Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is based on the official announcement of the 5G Innovation Hackathon 2025 by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, readers are advised to visit official DoT sources for the latest updates, eligibility criteria, and detailed guidelines. The article does not guarantee participation, funding, or selection in the hackathon. The organizers hold the right to modify or update the program structure, timelines, and awards without prior notice.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has officially launched the 5G Innovation Hackathon 2025, a six-month-long initiative aimed at accelerating the development of innovative 5G-powered solutions. This prestigious event is open to students, startups, and professionals, offering mentorship, funding, and access to 5G Use Case Labs.
Why This Hackathon Matters
The 5G Innovation Hackathon 2025 seeks to foster cutting-edge solutions that address real-world societal and industrial challenges. The program provides participants with crucial support, including Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) assistance for commercializing their innovations.
Key focus areas include:
✅ AI-driven network maintenance
✅ IoT-enabled solutions
✅ 5G broadcasting and smart healthcare
✅ Industrial automation
✅ Quantum communication
✅ Non-terrestrial networks (NTN), D2M, and V2X
Participants will be encouraged to leverage 5G capabilities like network slicing, Quality of Service (QoS) enhancements, and advanced call-flow scenarios to develop transformative technologies.
Programme Structure & Timeline
The hackathon will be conducted in multiple stages:
🔹 Proposal Submission – Participants submit detailed proposals outlining their innovative ideas. A screening process will shortlist the best entries.
🔹 Regional Shortlisting – Selected teams (150–200 proposals) will receive expert guidance to refine their concepts.
🔹 Pragati Phase – The top 25-50 teams will receive a ₹1,00,000 seed fund to develop their prototypes over a three-month period (June 15 – September 15, 2025). Participants will have access to 5G Use Case Labs and mentorship.
🔹 Evaluation & Showcase – Finalists will present their prototypes before a Technical Expert Evaluation Committee (TEEC) in September 2025. Evaluation criteria include:
🔸 Technical Execution (40%)
🔸 Scalability & Market Readiness (40%)
🔸 Societal & Industrial Impact (10%)
🔸 Novelty (10%)
Winners will be announced in October 2025 at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, one of India’s most prestigious tech events.
Awards & Recognition
The top winners will receive significant cash rewards:
🏆 ₹5,00,000 for the 1st place winner
🥈 ₹3,00,000 for the runner-up
🥉 ₹1,50,000 for the 2nd runner-up
Additionally, special mentions will be awarded for:
💡 Best Idea – ₹50,000
🚀 Most Innovative Prototype – ₹50,000
🏛️ Best 5G Use Case Labs – Certificates of Appreciation
Government’s Vision for 5G Innovation
With a ₹1.5 crore budget, the hackathon aims to:
✔️ Develop 50+ scalable 5G prototypes
✔️ Generate 25+ patents
✔️ Strengthen industry-government-academia collaboration
✔️ Support startup creation
The 5G Innovation Hackathon 2025 is a crucial step toward making India a global leader in 5G technology. By providing the right infrastructure, funding, and mentorship, this initiative is set to drive groundbreaking advancements in the telecom sector.
