Ecosystem Partner
Kakatiya University
X
Higher Education Department, Government of Telangana
In collaboration with
Launching 6 October 2026 · Unveiled by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Telangana

Idea 33

India's largest statewide hackathon in Telangana
33 districts. One platform. A state full of ideas.

A statewide journey that brings together students from every district of Telangana to spot real problems, build solutions and prototypes, and take their ideas from the classroom to the real world, through a collaboration between Kakatiya University, the Government of Telangana's Higher Education Department and T-Hub.

Launching soon
See the journey
33
Districts across Telangana
Any topic
Every idea is welcome
₹7 lakh
Prototype support + T-Hub incubation
Top 10
5-day in-person bootcamp
About the hackathon

One state. Every campus. Any idea.

This is a statewide hackathon open to ideas on any topic; you are not tied to one theme. Bring a bold idea or an early prototype and take it from your campus to the T-Hub stage. Open to students from every university, college and institution across Telangana's 33 districts, including government institutions.

AgriTech & Food Systems
HealthTech & Life Sciences
Climate, Energy & Sustainability
FinTech & Digital Economy
Deep Tech, AI & Emerging Tech
Manufacturing, Hardware & Industry 4.0
Smart Governance / GovTech
Social Innovation & Public Systems
Open / Student Innovation

These topics only help us match you with the right mentors and judges. Every idea is judged the same way, whatever the topic.

The journey

From application to Demo Day, in five steps

Every entry is checked and reviewed. As you move up, you get training, mentoring and a real shot at prizes and incubation, not just a place on a list.

01
APPLY

Apply: any topic, any district

Send in your idea or prototype online. The T-Hub team checks each entry to make sure it is eligible and workable.
  • Open to all 33 districts
100
SHORTLIST

Top 100: statewide shortlist

Expert judges score every entry. The best 100 make the statewide shortlist.
  • Recognised Top 100
50
SPRINGBOARD

Top 50: 4-week online training

A guided online programme that turns your idea into a real plan.
  • 6 short courses
  • One-to-one mentoring
  • Weekly goals & feedback
  • A network of peers
See what you'll learn →
10
IMMERSION

Top 10: pitch, then a 5-day bootcamp

An online pitch round picks the Top 10. They attend a 5-day stay-in bootcamp near K-Hub, Kakatiya University, Warangal.
  • Stay-in bootcamp
  • Get investor-ready
  • Mentor sessions & visits
  • Practice pitches
See the 5-day plan →
₹7L
DEMO DAY

Demo Day at Kakatiya University: awards & incubation

Final pitches to the judges at Kakatiya University, Warangal. The Top 10 teams receive ₹7,00,000 in prototype-development support as part of pre-incubation at T-Hub.
  • Prototype support for Top 10
  • ₹7,00,000 pool
  • T-Hub incubation
See the prizes →
Top 50 · 4-week online training

Four weeks to turn an idea into a plan

A fully online programme for the Top 50: six short courses, one-to-one mentoring, and weekly goals to keep you on track.

COURSE 1

Find the right problem and the right users

COURSE 2

Shape your business model and value

COURSE 3

Reach your first users and grow

COURSE 4

Make the money side work

COURSE 5

Tell your story and pitch well

COURSE 6

Get ready to raise funds

Top 10 · 5-day bootcamp

Five days together near K-Hub, Warangal

The Top 10 teams come together for a hands-on, stay-in bootcamp before Demo Day.

DAY 1

Welcome & goals

Get to know the group, set your goals and see the startup world.
DAY 2

Improve your plan

Sharpen your business model with mentors, one-to-one.
DAY 3

Pitch & visits

Learn to tell your story, and visit K-Hub and local startups.
DAY 4

Get investor-ready

Learn what investors look for, the legal basics, and practise pitches.
DAY 5

Final prep

Polish your pitch, take feedback, network and get set for Demo Day.
Top 10 · Prototype support

₹7,00,000 in prototype support for the Top 10

After Demo Day, the Top 10 teams receive funding support to develop their ideas into prototypes, as part of pre-incubation at T-Hub.

PER TEAM
₹70,000
Top 10 teams (each)
Prototype-development support
Pre-incubation
TOTAL FUND
₹7,00,000
Available for the Top 10 · Provided by T-Hub
✓ Prototype development support
✓ Pre-incubation at T-Hub
✓  + mentorship & startup ecosystem access
How you're judged

The same fair checklist for everyone

A panel of 6–10 experts from many fields scores every idea on the same points; your topic never counts for or against you.

01
A clear problem
02
A new, different idea
03
A real need for it
04
Room to grow
05
A strong, committed team
06
Proof it works (a prototype)
07
A workable business plan
08
A clear, simple pitch
Extra support goes to women, SC/ST/OBC, persons with disability, LGBTQ+, first-generation students, and students from smaller districts.
FOR STUDENTS

Student registration

Applications are open 6 October to 22 November 2026.

Have an idea that could solve a real problem? You don't need a finished product; a clear idea is enough to start. Registration takes a few minutes.

Launching soon
See what happens next

What we'll ask in the form

1
District: your district (all 33 in Telangana)
2
Full name & gender
3
Phone number & email ID
4
University / institution and course (UG / PG)
5
Idea or prototype? What stage you're at
6
Your idea: a short description
7
Topic it fits best
8
Any questions for the organisers
How it unfolds

The Road to Demo Day

Indicative dates from launch to the grand finale, confirmed in the official call for applications.

6 Oct – 22 Nov 2026

Launch & Applications

Call for applications open for 45+ days across all 33 districts.
23 Nov – 7 Dec 2026

Screening → Top 100 → Top 50

Judges evaluate applications to select the Top 100, followed by the Top 50.
8 Dec 2026 – 4 Jan 2027

4-week online training (Top 50)

Intensive online courses, mentoring and weekly goals to prepare teams for pitching.
5 – 11 Jan 2027

Online Pitch → Top 10

Teams pitch their ventures to the judges, who select the Top 10.
25 – 29 Jan 2027

5-Day Bootcamp

Residential bootcamp near K-Hub, Kakatiya University, Warangal, focused on refining the ventures and final pitches.
1st week of Feb 2027

Demo Day & Awards

Final pitches at Kakatiya University, followed by ₹7L in awards and incubation offers.
Good to know

Frequently asked

Who can apply?

Students from any university, college or institution across Telangana's 33 districts, including government institutions. You can apply with an idea or an early prototype.

Which topics can I enter?

Any topic. This hackathon is open to all ideas; the topic list only helps match you with the right mentors and judges. Every idea is judged the same way.

Do I need a working prototype?

No. A clear idea is enough to apply. If you have a prototype, the form lets you tell us which stage you're at.

What do the Top 50 and Top 10 get?

The Top 50 get a 4-week online training programme with mentoring. The Top 10 get a 5-day stay-in bootcamp near K-Hub, pitch at Demo Day, and then receive prototype-development support from a ₹7,00,000 fund (₹70,000 per team) as part of pre-incubation at T-Hub.

Is there a fee to participate?

This is a Government of Telangana initiative. Participation details, including any fees, will be confirmed in the official call for applications at launch.