GreenMind Sustainable AI Hackathon 2.0 2026
Green Computing Foundation
📌About the Event
GreenMind Sustainable AI Hackathon 2.0 is a global hackathon organized by the Green Computing Foundation to encourage participants to build practical, environmentally responsible AI solutions. The challenge focuses on creating AI systems that are efficient, measurable, and capable of delivering real-world impact while reducing their energy, carbon, and water footprint. The 2026 edition features eight tracks and separate categories for students, start-ups/MSMEs, and corporates.
ℹ️ Event Details
- Edition: 2026
- Format: Hybrid
- Mode of Conduct: Initial stages/qualifiers are conducted online, while selected finalists attend the Grand Finale in person in Bengaluru.
- Competition Structure: The hackathon follows a five-stage competition format.
- Number of Tracks: Participants can compete across 8 sustainable AI tracks, covering areas such as energy, agriculture, built environment, green software, efficient AI, and data centres.
- Participation Categories: Student, Start-up/MSME, and Corporate categories are evaluated separately.
📅 Important Dates
- Registration Opened: August 15, 2026.
- Stage 1 Proposal Submission Deadline: October 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM IST.
- Hackathon Period: November 1–15, 2026.
- Stage 2 Deadline: November 4, 2026. The organizer notes that this deadline applies regardless of when a team enters, so earlier Stage 1 submission gives teams more build time.
- Grand Finale: November 14–15, 2026, Bengaluru.
- Sustainable AI India Summit: January 29–30, 2027
🎯 Eligibility & Rules
- Eligibilty:
- The hackathon is open worldwide.
- Participant Categories: Students, start-ups/MSMEs, and corporate teams can participate.
- Team Size: The organizer’s registration announcement specifies 2–5 members per team. A later organizer post mentions 2–6, so applicants should verify the current limit on the registration page before submitting.
- Separate Evaluation: Student teams compete against other student teams rather than funded start-ups or corporate participants.
- Evaluation Structure: Entries progress through five stages, culminating in the Grand Finale.
- Environmental Impact: 30% of the score at every stage is based on measured environmental impact.
🏆 Benefits for the Participants
- Total Prize Pool: ₹1,50,000 across 9 winning teams.
- Category Winner: The winning team in each of the Student, Start-up/MSME, and Corporate categories receives ₹25,000.
- Category Awards: Organizer-linked information indicates a ₹25,000 / ₹15,000 / ₹10,000 prize structure within a category.
- Grand Finale Opportunity: 25 finalist teams get the opportunity to present their solutions at the in-person Grand Finale in Bengaluru.
- Investor Exposure: Around 10–15 finalists, selected based on the strength of their business case, will be invited to pitch to investors and incubators at the Sustainable AI India Summit on January 29–30, 2027.