Y-Hack'26 — 24-Hour National Hackathon with ₹60,000 Prize Pool — Frequently Asked Questions

Y-Hack '26 is a national-level 24-hour hackathon organised by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) chapter at KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology (KPRIET) in Coimbatore. Student teams from engineering and technology institutions across India build working prototypes over 10th and 11th September 2026 in either a hardware or a software track, with mentorship available throughout and industry partners supporting the event.

The total prize pool is ₹60,000, and it is distributed among the winning teams. Because this is a competition, the award is a prize — no equity, stake or repayment is involved.

Teams of 3 to 6 students, all of whom must belong to the same engineering or technology institution in India. Inter-college teams are not allowed, and each participant can be part of only one team. Every member also needs to carry a valid college ID card to the event.

No. The hackathon accepts teams only, with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 members, and every member must come from the same institution. A solo entry or a mixed-college team does not meet the eligibility rules.

In the Hardware Track, problem statements are released on 1st September 2026, which gives teams time to analyse the challenge and prepare their design before arriving. In the Software Track, problem statements are revealed on the spot on 10th September 2026 and solutions are developed during the hackathon. A team picks one of the two tracks.

The event runs for 24 hours across 10th and 11th September 2026 at the Bhaskara Block (MI Classrooms) on the KPRIET campus in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Registration is open until 7th September 2026. The fee is ₹500 for IEEE members and ₹600 for non-IEEE members, and teams register through the Google Form linked on the official event page.

Pre-built or previously completed projects are strictly prohibited, so the work has to be done during the hackathon. Open-source libraries, APIs, frameworks and publicly available datasets are allowed, provided they are properly attributed.

Each team must bring its own laptops, chargers, development boards and any other hardware the project needs, along with a valid college ID card. On the other side, every participant receives an official Y-Hack '26 T-shirt, a participant kit, a participation certificate, and food and refreshments as specified for each day.

On the closing day each team gets 5–10 minutes for a final presentation. Judges look at the working prototype or demo, the source code (a GitHub repository or a ZIP file) and the project documentation or presentation, and their decision is final and binding. To take part, register via the Google Form on the official event page before 7th September 2026.

The application deadline for Y-Hack'26 — 24-Hour National Hackathon with ₹60,000 Prize Pool is Closed (7 Sept 2026). Deadlines can be revised, so reconfirm on the official source before applying.

No. Y-Hack'26 — 24-Hour National Hackathon with ₹60,000 Prize Pool is competition and is non-dilutive — the provider does not take an equity stake in your startup.

No. DPIIT (Startup India) recognition is not listed as a mandatory requirement for Y-Hack'26 — 24-Hour National Hackathon with ₹60,000 Prize Pool, though having it can strengthen your application and unlock other benefits.

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