Newsinc24 Team The Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Communications has launched the second edition of the 5G Innovation Hackathon 2026, inviting startups, students, MSMEs, and innovators to develop next-generation telecom solutions.The national-level hackathon, part of the government’s ‘100 5G Use Case Labs’ initiative, aims to accelerate digital transformation by promoting scalable innovations built on technologies such as 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT).The call for proposals opened on March 20 and will remain active until April 17, 2026. Participants are required to submit their entries through designated 5G Use Case Labs, which will serve as nodal centres for evaluation and mentoring.
According to information, selected teams will receive financial as well as infrastructural support to build functional prototypes. A dedicated seed fund of Rs50 lakh has been allocated for the initiative, along with access to advanced 5G testing and development infrastructure at leading academic institutions.The hackathon also features a prize pool exceeding Rs10 lakh. Top-performing teams will be awarded cash prizes, while up to 25 teams will receive support for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) filing, encouraging the commercialization of innovative ideas.
The results are scheduled to be announced on October 1, 2026. Winning solutions will be showcased at the India Mobile Congress 2026, offering innovators a platform to present their work to industry leaders and policymakers.The initiative spans a broad range of focus areas, including 5G and 5G Advanced applications, AI-driven telecom solutions, IoT use cases in healthcare, agriculture, and education, as well as advancements in network security and disaster management technologies.
