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:
Startups
Innovators
Students (Final-year undergraduate/postgraduate)
Researchers & Tech Developers from across India
Offerings & Benefits
Awards:
First – ₹5,00,000
Second – ₹4,00,000
Third – ₹3,00,000
Access to lab facilities
Mentorship from industry leaders, domain experts, and researchers
Opportunities for incubation and funding
Support for prototype development
Networking and exposure to government, and industry partners
