5G Innovation Hackathon 2026 – DoT
Offered By - Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government Of India
About the Program
The 5G Innovation Hackathon 2026 is a national-level innovation challenge launched by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, Government of India, under the “100 5G Use Case Labs” initiative.
The program is designed to bring together students, startups, professionals, and innovators to develop real-world solutions leveraging 5G and advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), and next-generation communication systems.
Unlike short-duration hackathons, this initiative follows a multi-stage development pipeline, where selected teams progress from proposal submission to prototype development and final demonstration. Participants receive access to a nationwide network of 5G labs across 100 academic institutions, enabling real-world testing, validation, and refinement of their solutions.
The program strongly emphasizes practical, scalable, and market-ready innovation, with evaluation criteria including technical execution, scalability, societal impact, and novelty. It also integrates structured mentorship from industry and academic experts, supporting teams throughout the development lifecycle.
Additionally, shortlisted teams receive financial support to build prototypes, along with opportunities for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) filing support and national-level exposure. Finalists get the opportunity to showcase their innovations at India Mobile Congress 2026, positioning the program as a bridge between innovation and deployment within India’s telecom ecosystem
Offerings / Benefits:
1 – Prize pool exceeding ₹10 Lakhs:
- ₹5,00,000 (1st Prize)
- ₹3,00,000 (Runner-up)
- ₹1,50,000 (2nd Runner-up)
- ₹50,000 (Best Idea Award)
2 – Prototype funding:
₹1,00,000 per selected team (top ~25–50 teams)
3 – Seed funding pool of ₹50 Lakhs (for selected innovations)
4 – Access to 100 5G Use Case Labs for testing and validation
5 – Mentorship from industry and academic experts
6 – IPR support (including financial assistance for filing)
7 – Opportunity to showcase at India Mobile Congress 2026
Sectors Supported:
Telecommunications
5G / 5G Advanced
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Machine Learning (ML)
Internet of Things (IoT)
Network Security
Disaster Management Tech
Industrial Automation
Healthcare
Agriculture
Education
Funding & Benefits
This program offers a combination of financial support, mentorship, and ecosystem access to help startups grow and scale their solutions effectively.
Corporate Partnerships
Funding
Lab Access
Market Access
Mentorship
Networking
Beyond funding, programs like this provide credibility, exposure, and strategic support that can significantly accelerate a startup’s growth journey.
Who Can Apply / Eligibility
1 – Open to:
- Students (UG/PG)
- Startups
- MSMEs
- Professionals / innovators
2 – Individuals or teams (including collaborations) can apply
3 – Must submit a proposal through a designated 5G Use Case Lab
4 – Must be able to develop a working prototype
Selection Process
Stage 1: Proposal submission through 5G labs
Stage 2: Institute-level screening (1–5 proposals shortlisted per institute)
Stage 3: Regional and national-level evaluation
Stage 4: Prototype development phase (with mentorship and funding)
Stage 5: Final evaluation based on physical demonstrations
Evaluation Criteria:
Technical execution (40%)
Scalability & market readiness (40%)
Societal/industrial impact (10%)
Novelty (10%)
How to Apply
- Visit the official DoT Hackathon portal given below
- Register as an applicant
- Submit proposal via a participating 5G Use Case Lab
- Provide problem statement, solution approach, and expected impact
- Complete submission before the deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
1 – Open to:
- Students (UG/PG)
- Startups
- MSMEs
- Professionals / innovators
2 – Individuals or teams (including collaborations) can apply
3 – Must submit a proposal through a designated 5G Use Case Lab
4 – Must be able to develop a working prototype
Source & Verification
All information is compiled from publicly available sources. Refer to the links below for most accurate & updated details. Disclaimer
- Source 1: www.pib.gov.in
- Source 2: eservices.dot.gov.in
- Source 3: eservices.dot.gov.in
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