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Deadline - 7th December 2025

Objective

India is rapidly transitioning into a digitally empowered economy driven by next-generation connectivity. The emergence of 5G and the global race for 6G leadership present unparalleled opportunities for India to innovate, patent, and lead in wireless technologies. The 5G/6G Innovation Hackathon aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of next-generation wireless applications by empowering startups and innovators across India.

The initiative seeks to mobilize local talent to create high-impact, market-ready solutions leveraging 5G and emerging 6G capabilities such as high bandwidth, ultra-low latency, and massive loT. It also focuses on promoting deep-tech startups engaged in foundational 6G research—including Native Al, Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), and AI/ML Compute Acceleration—to drive innovation leading to Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) and global competitiveness. The aim is to nurture the startup ecosystem in the use cases and foundational ideas/research in the areas of leveraging 5G and creating the foundations for 6G.


Focused Domains & Problem Statements

Smart Health

  • Develop a 5G-enabled wearable system for real-time monitoring of chronic patients and proactive health management.
  • Design an AI-driven healthcare solution leveraging 5G for remote diagnostics and predictive care in rural and underserved areas.

Goal:

Enable real-time, data-driven, and connected healthcare ecosystems, ensuring better patient outcomes, preventive care, and accessibility through 5G-powered innovations.


Defense

  • Develop a 5G/6G-enabled multi-domain situational awareness system that uses secure, resilient connectivity and edge AI for real-time intelligence, surveillance, and battlefield decision-making.
  • Build a prototype for remote operation and coordination of unmanned defense platforms (drones, ground robots, sensors) using ultra-low-latency communication, ISAC, and high-capacity networking.

Goal:

Enhance national security and defense readiness through secure, real-time, and intelligent communication systems—enabling superior command, control, autonomy, and situational awareness using advanced 5G/6G capabilities.


Agriculture

  • Build an IoT-based livestock monitoring system (using tags or collars) to detect illness, breeding cycles, and movement anomalies in real time.
  • Develop a 5G-connected drone or sensor network for precision agriculture, enabling automated irrigation, micro-climate control, and crop health monitoring.

Goal:
Enhance farm productivity, sustainability, and efficiency through data-centric, connected agriculture solutions powered by 5G networks.


Industrial Automation & Energy Management

  • Develop a 5G-connected predictive maintenance solution for industrial equipment that provides real-time health dashboards, alerts, and analytics to minimize downtime.
  • Build an IoT-enabled smart grid for real-time energy monitoring and optimization, enhancing system reliability and renewable energy integration.

Goal:

Enable intelligent industries and energy systems through 5G-driven automation, predictive insights, and sustainable resource optimization.


Fintech

  • Develop 5G/6G-enabled ultra-fast and highly secure digital payment solutions using MEC, network slicing, and advanced encryption.
  • Build next-gen fintech applications—credit, insurance, investments, fraud detection, and digital identity—using 5G/6G connectivity and edge AI for real-time analytics and seamless user experience.

Goal:

Create secure, inclusive, and real-time financial systems powered by advanced connectivity, enabling faster payments, smarter decision-making, and enhanced digital trust.


Deep-Tech Foundational Research (Towards 6G SEPs)


Native AI
  • Develop an AI-native network prototype capable of collecting simulated telemetry data from multiple edge devices, detecting anomalies or congestion using AI/ML, and autonomously taking corrective actions such as traffic rerouting, node shutdown, or resource reallocation.
  • Design an adaptive network control system that continuously learns from operational data to enhance performance and resilience.

Goal:

Enable self-learning, self-correcting, and energy-efficient networks, reducing human intervention and optimizing real-time decision-making in 6G systems.


AI/ML Compute Acceleration for Edge Networks
  • Build a prototype system that accelerates AI/ML workloads at the network edge using hardware accelerators such as GPUs, FPGAs, DPUs, or co-processors.
  • Demonstrate real-time AI acceleration for edge applications like autonomous drones, AR/VR systems, and intelligent traffic management.

Goal:

Achieve ultra-fast and energy-efficient AI computation for distributed networks, showcasing how hardware-software co-design can enable smarter and more responsive 6G systems.


Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC)
  • Develop a prototype demonstrating simultaneous communication and sensing, using simulated signals to detect motion, obstacles, or environmental changes while transmitting data.
  • Explore multi-node coordination to enhance sensing accuracy and real-time situational awareness.

Goal:

Show how 6G networks can integrate perception and communication, creating systems that see, sense, and respond to their surroundings—enabling breakthroughs in connected mobility, smart manufacturing, and defense technologies.



Open Innovation

  • Propose any innovative use case leveraging 5G/6G beyond the specified domains.
  • Develop concepts where 6G capabilities—such as integrated sensing, extreme reliability, or AI-native networking—are essential for breakthrough performance.

Goal:

Encourage creative cross-sector innovations pushing the boundaries of 5G and defining pathways toward 6G.

Who can apply:

Offerings & Benefits

Hackathon Structure

  • Stage 1

    Registration & Webinar Series

    Open registration for students, startups, innovators
    Awareness sessions on hackathon

  • Stage 2

    Application & Pitch Submission

    Submission of concept note, prototype plan, and technical proposal
    Initial screening by expert committee

  • Stage 3

    Pitch Presentation

    Shortlisted teams present to expert jury
    Evaluation based on innovation, feasibility, impact, and technical depth

  • Stage 4

    Winner Announcement

    Declaration of top three winners
    Fund disbursement and onboarding for prototype development support

Participate in the Hackathon

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who can participate?

Final-year students, startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs.

2. What is the team size?

There is no minimum team size. Individuals can also apply.

3. How will I get updates?

Through the official webpage.

4. Is registration free?

Yes. Registration and all webinars are free.

5. Do I need to stick to the listed domains?

Yes. You must choose a domain from the list—or apply under Open Innovation.

6. Is hardware mandatory?

No. Software-only solutions are also accepted if high-impact.

7. What support do winners receive?

Funding, mentorship, prototype support, and access to testbeds.

8. Is my own problem statement allowed?

Yes, as long as it fits within a domain (or goes under Open Innovation).

9. What are the key judging criteria?

Innovation and originality of the idea, Relevance to 5G/6G use cases, Technical feasibility and scalability, Market readiness and social impact, Quality of presentation and demonstration

Contact Section

For any queries, kindly email:

Email: [email protected]
Address: SIIC IIT Kanpur