HackVerse 2026 | National Level Innovation Hackathon HackVerse 2026 is the flagship national-level innovation hackathon organized by the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (IEEE CIS) Student Chapter, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) College of Engineering, Pune . The hackathon aims to bring together passionate innovators, developers, designers, and problem-solvers from across India to build impactful technology-driven solutions for real-world challenges. Whether you're passionate about Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Sustainability, Social Innovation, or Open Innovation, HackVerse 2026 provides a platform to transform your ideas into reality while learning from mentors, networking with industry experts, and competing for exciting prizes. Competition Tracks Participants can choose ONE of the following tracks: AI for Social Impact EmpowerHER Cybersecurity Made Simple For The Memes Open Innovation Eligibility • Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students from any recognized college or university in India. • Students from all engineering and technology disciplines are eligible. • Cross-college teams are allowed. • Team Size: 1 –4 Members Competition Format Round 1 — Idea Submission Teams must submit: • Problem Statement • Proposed Solution • PPT Presentation The submissions will be evaluated based on: • Innovation • Feasibility • Technical Approach • Impact The Top 100 Teams will advance to Round 2. Round 2 — Online 24-Hour Hackathon Qualified teams will participate in a 24-hour online hackathon , where they will develop a working prototype of their solution. Teams will receive mentorship from industry experts and experienced mentors throughout the hackathon. Round 3 — Offline Grand Finale The Top 25 Teams will be invited to Pune for the Offline Grand Finale. Finalists will: • Demonstrate their prototype • Present before an expert jury • Compete for prizes, recognition, and networking opportunities Tentative Timeline Registration & Round 1 Submission Deadline 5 August 2026 Registration Deadline & Round 1 Submission Deadline (PPT / Idea Submission) 10 August 2026 Announcement of Top 100 Teams Selected for Round 2 13–14 August 2026 24-Hour Online Hackathon Round for Top 100 Teams 15–17 August 2026 Evaluation of Online Hackathon Submissions / Demo Review / Jury Screening 18 August 2026 Announcement of Top 25 Finalist Teams for Offline Grand Finale 21 August 2026 12-Hour Offline Grand Finale at, Pune Final Presentations, Jury Evaluation, Prize Distribution & Closing Ceremony Note: The organizing committee reserves the right to revise the timeline if required. Any changes will be communicated through official channels. Evaluation Criteria Teams will be evaluated on: • Innovation & Creativity • Technical Feasibility • Prototype Quality • Problem-Solution Fit • Scalability • User Experience • Social & Business Impact • Presentation & Demonstration Rules • Each team must contain 1 –4 members . • One participant can be part of only one team . • Plagiarism or copied solutions will lead to immediate disqualification. • Teams must submit only original work. • Decisions of the organizing committee and jury shall be final. • Participants must adhere to the IEEE Code of Ethics and maintain professional conduct throughout the event. What You'll Get Cash Prizes Certificates Mentorship Sessions Networking Opportunities Internship & Career Opportunities National-Level Recognition Organized By IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (IEEE CIS) Student Chapter Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) College of Engineering, Pune