The Economic Times, in partnership with Unstop
ET AI Hackathon 2.0
The Economic Times' national AI competition for students, professionals, and AI enthusiasts across India - a ₹10 lakh prize pool spread across an online AI assessment, a prototype-building round, and a live pitch to industry hiring leaders.
Brabble editorial · Updated 25 Sep 2026 · Official page
Particulars
- Organiser
- The Economic Times, in partnership with Unstop
- Mode
- Online through the prototype stage; final pitch to a live jury
- Prize / outcome
- ₹10 lakh total (₹5L / ₹3L / ₹2L) plus job/incubation offers and mentorship
- Team size
- Individual or up to 4
- Application fee
- Free
- Rounds
- 3
What it is
ET AI Hackathon 2.0 is a broad, national-level AI hackathon run by The Economic Times through the Unstop platform, open to a wider pool than most student-only hackathons - students, freelancers, early-career professionals, and AI enthusiasts can all enter. It moves through three stages: an online AI assessment, a prototype-building phase, and a final live pitch, which puts it closer to a genuine startup-pitch competition than a pure coding sprint by the time teams reach the finale.
Rounds
01. Online AI assessment
An initial online round evaluating AI knowledge and problem-solving, used to filter the applicant pool before the build phase.
02. Prototype-building round
Participants build a working AI prototype. Every valid submission at this stage earns a free Certificate of Participation regardless of what happens next.
03. Final live pitch
The strongest prototypes are pitched live in front of industry experts and hiring leaders, who decide the final ₹10 lakh prize split.
Who can enter
- Aged 18 or older
- Open to students, freelancers, early-career professionals, and AI enthusiasts - not restricted to current students
- Must be a resident of India to be eligible for the national prize track
- Individual participation or teams of 1-4 members
- Free to enter
What you actually get
The total prize pool is ₹10 lakh, split so the first-place team receives ₹5 lakh plus job or incubation offers, second place receives ₹3 lakh plus mentorship, and third place receives ₹2 lakh plus mentorship. Every participant who submits a valid prototype in Phase 2 also receives a free Certificate of Participation regardless of final placement.
Frequently asked questions
- Registration for this edition closed on 1 June 2026. If you're reading this well after that date, the 2026 edition itself has likely concluded - check Unstop or the Economic Times' event page for whether a newer edition is open before assuming this window still applies.
- It's open more broadly than most student hackathons - anyone 18 or older, including students, freelancers, early-career professionals, and AI enthusiasts, competing solo or in teams of up to 4. Indian residency is required for the national prize track.
- A ₹10 lakh total prize pool: ₹5 lakh plus job or incubation offers for first place, ₹3 lakh plus mentorship for second, and ₹2 lakh plus mentorship for third.
- Yes - every participant who submits a valid prototype during Phase 2 receives a free Certificate of Participation, independent of whether their team reaches the final pitch or wins a prize.
What is the current status of ET AI Hackathon 2.0?+−
Who can enter ET AI Hackathon?+−
What can you win?+−
Do you need to build something to get a certificate?+−
Comparing options? See how ET AI Hackathon 2.0 stacks up against other AI and ML hackathons for students in India.
More guides
Eligibility, format, and prize breakdown checked against Unstop's official ET AI Hackathon 2.0 listing and coverage, 25 Sep 2026. Registration for this edition closed 1 June 2026 - this guide describes the 2.0 edition's format as a reference point for a future edition, not a currently open registration.