Grand Finale

Silver Jubilee Celebrations Prize Pool: ₹23,75,000

Smart Horizon:
48-Hour International
Hackathon

Unleash your creativity. Solve real-world problems. Build the future in just 48 hours.

Event Date September 3rd, 4th & 5th, 2026

Students collaborating at Smart Horizon Hackathon

Organized By

Dept. of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning & Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering

Venue

New Horizon College of Engineering, New Horizon Knowledge Park, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

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570+ Students Expected Participants

200+ Women Participants Empowering Innovators

11 States Across India

2 Countries Global Reach

60+ Engineering Colleges National Presence

35 Problem Statements Across 5 Domains

₹23,75,000 Prize Pool Exciting Rewards

Knowledge and Innovation Partners

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers WelfareMinistry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare

Ministry of Jal ShaktiMinistry of Jal Shakti

Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & DairyingMinistry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying

Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence

Indian Space Research OrganisationIndian Space Research Organisation

Ministry of Science and TechnologyMinistry of Science and Technology

Ministry of Youth Affairs and SportsMinistry of Youth Affairs and Sports

Ministry of AyushMinistry of Ayush

Ministry of PowerMinistry of Power

Ministry of CoalMinistry of Coal

VisionetVisionet

Conneqtion Group Pvt LtdConneqtion Group Pvt Ltd

Zethic TechnologiesZethic Technologies

Lakshyaspace LLPLakshyaspace LLP

KyndrylWaters

Vayuvya Raksha Systems Private LimitedVayuvya Raksha Systems Private Limited

Nunnari Labs Private LimitedNunnari Labs Private Limited

VBIG Engineers & TechnologyVBIG Engineers & Technology

CDWCDW

Trispark Solutions Pvt LtdTrispark Solutions Pvt Ltd

About NHCE

Established in 2001, NHCE is located in Kadubeesanahalli, Marathahalli Outer Ring Road, Bengaluru and is permanently affiliated with Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi, and approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The institution is recognized for its academic rigor, industry-connect, innovation focus and vibrant campus ecosystem.

New Horizon College of Engineering Campus - Modern building with green landscaping

🏛️ Premier Engineering Institution

New Horizon College of Engineering Campus - Additional view

🎓 Excellence in Education

Key Highlights

Accreditation:NHCE has been accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with an 'A' Grade, Diamond rating from QS I-Gauge and accreditation of Tier-1 from the National Board of Accreditation (NBA)

National Ranking:In the latest National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) engineering category, NHCE has been ranked in the 151–200 band nationally

Innovation Excellence:NHCE has been awarded a 4-star ranking for its innovation practices under the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA).

Research & Publications:In 2024–25, NHCE had 1000+ Scopus-indexed articles, which include reputed international journals, international conference papers, and filed over 170 patents in 2024–25

NHCIIE:New Horizon College of Engineering's Section-8 incubation centre, NHCIIE, promotes innovation and entrepreneurship through dedicated infrastructure, mentorship, and ecosystem support aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat. It has supported 200+ startup ideas, enabling MSME registrations and company incorporations while offering end-to-end incubation services.

Industry-Academy Partnership:We have MOUs with leading organisations (IBM Global University Programme, Oracle Academy, Microland, Capgemini, Bosch, Nvidia etc.) for curriculum enrichment, internships and research collaborations

Infrastructure & Student Engagement:A WiFi-enabled campus, modern labs and a strong placement support ecosystem help our students succeed in national and international careers.

NOTE

Through these efforts our aim is not merely to impart engineering education but to build a culture of innovation, problem-solving, entrepreneurship and global collaboration — particularly relevant to the digital and knowledge economy and to India's vision for Viksit Bharat, Atmanirbhar Bharat and beyond.

Smart Horizon : 48-Hour International Hackathon

As part of our strategic growth and in line with India's national agenda of innovation, start-ups, digital transformation and sustainable development, organized by New Horizon College of Engineering in association with the Department of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning & Department of Computer Science & Engineering Smart Horizon : 48-Hour International Hackathon scheduled on September 3rd, 4th & 5th 2026.

The event will bring together student teams, researchers, faculty members and industry mentors from India and abroad to co-create solutions in high-impact domains such as AI for social good, sustainability, smart cities, health-tech, digital governance, cybersecurity and more.

Smart Horizon Process Flow and Timeline

Smart Horizon Hackathon Process Flow - 48-hour event timeline and structure

Complete hackathon process flow from registration to final presentation

NOTE

This hackathon can serve not just as an academic event, but as a national-scale innovation movement, reflecting India's ambition as a global technology and start-up powerhouse, empowering youth and aligning with public policy goals.

