Buildathon 1.0

About

Buildathon 1.0 is an online buildathon in two rounds, run on Hack4Hack (platform partner). Round 1 is a free PPT submission: pitch your idea in any sector. The shortlisted teams go on to the Finale, an intense 8-hour buildathon on Saturday 12 December 2026: the problem statements are released at 8:00 AM IST, building starts at 10:00 AM, and submissions close at 6:00 PM IST. On Sunday 13 December, every Finale team presents its product to the jury. Win a share of the ₹50,000 cash prize pool, and each of the top 3 teams also gets $100 in Claude Code credits.

Key facts

• What: an online buildathon: an idea round, an 8-hour build, then a presentation round
• Who: college students from any year or branch, freshers and working professionals
• Team size: 2 to 4 members
• Prize pool: ₹50,000 cash for the top 3 teams + $100 Claude Code credits for each of them
• Registration and Round 1: free, open now until 6 Dec 2026, 11:59 PM IST
• Shortlist: announced 8 Dec, 12:00 PM IST
• Finale fee: ₹600 per team (not per person), only for shortlisted teams, by 11 Dec, 11:59 PM IST
• Finale build: Sat 12 Dec: problem statements out at 8:00 AM, build 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST
• Presentation round: Sun 13 Dec, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST: every Finale team presents to the jury
• Results: Tue 15 Dec 2026, 6:00 PM IST
• Mode: fully online

Round 1: PPT submission (free)

Pick a real problem in any sector: AI and productivity, HealthTech, FinTech, EdTech, Climate and sustainability, AgriTech, Smart cities and mobility, or Open innovation. Submit a PPT of up to 10 slides from your workspace by 6 Dec, 11:59 PM IST, covering:

1. The problem and who has it
2. Your solution and how it works
3. The tech stack and architecture you would use
4. Impact, and what makes your idea different
5. Your team

Finale: 8-hour buildathon and presentations (shortlisted teams)

1. Shortlisted teams are emailed on 8 Dec and confirm their place by paying ₹600 per team from their workspace by 11 Dec, 11:59 PM IST. Unconfirmed spots go to the next teams on the list.
2. 8:00 AM IST, Sat 12 Dec: the problem statements are released in your workspace under Resources. Read them, pick one and plan with your team.
3. 10:00 AM IST: the 8-hour build starts. Any language, framework, AI model or API is allowed.
4. 6:00 PM IST: submit from the Submission tab: your GitHub repository, your final PPT and the problem statement you chose. A live demo link or video is a bonus. Late submissions are not accepted.
5. Sun 13 Dec, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST: presentation round. Every team that submitted presents online to the jury: a 5-minute demo of your product + 3 minutes of Q&A. Each team's time slot is emailed on the evening of 12 Dec.
6. Results: the top 3 are announced on Tue 15 Dec at 6:00 PM IST.

Prizes

• 1st place: ₹25,000 + $100 Claude Code credits
• 2nd place: ₹15,000 + $100 Claude Code credits
• 3rd place: ₹10,000 + $100 Claude Code credits
• Certificates for every team that submits, and certificates of achievement for the top 3

Judging criteria

• Round 1 (PPT): problem clarity, originality, feasibility and potential impact
• Finale (build + presentation): problem fit (25%), working product (30%), technical depth (25%), presentation and Q&A (20%)

Fees

• Registration and Round 1 are free for everyone.
• Only shortlisted teams pay ₹600 per team to confirm their Finale place. It is per team, not per person, and any member can pay online by UPI, card or netbanking.

Why take part

• Win a share of ₹50,000, and $100 in Claude Code credits for every winning team
• Turn an idea into a working product in one day, under real time pressure
• Add a shipped project and a certificate to your resume and portfolio

Prizes

• 1st place — ₹25K: ₹25,000 cash + $100 Claude Code credits
• 2nd place — ₹15K: ₹15,000 cash + $100 Claude Code credits
• 3rd place — ₹10K: ₹10,000 cash + $100 Claude Code credits

Perks

• Free registration and free Round 1
• $100 Claude Code credits for each of the top 3 teams
• Certificate for every team that submits
• Certificate of achievement for the top 3
• Fully online: build from anywhere

Timeline

1. Round 1: registration and PPT submission (free) (13 Nov 2026 – 6 Dec 2026): Register for free as a team of 2 to 4 members. Pick a problem in any sector (AI and productivity, HealthTech, FinTech, EdTech, Climate and sustainability, AgriTech, Smart cities and mobility, or Open innovation) and submit a PPT of up to 10 slides from the Submission tab: the problem, your solution, tech stack, impact and team. Closes Sunday 6 Dec, 11:59 PM IST.
2. Shortlisted teams announced (8 Dec 2026 – 8 Dec 2026): Shortlisted teams for the 8-hour Finale are emailed and listed on Tuesday 8 Dec at 12:00 PM IST.
3. Confirm your Finale spot (₹600 per team) (8 Dec 2026 – 11 Dec 2026): Shortlisted teams pay ₹600 per team (not per person) from their workspace by Friday 11 Dec, 11:59 PM IST. Unconfirmed spots go to the next teams on the list.
4. Finale: 8-hour buildathon (12 Dec 2026 – 12 Dec 2026): Saturday 12 Dec. Problem statements are released in your workspace under Resources at 8:00 AM IST. Building runs from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST. By 6:00 PM, submit your GitHub repository, your final PPT and the problem statement you chose from the Submission tab. Late submissions are not accepted.
5. Presentation round (13 Dec 2026 – 13 Dec 2026): Sunday 13 Dec, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST. Every team that submitted presents online to the jury: a 5-minute demo of the product + 3 minutes of Q&A. Time slots are emailed on the evening of 12 Dec.
6. Results (15 Dec 2026 – 15 Dec 2026): The top 3 are announced on Tuesday 15 Dec at 6:00 PM IST, by email and on this page.

