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The third edition of the Singapore-India Hackathon reaches its grand finale, hosted by the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IIT Gandhinagar). From July 14 to July 16, 2023, the IIT Gandhinagar Research Park will be abuzz with the brightest minds from both nations, converging to tackle global challenges and unleash their potential for groundbreaking solutions.

In a joint effort by IIT Gandhinagar, the Ministry of Education (MoE), AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education), MoE's Innovation Cell, and NTU Singapore, the Singapore-India Hackathon aims to showcase the immense talent and ingenuity of the youth in addressing various pressing global issues. The event, which commenced on March 13, 2023, with the announcement by Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan and Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong in New Delhi, revolves around the theme of Fintech and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Sustainability.

For 36 intense hours, participants will embark on a coding and problem-solving marathon, striving to devise innovative solutions in response to challenges of global significance. These challenges encompass diverse areas, including trade connectivity, financial fraud detection, financial literacy, carbon footprint monitoring, sea level rise and coastal flooding, and food recycling optimization.

The hackathon will witness the participation of 24 talented students from both India and Singapore, forming teams of two from each country, competing in Track 1. Additionally, Track 2 will feature 12 Indian startups and 12 Singaporean startups, directly addressing the specified problem statements. A distinguished panel of 12 mentors from both nations will guide and support the participating teams throughout the hackathon.

As the competition intensifies, the ultimate victors will be rewarded with cash prizes in Singaporean dollars (SGD) and Indian rupees. In Track 1, the team securing the first prize will be granted SGD 15,000 / Rs 9 lakhs, the second prize SGD 10,000 / Rs 6 lakhs, and the third prize SGD 7,000 / Rs 4 lakhs. Meanwhile, in Track 2, the top-ranked startup will be awarded SGD 20,000 / Rs 12 lakhs, the second-positioned startup SGD 15,000 / Rs 9 lakhs, and the third-positioned startup SGD 10,000 / Rs 6 lakhs.

Rajat Moona, the esteemed director of IIT Gandhinagar, expressed his delight in hosting this momentous event, stating, "We are happy to host the first-ever India-Singapore Hackathon at IIT Gandhinagar, where students and entrepreneurs from the two countries will join forces to showcase their strengths and tackle the problems of contemporary times."

The exhilarating journey will culminate in the grand finale of the Singapore-India Hackathon on July 16, followed by an award ceremony. Esteemed dignitaries, including Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, Skills Development, and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, and Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Singapore, will grace the concluding event, honoring the outstanding participants and celebrating their remarkable achievements.