New Delhi [India], November 12 (ANI): InMobi and the Uttar Pradesh government announced the launch of 'AI Kaushal Hackathon 2026' to promote artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, according to a statement by the company.
According to the release, registrations are open until November 20 for students, startups, accelerators and professionals based in Uttar Pradesh, while the hackathon finals will be held on December 8-9 at IIIT Lucknow.
"Moving beyond standard ideation, AI Kaushal connects the triad of government, industry, and academia to engineer practical, responsible, and scalable AI applications," the company said.
According to the release, Participants will submit use cases for rigorous evaluation, after which shortlisted teams will receive expert mentorship leading into a 24-hour on-site build at IIIT Lucknow, the release said.
"This initiative reinforces InMobi’s commitment to the economic and technological transformation of Uttar Pradesh. Following the inauguration of its state-of-the-art technology centre in Lucknow last year, the company has already scaled its local workforce," the company said.
According to the release, participants will submit their proposed use cases for evaluation, following which shortlisted teams will receive expert mentorship before taking part in a 24-hour on-site development challenge at IIIT Lucknow.
The hackathon will conclude on December 9 with an award ceremony, where each of the top five winning teams will receive a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.
The release further noted that the leading prototypes will be evaluated for validation, scaling and potential deployment in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh government departments and industry partners.
Speaking on the occasion, Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary IT & Electronics, Uttar Pradesh said, “Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath ji, Uttar Pradesh is advancing its ambition to become a leading hub for artificial intelligence, innovation and technology-led growth, with young people at the heart of this transformation. We welcome InMobi’s AI Kaushal Hackathon, with IIIT Lucknow as the academic partner, as a valuable initiative that brings industry expertise and academic talent together to address real-world challenges. It will give our students, developers, and entrepreneurs an opportunity to translate AI skills into practical solutions for better public services and wider economic opportunities. Our aspiration is to see promising ideas move beyond the hackathon towards further evaluation, mentorship and potential pilots with relevant departments, helping build a sustained pipeline of responsible AI innovation that benefits the people of Uttar Pradesh.”
"Uttar Pradesh’s young minds should have the opportunity not only to learn AI, but to actively build with it," added Subi Chaturvedi, Global SVP, Chief Corporate Affairs & Public Policy Officer at InMobi.
"Through AI Kaushal program and the Hackathon, we are uniting grassroots talent, world-class mentorship, and real-world public-private problem statements alongside the Government of Uttar Pradesh and our academic partner, IIIT Lucknow. This initiative anchors our deep commitment to Uttar Pradesh—turning a 24-hour hackathon into the launchpad for sustained innovation, economic growth, and technology deployed for public good," Chaturvedi added. (ANI)
InMobi, Uttar Pradesh government launch AI Kaushal Hackathon 2026; registrations open until November 20
