The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched the 5G Innovation Hackathon 2025, a six-month initiative aimed at accelerating the development of 5G-powered solutions to tackle societal and industrial challenges.
The hackathon invites proposals focusing on key 5G applications, including AI-driven network maintenance, IoT-enabled solutions, 5G broadcasting, smart healthcare, agriculture, industrial automation, non-terrestrial networks (NTN), direct-to-mobile (D2M), vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and quantum communication
Participants are encouraged to leverage 5G features such as network slicing, Quality of Service (QoS), and call-flow scenarios to develop real-world solutions. To support innovation, the initiative offers assistance in IPR filing for participants looking to commercialize their intellectual property.
The final stage of the hackathon, including evaluation and showcase, will take place in late September 2025, with winners being announced in October 2025.
The hackathon is backed by a Rs 1.5 crore budget, with cash prizes for the top three winners:
1st Place: Rs 5 lakh
Runner-up: Rs 3 lakh
2nd Runner-up: Rs 1.5 lakh
Runner-up: Rs 3 lakh
2nd Runner-up: Rs 1.5 lakh
With this initiative, the DoT aims to drive technological advancements and real-world applications of 5G in India, encouraging innovators to develop groundbreaking solutions that shape the future of connectivity.