Rules

1. Take part in a team of 2 to 4 members. Each person can be in only one team, with one account.
2. Round 1 is free: submit a PPT of up to 10 slides on a problem in any sector (AI and productivity, HealthTech, FinTech, EdTech, Climate and sustainability, AgriTech, Smart cities and mobility, or Open innovation) by 6 Dec, 11:59 PM IST.
3. Shortlisted teams confirm their Finale place by paying ₹600 per team by 11 Dec, 11:59 PM IST. The fee is not refundable once the Finale starts.
4. Finale problem statements are released at 8:00 AM IST on Saturday 12 Dec. All code must be written between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM IST that day; a project built before the event is not allowed.
5. Open-source libraries, frameworks, boilerplates, AI coding assistants and public APIs are allowed.
6. By 6:00 PM IST, submit a public GitHub repository, your final PPT and the problem statement you chose. Commits after 6:00 PM IST are not considered.
7. Every team that submits presents in the presentation round on Sunday 13 Dec (5-minute demo + 3 minutes of Q&A) at its emailed time slot. Teams that miss their slot are not ranked.
8. Finale submissions are judged on problem fit (25%), working product (30%), technical depth (25%) and presentation and Q&A (20%).
9. Plagiarism, sharing code between teams or submitting someone else's work leads to disqualification.
10. The organizers' decisions on shortlisting, judging and results are final.

Buildathon 1.0: quick answers

What is Buildathon 1.0?

Buildathon 1.0 is an online buildathon, organized by Buildathon 1.0. Round 1: free PPT submission in any sector. Shortlisted teams build for 8 hours on 12 Dec and present on 13 Dec. ₹50,000 cash prize pool + $100 Claude Code credits for each of the top 3.

When is Buildathon 1.0?

Buildathon 1.0 runs from 13 Nov 2026 to 15 Dec 2026, online. Registration is open until 6 Dec 2026. Stages: Round 1: registration and PPT submission (free) (13 Nov 2026); Shortlisted teams announced (8 Dec 2026); Confirm your Finale spot (₹600 per team) (8 Dec 2026); Finale: 8-hour buildathon (12 Dec 2026); Presentation round (13 Dec 2026); Results (15 Dec 2026).

What is the last date to register for Buildathon 1.0?

Registration for Buildathon 1.0 closes on 6 Dec 2026 (11:59 pm IST). Register on Hack4Hack before then; teammates can join with your team code.

What is the prize money at Buildathon 1.0?

Buildathon 1.0 has ₹50,000 in prizes. 1st place: ₹25,000, 2nd place: ₹15,000, 3rd place: ₹10,000. ₹50,000 cash + $100 Claude Code credits for each of the top 3.

Is Buildathon 1.0 free?

Yes, registering for Buildathon 1.0 is free. Teams shortlisted for the next round confirm their place with a ₹600 fee per team.

Who can participate in Buildathon 1.0?

College students, freshers and working professionals can take part, in teams of 2 to 4. It is fully online, so you can join from anywhere.

Can I join Buildathon 1.0 from outside India?

Yes. Buildathon 1.0 runs fully online, so you can take part from any country unless its rules say otherwise. It starts 13 Nov, 10:01 pm IST (13 Nov, 4:31 pm UTC).

Frequently asked questions

What is Buildathon 1.0?

An online buildathon in two rounds, with Hack4Hack as the platform partner: a free PPT round on an idea in any sector, then an 8-hour Finale build for shortlisted teams on Saturday 12 Dec 2026 and a presentation round on Sunday 13 Dec. The top 3 share ₹50,000, and each of them also gets $100 in Claude Code credits.

Is there an entry fee?

Registration and Round 1 are free. Only shortlisted teams pay ₹600 per team (not per person) to confirm their Finale place, by 11 Dec, 11:59 PM IST.

What should the Round 1 PPT include?

Up to 10 slides: the problem and who has it, your solution, the tech stack, the impact and what makes it different, and your team.

Which sectors can we pick for Round 1?

Any sector: AI and productivity, HealthTech, FinTech, EdTech, Climate and sustainability, AgriTech, Smart cities and mobility, or Open innovation.

What is the last date to register?

6 December 2026 at 11:59 PM IST. The Round 1 PPT is due at the same time.

When are shortlisted teams announced?

On Tuesday 8 Dec at 12:00 PM IST, by email and on this page.

When is the Finale problem statement released?

At 8:00 AM IST on Saturday 12 Dec, in your workspace under Resources. Building starts at 10:00 AM and submissions close at 6:00 PM IST.

What do we submit in the Finale?

Your GitHub repository, your final PPT and the problem statement you chose, from the Submission tab, by 6:00 PM IST. A live demo link or video is a bonus.

What happens in the presentation round?

On Sunday 13 Dec, between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM IST, every team that submitted presents online to the jury: a 5-minute demo of the product it built + 3 minutes of Q&A. Your time slot is emailed on the evening of 12 Dec.

Can I take part alone?

No. Teams must have 2 to 4 members. You can register first and invite teammates by link or email before registration closes on 6 Dec.

What are the prizes?

₹50,000 cash in total: 1st place ₹25,000, 2nd place ₹15,000 and 3rd place ₹10,000. Each of the three teams also gets $100 in Claude Code credits.

Can we use AI tools?

Yes. AI coding assistants, open-source libraries and public APIs are allowed. The project itself must be built during the 8-hour Finale.

When are the results?

Tuesday 15 Dec 2026 at 6:00 PM IST.

Will I get a certificate?

Yes. Every team that submits gets a participation certificate, and the top 3 get certificates of achievement.