Innovate 4 Impact 2026

Innovate 4 Impact 2026 is a national-level social innovation hackathon organized by the IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) Affinity Group at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) College of Engineering, Pune. The hackathon aims to encourage students to design innovative, scalable, and technology-driven solutions that address real-world societal challenges while promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and the participation of women in engineering and technology.

Participants will progress through multiple evaluation rounds, receiving feedback from mentors and experts before presenting their final prototype at the Grand Finale.

Who Can Participate

• Undergraduate Students
• Engineering Students
• Management Students
• Arts, Commerce & Science Students
• Law Students
• Medical Students

Students from recognized colleges and universities across India are eligible.

Team Size

• Min 2 - Max 4 Members

Hackathon Themes

• Healthcare
• Wellbeing & Accessibility
• Women Safety & Empowerment
• Smart Technology & Innovation
• Social Impact Solutions
• Open Innovation

Hackathon Structure

Round 1 – Idea Screening (Online)

Teams must submit an abstract along with a 7–9 slide presentation describing:

• Problem Statement
• Proposed Solution
• Innovation & Uniqueness
• Technical Approach
• Expected Social Impact
• Feasibility & Scalability

Submissions are evaluated based on innovation, technical feasibility, implementation approach, and social impact.

Round 2 – Online Evaluation

Shortlisted teams present their ideas through a live online presentation or a 5–7 minute recorded video. Teams demonstrate prototype progress, implementation strategy, expected impact, and industry relevance before the evaluation panel.

Round 3 – Grand Finale (Hybrid)

Finalists showcase a working prototype, MVP, simulation, or proof of concept followed by an 8–10 minute demonstration and a 5-minute Q&A session with judges.

Timeline

• Registration Opens: 10-07-2026
• Registration Deadline: 20-07-2026
• Round 1 – Idea Screening: 10-07-2026 to 31-07-2026
• Round 2 – Online Evaluation: 01-08-2026 to 07-08-2026
• Grand Finale (Hybrid): 20-08-2026

Benefits

• Participation Certificates for eligible participants
• National-level recognition
• Expert evaluation and feedback
• Networking with IEEE members and industry professionals
• Opportunity to showcase innovative social-impact solutions
• Hands-on experience in innovation, product development, and pitching
• Exposure to real-world problem solving through technology