ET AI Hackathon 2026: A platform to build, innovate and lead

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a futuristic concept, it is actively reshaping the global business landscape. With organisations rushing towards implementing transformational technologies, the need for practical AI application keeps on increasing.

Looking at the current applied AI landscape, the Economic Times, in partnership with Posspole Catalyst brings AI Hackathon 2026, a structured journey designed to surface the strongest applied AI talent. This nationwide challenge is designed for AI enthusiasts thinking beyond ordinary with a passion for creating AI solutions driven by innovation.

Bringing together India’s top engineers, architects, developers and technology leaders, ET AI Hackathon aims to create a space to solve real-world enterprise challenges using AI. The initiative is designed to encourage innovation, promote enterprise AI adoption, and engage experienced professionals in solving impactful business challenges.

The tech sailors ready to scale

Built for professionals who know how to sail, ET AI Hackathon is eligible for students, engineers, builders and decision-makers who are ready to prove it at enterprise scale:

Students: Undergraduate or postgraduate students passionate about AI, machine learning, and building real-world solutions.

Product/solution leaders: Product managers, architects, and consultantswho can translate AI into real business outcomes.

Developers: Full-stack, AI/ML, and software engineers looking to push boundaries with cutting-edge tools and technologies

Product Thinkers: Designers, product managers, and innovators who see AI as a tool to create meaningful and user-centric experiences.

Win big, build bigger

With enterprise recognition awaiting, ET AI Hackathon will not let the winners leave empty-handed. Alongside competing for a ₹10 lakh prize pool, the winners can leverage a host of value-adding features such as:

• Hiring Opportunities: Get noticed by top recruiters and land interviews at leading AI companies.
• Industry Showcase: Present your innovation to CXOs and investors from India's top tech ecosystem.
• National Visibility: Gain exposure through media coverage and featured spotlights on national platforms.
• Certification: Every candidate who submits a valid prototype will receive a participation certificate.

Posspole Catalyst: Innovation Beyond Ideas

Posspole Catalyst is building the infrastructure for the builder economy, enabling individuals to identify meaningful problems, build practical products and turn promising ideas into real-world impact, commercialisation and venture creation.

Its association with ET AI Hackathon reflects a shared belief that innovation must move beyond ideas. Strong solutions emerge when people are given the opportunity to work on relevant challenges, collaborate across disciplines and build with purpose.

Through this platform, Posspole Catalyst aims to spotlight professionals who can combine technical depth with problem-solving ability and the discipline required to take ideas towards practical outcomes.

Qualify. Build. Compete.

From evaluating deep expertise, rewarding exceptional performances, to concluding with a prestigious national championship, ET AI Hackathon’s competitive trajectory is divided into a structured multi-stage format.

A team of one to four professionals with complementary skills to tackle the challenge together is what it takes to sign up on the Unstop platform and complete the registration process to secure a spot. After completing a screening assessment to demonstrate the applied AI and engineering depth, the qualified teams will move on to the next phase.

The next phase is where the selected teams get to choose a problem statement from the enterprises aligning with the team’s strength and develop an AI-powered solution and submit the prototype through the Unstop platform.

The qualified teams will get to present their solution to industry judges, compete for prizes, and earn national recognition at the last phase of the ET AI Hackathon challenge, with the grand finale going to be held on 25th August 2026 in Hyderabad.

A platform to build, innovate and lead

The ET AI Hackathon is a platform for professionals who want to move from capability to creation. It recognises people who can think critically, build practically and create solutions that matter beyond the competition.

With Posspole Catalyst as an Associate Partner, the initiative reinforces the importance of building a stronger builder economy, one where individuals are equipped to identify problems, create products and contribute to real-world progress.

Follow ET AI Hackathon for programme updates and announcements.