INIT'26 - Hackathon

Overview: Event Name: INIT'26 – Hackathon Format: 24-Hour Online Hackathon Mode: Online Eligibility: Engineering students from recognized colleges/universities Team Size: Exactly 3 members Venue: Online Participants will have 24 hours to ideate, build, and develop a solution based on a problem statement released at the beginning of the hackathon. Eligibility & Team Rules: Open exclusively to engineering students from any recognized college/university. Each team must consist of exactly 3 members. Inter-college teams are allowed. Members from different engineering specializations and academic years may form a team. Each participant can be part of only one team. Tracks: Participants can choose one of the two tracks during registration. Track 1: Fintech Track 2: Cybersecurity Note: The selected track cannot be changed once registration is completed. Hackathon Timeline: 5 September 2026 12:00 PM — Hackathon Begins: The problem statements will be released and the 24-hour build period will officially begin. 6 September 2026 12:00 PM — Submission Deadline: All teams must submit their final project and presentation materials before the deadline. Mandatory Submission Requirements: Each team is required to submit both of the following: Project / Repository Link: GitHub repository link, or Prototype/deployed project link Idea Presentation (PPT): Teams must submit a PPT explaining their solution. The official PPT format/template will be provided by the organizing team. Both submissions are mandatory. Failure to submit either component may result in the submission being considered incomplete. General Rules: Teams must work on their selected track and develop their solution within the 24-hour hackathon period. All submitted work must be original. Plagiarism or copying of another team's work will result in immediate disqualification. Participants may use open-source resources and tools where applicable. The judges' decision will be final and binding. Prizes & Recognition: Both tracks will have: 1 Winner 1 Runner-Up All participants will receive certificates. Winners and finalists will also receive goodies & swag and get the opportunity to interact and network with industry experts and mentors. Engineer’s Day Felicitation: The winners of INIT'26 will be felicitated on Engineer’s Day, 15 September 2026, at the MPSTME campus by the Dean of the college. The winning projects will also be displayed during the Engineer’s Day celebrations. Stay Updated: Join the official WhatsApp group for all announcements, updates, submission instructions, and important information: WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Fh13v9xirc4BXo74JDUgC6 Build. Solve. INIT.