IncludAI Neurodiversity Hackathon 2026 — ₹2.8L Prize Pool — Frequently Asked Questions

It is a virtual hackathon that asks participants to build technology supporting and empowering neurodiverse people. IncludEDU runs it along with the Stanford Neurodiversity, Neuroethics, and Neurotechnology Alliance (NNEA). The whole event happens online, and projects are handed in through Devpost.

The cash pool totals $3,000, which works out to about ₹2,76,000 — up to ₹2.8 lakh. The organisers have not published how that amount is divided between first place, second place and any other winning entries, so the individual prize values are not known in advance.

August 9, 2026. That date is both the last day of the hackathon, which runs from August 1 to August 9, 2026, and the registration deadline. Aim to have your Devpost submission in before that date passes.

Practically anyone. The hackathon is open worldwide with no restriction on where you live, and both individuals and teams can enter. Beginners are explicitly encouraged, so you do not need a track record. Students, developers, designers and neurodiversity advocates are all part of the intended audience.

No. Those conditions belong to Indian government grant and seed schemes. IncludAI is a competition run by IncludEDU with Stanford NNEA, and neither DPIIT recognition nor MSME registration is listed as a requirement for entering.

Neither. The awards are cash prizes drawn from a $3,000 pool, so they are non-dilutive — no stake in your project or venture is taken — and nothing has to be paid back.

Something that addresses challenges faced by neurodiverse communities. The event names two focus areas, education and machine learning/AI, so projects sitting at the intersection of those two themes fit the brief most directly.

No team size restriction appears in the event details, so you can enter alone or as part of a group. If a specific cap matters for your plans, confirm it with the organisers on the Devpost page before you register.

Fully online. It runs virtually from August 1 to August 9, 2026, participants can work remotely from wherever they are, and submissions go through Devpost. That virtual format is also why there is no geographic restriction on who can join.

Registration happens on the event's Devpost page at https://includai-2026.devpost.com/. Sign up there, build remotely during the hackathon window, and submit your finished project on the same platform by August 9, 2026.