Futura '26 Designathon | DesignX, Rishihood University — ₹30,000 Prize Pool — Frequently Asked Questions

It is the flagship overnight designathon run by DesignX, Rishihood University's multi-domain design festival. Student teams get a real-world design brief and a single 12-hour stretch to research it, generate ideas, build a prototype and pitch the outcome, all on campus at Rishihood University in Sonipat, Haryana.

The overall cash pool stands at ₹30,000. It is divided between the top winners and the special category winners — the exact split between places is not published. Because this is a competition rather than an investment, the prize money comes with no equity stake and nothing to repay.

Registration closes on 16 April 2026. Entries are accepted through the official Unstop event page, so teams should complete their sign-up before that date.

Any student enrolled in a college in India, from any discipline — design, engineering, research, strategy, management or anything else. You do not need a design degree or prior designathon experience. Teams must have 2 to 4 members, and every member needs to be present on site.

No. DPIIT and MSME/Udyam registrations are requirements of startup funding schemes, not of this event. Futura '26 is a student design competition, so the only things that matter are college student status, a team of 2 to 4 members and onsite attendance.

It is entirely onsite. You must be physically present at Rishihood University, Sonipat, Haryana, for the full overnight sprint and for the live presentations that follow the submission deadline. There is no remote or hybrid option.

The problem statement is revealed at 7:00 PM on 17 April 2026. The designathon formally begins at 10:00 PM on 17 April 2026. Teams must submit their final solutions via the official Google Form by 10:00 AM on 18 April 2026, and live presentations to the expert judging panel take place immediately afterwards.

Every registered participant — winners included or not — receives a 6-month Canva Pro subscription valued at ₹2,000, along with access to the TruScholar Smart Credential Wallet. That wallet includes an AI-powered Career Coach, an AI-based interview preparation tool, TruResume (an ATS-friendly AI resume builder) and a built-in job and internship portal. Winning teams also get certificates and DesignX goodies.

No. Futura '26 is a prize competition, so there is no equity, no shareholding and no repayment involved. You should note, however, that all work presented must be original and must be created during the designathon itself.

Applications go through the official Unstop event page: https://unstop.com/hackathons/futura-design-a-thon-designx-school-of-design-rishihood-university-1668031. Once registered, the problem statement reaches your team by email at 7:00 PM on 17 April 2026, and final solutions are uploaded via the official Google Form.

Apply directly through the official application link on this page. Review the eligibility criteria and prepare your startup documents before you begin.