📌About the Event

IDEAFEST 2026 – Future Kochi is a youth-focused innovation competition designed to give students an opportunity to identify real urban and societal challenges affecting Kochi and develop practical, innovative solutions. The competition connects student innovation with the broader vision for Kochi’s future, focusing on areas such as climate action, education, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and quality of life. Selected ideas and winners will gain recognition through the Future Kochi Conclave 2026, where conversations around building a resilient, inclusive, sustainable, and globally competitive Kochi will take place.

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ℹ️ Event Details

• Type: Student innovation and idea-pitching competition.
• Mode: Hybrid – a mandatory online Design Thinking Workshop followed by an offline, on-campus competition. Future Kerala
• Offline Venue: JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Kochi.
• Competition Duration: One-day intensive on-campus programme.
• Key focus areas: Climate Action, Education, Youth Empowerment, Entrepreneurship and Quality of Life. Future Kerala
• Participants will work on identifying problems, refining ideas, developing solutions, prototyping and preparing a final pitch.

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📅 Important Dates

• Registration Deadline: October 4, 2026
• Online Design Thinking Workshop: October 6–7, 2026
• IDEAFEST 2026 Main Competition: October 9, 2026
• Final Presentations & Jury Evaluation: October 9, 2026

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🎯 Eligibility & Rules

• Eligibilty:
• Class 12 students from recognised schools in India.
• Final-year undergraduate students from recognised colleges in India.
• Participants must be 17–21 years old as of the registration date.
• A valid student ID card is mandatory for verification.
• Each team must consist of 3–4 students.
• A maximum of three teams per institution can participate.
• Every team must nominate a Team Leader during registration.
• Schools and colleges must register their institutional participation.
• Participants must bring their own laptops for the on-campus competition.

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🏆 Benefits for the Participants

• Total headline cash prize pool: ₹2,00,000. Future Kerala
• Overall Winner: ₹1,00,000
• Runner-up: ₹60,000
• Second Runner-up: ₹40,000
• Participants can receive Design Thinking certification from JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Kochi.
• All participants receive participation certificates.
• Other stated benefits include recognition for participating schools and colleges, Future Kerala Mission Ambassador Programme opportunities and Future Kerala Mission Alumni status.
• Promising ideas may receive opportunities for real-world impact and visibility, including recognition connected with the Future Kochi Conclave.