📌About the Event

HACK CORE 2026 is a national AI hackathon launched by ANNAM.AI, IIT Ropar, in collaboration with Syngenta and Google. The hackathon invites innovators to build AI-powered solutions for Indian agriculture, focusing on crop health, pest management, soil intelligence, climate-resilient farming, and the adoption of biological products. It is designed to turn ideas into practical, field-ready solutions that can help farmers and the agri ecosystem across India.

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ℹ️ Event Details

• Theme: AI-driven innovation for agriculture and sustainable farming
• Organised by: ANNAM.AI, IIT Ropar
• In collaboration with: Syngenta and Google
• Mode of conduct: Hybrid-style format
• Registration/application: Online through ANNAM.AI’s official website
• Final/build phase: 36-hour Build Sprint at IIT Ropar for shortlisted teams
• Focus areas:
  • Crop health
  • Pest management
  • Soil intelligence
  • Climate-resilient farming
  • Biological products in agriculture
• Main objective: Build scalable AI solutions that can create real on-ground impact for farmers.

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📅 Important Dates

• Launch announcement: June 29, 2026
• Applications open: Currently open
• Last date to apply: July 21, 2026
• Build Sprint: 36-hour sprint at IIT Ropar for shortlisted teams

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🎯 Eligibility & Rules

• Eligibility:
  • Students
  • Researchers
  • Developers
  • Startups
  • Innovators
  • Early-career technologists
• Eligible region: Open to participants from across India
• Relevant backgrounds:
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Data science
  • Agriculture
  • Sustainable innovation
  • Agri-tech
• Participation requirement: Applicants need to submit their application through the official HACK CORE page on ANNAM.AI.
• Challenge expectation: Participants should propose or build AI-enabled solutions for real agricultural problems.
• Shortlisting process: Shortlisted teams will move to the 36-hour Build Sprint at IIT Ropar.
• Build Sprint format: Teams will work with researchers, industry experts, educators, and agronomy specialists to convert ideas into working prototypes.
• Evaluation focus:
  • Practical use of AI in agriculture
  • Scalability of the solution
  • Field-level implementation potential
  • Farmer impact
  • Relevance to sustainable and climate-resilient farming
  • Usefulness for the agri ecosystem in India

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🏆 Benefits for the Participants

• Top team reward: Visit to Syngenta’s Research Centre in Atessa, Italy.
• Google Cloud credits: Winning teams will receive Google Cloud credits to access cloud infrastructure, data tools, AI resources, and software support.
• Mentorship: Participants will get expert mentorship from ANNAM.AI and Syngenta experts.
• Research exposure: Participants may get hands-on ground-level agricultural research opportunities.
• Knowledge exchange: Participants will interact with agronomy experts, researchers, and industry leaders.