- 500+ student innovators from across India battle it out in a 12-hour national hybrid hackathon
- 230 future-ready solutions emerge under the ‘Open Innovation’ banner at Swarrnim University
- Industry leaders, policymakers and tech veterans jury projects with real-world impact
NE EDUCATION BUREAU
GANDHINAGAR, JAN 21
Swarrnim Startup and Innovation University (SSIU), in collaboration with GDG on Campus SSIU, transformed Gandhinagar into a buzzing nerve centre of ideas, algorithms and ambition with the successful hosting of HackSprint 2026, a national-level hybrid hackathon that brought together India’s brightest young tech minds.
Held over an intense 12-hour sprint, HackSprint 2026 revolved around the theme “Open Innovation”, attracting 500+ students from across the country and generating an impressive 230 project submissions through both on-campus and online participation. From ideation to live prototyping, the hackathon offered a real-time simulation of industry problem-solving environments.
From Classrooms to Code Labs
Designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice, HackSprint 2026 encouraged students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges. Participants worked under the guidance of faculty members and industry mentors, building scalable solutions across domains such as FinTech, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, AR/VR and Smart Governance.
Speaking on the objective of the event, Prof. Vikas Chandra Sharma, Head – SSCIT, said, “HackSprint 2026 was conceptualised to move learning beyond textbooks. When students ideate, code and prototype under time pressure, they develop the mindset required by the industry and the startup ecosystem.”
Power Jury Brings Industry Lens to Student Innovation
Projects were evaluated by a distinguished jury comprising Vipul Parsiya, Vice President, Bank of America, Gandhinagar; Sunil Kapadia, Practice Head – Blockchain Innovations, GrowthAXL Technologies; Viral Parmar, Director, ComExpo Cyber Security Foundation; Parth Modi, OSD, IT Department of Education, Government of Gujarat; Dipen Patel, CEO, eLeoRex & Co-Founder & COO, HexaCoder Technologies; and Dr. Chirag Thakkar, Professor & Head, Computer Department, L D College of Engineering.
Highlighting the quality of submissions, Vipul Parsiya remarked, “What stood out was the maturity of thinking. Many teams here are solving problems that enterprises and governments are actively grappling with today.”
Sunil Kapadia added, “The scalability and technical depth of several blockchain and fintech solutions were impressive. These are not just hackathon ideas, but startup-ready concepts.”
Student-Led, Institution-Backed Innovation
The event was institutionally supported by Dr. Kavita Kshatriya and spearheaded by student organisers Jasmeet Kaur and Nakshatra Pandya under GDG on Campus SSIU. Faculty coordination was led by Akash Kumar and Dr. Chetan Gondaliya, with Truhi Thakkar anchoring the proceedings and a strong team of student volunteers ensuring seamless execution.
Reflecting on the experience, student organiser Jasmeet Kaur said, “HackSprint 2026 proved that when students are trusted with responsibility, they deliver excellence. This was learning, leadership and innovation rolled into one.”
Mentorship at the Core
A panel of 11 mentors from academia and industry—including Prashant Bhavsar, Utkarsh Barad, Abhishek Doshi, Raj Kapadia, Nikhil Butani, Prashant Chettiyar, Prince Dayani, Anand Shrivastava, Harshil Jain, Jay Patel and Darshan Gupta—provided continuous guidance, helping teams refine ideas and overcome technical bottlenecks.
Winners Who Stood Out
The top honours went to Amrutloka (Offline) by Harshvi & Deep, a VR/AR metaverse platform aimed at immersive digital preservation of India’s heritage. The project featured 3D and VR replicas of iconic landmarks such as the Red Fort, Gateway of India and Adalaj Stepwell, winning the first prize of ₹15,000.
The second prize (₹10,000) was secured by Unit One (Online) by Tisha Varma, a solo project praised for its clarity and execution, while GettingError404 (Offline) by Bashid Tagala & Manya Gupta won the third prize (₹10,000) for Nexus Vest, a data-driven FinTech investment platform. The total prize pool stood at ₹35,000.
Building the Next Generation of Innovators
With its strong focus on collaboration, open innovation and real-world impact, HackSprint 2026 reinforced SSIU’s commitment to nurturing future-ready innovators and startup leaders.
As one jury member summed it up,
“This hackathon wasn’t about winning prizes—it was about shaping problem solvers for India’s digital future.”
