IEEE HackSynapse 2026 — 36-Hour Hackathon with ₹1.5L+ Prizes

IEEE HackSynapse 2026 is a national-level hackathon built for undergraduate students, staged on the MITS Gwalior campus by the IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS) Student Branch Chapter and the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Student Branch Chapter. The event is delivered in collaboration with HackIndia, and its reward pool is worth more than ₹1.5 lakh.

The format is demanding: a fully offline 36-hour build sprint for teams that clear the online screening round. Judging goes well beyond whether the code runs — reviewers look at problem-solving ability, product thinking, UI/UX design, presentation skill and technical depth.

Entries are accepted across three tracks:

• Artificial Intelligence — solutions built with machine learning, deep learning, NLP, computer vision or similar techniques.
• Web3 & Blockchain — decentralised applications, smart contracts and blockchain-based systems.
• Open Innovation — any real-world problem solved with modern technology, AI, Web3 or other emerging tools.

IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organisation, and its IAS and RAS student chapters at MITS run a steady calendar of workshops, technical events and competitions. HackIndia is a platform that supports student hackathons nationwide and hosts the first-round submissions.

For students, the upside is practical: mentorship from academia and industry during the finale, a jury evaluation of live demos, certificates for everyone who finishes, and recognition that travels beyond one campus.

• 36-hour hackathon held offline at MITS Gwalior, preceded by an online idea round
• Rewards worth ₹1.5 lakh+ in total — cash prizes, sponsor rewards, goodies and certificates
• Three tracks to choose from: Artificial Intelligence, Web3 & Blockchain, and Open Innovation
• Open to undergraduate teams of 3–4 members; inter-college and international students eligible
• Round 1 is free to enter; shortlisted teams pay ₹1,100 per team for the offline finale
• Register and submit Round 1 materials by 23 August 2026 on the HackIndia platform

Participation is limited to undergraduate students currently enrolled at any recognised college or university.

• Teams must have 3 to 4 members. There is no single-participant entry.
• Any engineering branch or related discipline qualifies — Computer Applications, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Electronics, Design, Business and other relevant fields are all accepted.
• Teams may be formed across colleges; members do not need to study at the same institution.
• International students enrolled at a recognised institution are welcome, provided they hold a valid college ID.
• Every participant must be able to produce that college ID.

There is no requirement to be an IEEE member, and no DPIIT or MSME registration is involved — this is a student competition, not a startup funding scheme.

IEEE HackSynapse 2026 — 36-Hour Hackathon with ₹1.5L+ Prizes is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

The most recent application window for IEEE HackSynapse 2026 — 36-Hour Hackathon with ₹1.5L+ Prizes closed on 23 Aug 2026. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.

HackSynapse is a prize competition rather than an investment programme, so the rewards take the form of payouts and recognition instead of equity or a funding cheque.

• A total reward pool worth ₹1.5 lakh+, made up of cash prizes, sponsor rewards, goodies and exclusive benefits.
• Winning teams take home cash prizes along with goodies, certificates and nationwide recognition.
• Certificates are issued to all finalists, and to every participant who successfully completes the hackathon.
• Accommodation is provided for teams that qualify for the offline finale.
• Mentorship from academia and industry during the 36-hour build sprint.

On cost, the first round is free to enter. Teams that get shortlisted pay ₹1,100 per team to take part in the offline round — a per-team fee, not a per-person one.

IEEE HackSynapse 2026 — 36-Hour Hackathon with ₹1.5L+ Prizes is offered by Madhav Institute of Technology & Science, a startup incubator. It is delivered directly by Madhav Institute of Technology & Science as a competition. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

Selection runs over two rounds, with a fixed set of dates attached to each stage.

Round 1 — Online idea submission. Teams file a problem-statement presentation built on the official template, a 1.5–2 minute pitch video explaining the idea, and optionally a GitHub repository link. Submissions go through the HackIndia platform. Shortlisting weighs innovation, feasibility, the technical approach, clarity and potential impact. Round 1 materials are due by 23 August 2026.

Round 2 — Grand Finale at MITS Gwalior. Shortlisted teams travel to campus for the 36-hour offline hackathon, guided by mentors drawn from academia and industry. The event closes with final presentations and live demos in front of an expert jury.

Across both rounds, the jury scores entries on:

• Innovation & Creativity
• Problem Relevance
• Technical Implementation
• Feasibility & Scalability
• UI/UX & User Experience
• Business/Social Impact
• Presentation & Communication

Key dates to hold on to: shortlisted teams are notified on 27 August 2026, and they must finish offline registration and pay the participation fee by 2 September 2026.

Before you apply to IEEE HackSynapse 2026 — 36-Hour Hackathon with ₹1.5L+ Prizes, 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.

IEEE HackSynapse 2026 — 36-Hour Hackathon with ₹1.5L+ Prizes is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹1.5L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.