Hackathon 2.0 is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹10L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.