Perceptron Hackathon 2026

Note: Mandatory Registration On: https://techfest.org/competitions/perceptron-hackathonWhatsapp WhatsApp Group Link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Hfvt3cKRZRRBaVHYsAf7uDs=cl&p=a&mlu=4&ilr=4 About: Perceptron Hackathon 2026 is presented by the IITB-Optiver AI Innovation Lab and invites builders to tackle ten concrete, technically demanding problems spanning efficient AI systems, causal reasoning, financial markets, multi-agent coordination, education, and trustworthy AI. Teams pick one of six themes and then one specific problem within it, and Round 1 is judged purely on the depth and rigor of their technical plan, not a working prototype. Finalists go on to present their built solutions before a joint panel of Optiver and IIT Bombay judges at Techfest, IIT Bombay, Asia's largest science and technology festival. Structure: The competition runs in two rounds, with Round 2 as an in-person final at Techfest, IIT Bombay. Eligibility: Open to all students with a valid ID from their educational institution. Cross-institutional teams are encouraged. Team Size: Maximum 3 members per team. Themes & Problems: Teams choose one problem statement from 10 listed across 6 themes: Efficient AI at Scale Cause & Effect in AI Decisions Markets & Trading Intelligence Agents That Compete/Cooperate/Adapt AI That Teaches AI You Can Actually Trust Some themes offer a choice between 2–3 related problems; the team picks exactly one problem as its Round 1 submission. Round 1 - Online Abstract Submission: Teams submit a 600–900 word abstract, along with an optional 1-page architecture diagram, covering: The chosen problem and why they selected it. Their understanding of its core technical difficulty. A concrete proposed approach naming specific techniques, tools, and datasets. How they will meet the problem's Minimum Viable bar. Which stretch goals they would attempt. Any novelty/differentiation. Their evaluation plan. Team fit and risks. No code, results, or working prototypes are required at this stage. Only the Team Leader may submit, and multiple submissions are not accepted. Midway Check: Roughly 15 days before the finals, each shortlisted team submits a 1-page progress report confirming they are on track. This is a lightweight, unscored checkpoint to flag teams needing support before final judging. Round 2 - Finals: 25–30 teams are shortlisted across all themes combined, not per theme, for the in-person finals at IIT Bombay. Teams must bring a working code/prototype demonstrating their Minimum Viable scope and any stretch goals attempted. Round 1 was plan-only, but Round 2 requires an actual functioning build to present and demo to the judges. Each team presents to a joint panel of Optiver and IIT Bombay judges. Scores are normalized across all finalist teams on a common scale. The top 3 teams overall, not per theme, are declared winners. Timeline: Registration Closes: 15th October 2026 Round 1 Submission Deadline: 31st October 2026 Shortlist Announcement: 10th November 2026 Midway Check: 1st December 2026 Finals: 15th–18th December 2026 Rewards And Prizes: Top 3 Winners: INR 2,00,000 Certificates: All participants who qualify for Round 2 will receive a certificate.