ML Empowerment Build Challenge 2.0 — ₹92,000 Social Good AI Hackathon

ML Empowerment Build Challenge 2.0 is a fully online hackathon from the ML Empowerment Foundation. Its brief is straightforward: use machine learning and AI to tackle problems that create social good. The organisers have deliberately kept the bar low for newcomers, so the event is pitched as beginner-friendly and welcomes people who have never taken part in a hackathon before.

The build window runs from June 30 to July 31, 2026. Everything happens remotely, which means you can join from wherever you are — no geographic restrictions apply, and Indian developers, students and founders are explicitly welcome. You can enter on your own or as part of a team.

Projects are collected through Devpost, and registration closes on July 31, 2026. A total prize pool of $1,000, or roughly ₹92,000, is on offer, although the organisers have not published how that amount is divided among winners.

For early builders, this is a low-barrier way to work on an AI idea, ship a project and put it in front of judges — no company registration, funding history or prior competition record is needed to take part.

• Online hackathon run by the ML Empowerment Foundation
• Build window: June 30 to July 31, 2026, with registration closing July 31, 2026
• Total prize pool of $1,000 — approximately ₹92,000
• Open worldwide, including India, for individuals and teams
• Beginner-friendly: no prior hackathon experience needed
• Projects are registered and submitted through Devpost

The challenge is open to everyone. There are no geographic limits, and Indian participants are welcome to enter on exactly the same terms as anyone else.

• Who can take part: individuals and teams, anywhere in the world.
• Skill level: the event is beginner-friendly, and previous hackathon experience is not required.
• Sector or stage filters: none are listed — you simply need to build a machine learning or AI project aimed at social good.
• Registrations or certifications: no DPIIT recognition, MSME registration or similar credential is mentioned as a condition of entry, and no entity type is prescribed.

There are no founder-specific requirements stated, and no state-wise or country-wise restrictions.

ML Empowerment Build Challenge 2.0 — ₹92,000 Social Good AI Hackathon is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

The most recent application window for ML Empowerment Build Challenge 2.0 — ₹92,000 Social Good AI Hackathon closed on 31 Jul 2026. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.

Prize money is the only benefit the organisers state.

• Total prize pool: $1,000, or approximately ₹92,000.
• The pool is awarded as cash prizes.
• How the money is split between ranks, and how many winners there will be, has not been published.

This is a prize competition rather than an investment deal. The published terms mention cash prizes only, and no equity stake in your project forms part of the award. No additional grants, credits, cloud allowances, mentorship or incubation support are mentioned in the challenge details.

Entries are assessed on the strength of the submitted project rather than through interviews or a live pitch round.

• Innovation — how original the idea and the approach are.
• Technical complexity — the depth of machine learning or AI work behind the build.
• Social impact — how convincingly the solution addresses a real social good problem.
• Presentation — how clearly the project is explained in the submission.

The organisers present these as the typical judging criteria. No separate shortlisting rounds, interviews or assessment stages beyond the submission window have been announced.

Before you apply to ML Empowerment Build Challenge 2.0 — ₹92,000 Social Good AI Hackathon, 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.

ML Empowerment Build Challenge 2.0 — ₹92,000 Social Good AI Hackathon is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹92,000. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.