Hackathon Themes

Agriculture and Rural Development

Health Tech

Defence & SpaceTech

Smart City, Vehicles and Automation

FinTech

Chief Patrons

Dr. Mohan Manghnani

Chairman, New Horizon Educational Institution

Mr. Dhermesh Manghnani

President, New Horizon Educational Institution

Patrons

Prof. Yogesh Singh

Chairman, AICTE

Dr. S. Vidyashankar

Vice-Chancellor, VTU

Dr. Prasad B Rampure

Registrar, VTU

Dr. Manjunatha

Principal, NHCE

Mr. H N Surya Prakash

Registrar, NHCE

Elite Advisory Committee

Our Elite Advisory Committee comprises distinguished professionals and experts from diverse fields including space technology, industry, government, and academia. These eminent personalities bring their wealth of experience and insights to guide and mentor participants, ensuring the hackathon aligns with real-world challenges and industry standards. Their expertise spans across cutting-edge technologies, policy-making, and innovation, providing invaluable direction to shape the future of technology and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Kariyappa Rangaiah

NASA - JPL, USA

Dr. C.M. Aswathappa

DGM Bosch (Training & Development)

Dr. Choodamani N

GoI Member, Dept of History and Archaeology

PROF. V.B. NANDAGOPAL

Advisor, IIM Schools

Mr. Sridharan Venkataramanan

Associate Vice President – Global Logic, India

Mr. Devaraj K

Joint Director at Ministry of MSME, Govt of India

Dr. Raga Priya

Department of Industrial Training and Employment, Government of Karnataka

International Advisory Members

Praneetha Kotla

Lead RPA Developer - Johnson & Johnson

Sanjoy Sarkar

SVP, Senior Director - First Citizens Bank

Danil Matrosov

Founder & CEO - ParkOut

Organizing Committee

Industry Advisory Lead

Mr. Pradeep Kote

Sr. Director – CDC, NHCE

International Relations Advisor

Dr. R J Anandhi

Vice Principal-Academics, NHCE

IPR and Patent Advisor

Dr. Revathi V

Professor & Dean R&D, NHCE

Event Chair

Dr. N V Uma Reddy

Dean – CSE

Event Co-Chair (Startup/Incubation Support)

Dr. Mukul Manohar

Professor & Associate Head – QAIIE

Event Co-Chair

Dr. Sanjeev P Kaulgud

Associate Professor, Dept of AIML

Prizes & Registration

Prize Money

Total Prize Pool: ₹23,75,000

1st Place: ₹2,50,000 per Domain

2nd Place: ₹1,50,000 per Domain

3rd Place: ₹75,000 per Domain

Travelling Allowance (TA)

After successfully participating in the hackathon, the participants are eligible to claim travel allowance as follows:

🇮🇳

Indian Nationals:
TA reimbursement capped at ₹10,000 per team

International Participants:
Partial reimbursement of TA as per their International ticket

Registration Fees

Indian Nationals

₹500 – Initial registration per team

₹4,500 – Final round participation per team (if selected)

Total: ₹5,000 per team

International Students

$50 – Initial registration per team

$50 – Final round participation per team (if selected)

Total: $100 per team

Important Payment Information

All Payments will be accepted in INR (Indian Rupees) only
All extra charges for currency conversion shall be borne by participants
Registration fees are Non-refundable under any circumstances

Grand Finale

Smart Horizon:48-Hour InternationalHackathon

Knowledge and Innovation Partners

About NHCE

Key Highlights

Smart Horizon : 48-Hour International Hackathon

Smart Horizon Process Flow and Timeline

Hackathon Themes

Agriculture and Rural Development

Health Tech

Defence & SpaceTech

Smart City, Vehicles and Automation

FinTech

Chief Patrons

Dr. Mohan Manghnani

Mr. Dhermesh Manghnani

Patrons

Prof. Yogesh Singh

Dr. S. Vidyashankar

Dr. Prasad B Rampure

Dr. Manjunatha

Mr. H N Surya Prakash

Elite Advisory Committee

Dr. Kariyappa Rangaiah

Dr. C.M. Aswathappa

Dr. Choodamani N

PROF. V.B. NANDAGOPAL

Mr. Sridharan Venkataramanan

Mr. Devaraj K

Dr. Raga Priya

International Advisory Members

Praneetha Kotla

Sanjoy Sarkar

Danil Matrosov

Organizing Committee

Mr. Pradeep Kote

Dr. R J Anandhi

Dr. Revathi V

Dr. N V Uma Reddy

Dr. Mukul Manohar

Dr. Sanjeev P Kaulgud

Prizes & Registration

Prize Money

Travelling Allowance (TA)

Registration Fees

Important Payment Information

Smart Horizon:
48-Hour International
Hackathon