Build for Billions

Build For Billions: 24-Hour Hackathon:About The Hackathon:Build for Billions is a 24-hour hackathon focused on creating innovative, inclusive, and scalable technology solutions that address challenges faced by billions of people. The event invites students, developers, designers, researchers, and technology enthusiasts to build solutions that leverage emerging technologies to solve real-world problems and create meaningful social impact.Participants will explore how technology can improve accessibility, trust, privacy, digital inclusion, and public service delivery at scale.The hackathon features three specialized tracks along with one Main Track recognizing the best projects overall.Total Prize Pool: ₹1,00,000.Tracks:1. Agentic AI For Billions:Build intelligent, autonomous, and trustworthy AI agents that solve real-world problems for individuals, communities, businesses, and public institutions.Potential Areas Include:AI agents for education, healthcare, agriculture, financial inclusion, and other real-world use cases.Multilingual and voice-first AI assistants.Agents for accessibility and assistive technology.Autonomous workflows for public and social services.Responsible, explainable, and human-centered AI systems.Creative applications of agents for day-to-day workflows.2. Web3 And Privacy For Billions:Explore how decentralized technologies, cryptography, and privacy-preserving systems can empower individuals and communities while improving trust and digital ownership.Potential Areas Include:Privacy-preserving identity and authentication.Decentralized applications for financial and social inclusion.Verifiable credentials and digital ownership.Secure data sharing and consent management.Blockchain solutions for transparency, trust, and accessibility.3. Reinvent Digital Public Infrastructure For Billions:Reimagine digital public infrastructure (DPI) to make essential services more accessible, interoperable, secure, and inclusive.Potential Areas Include:Digital identity and authentication.Payment systems for financial inclusion.Data exchange and consent layers.Public service delivery platforms.Open, interoperable, and multilingual digital ecosystems.DPI solutions for underserved and marginalized communities.Participants are encouraged to identify a meaningful problem, understand its users, and build a practical solution with the potential to create impact at scale.Eligibility:The hackathon is open to college and university students and eligible technology enthusiasts.Participants from any academic specialization or discipline are welcome.Students from different colleges and universities may form a team.Inter-college teams are allowed.Inter-specialization teams are allowed and encouraged.Participants must provide accurate details during registration.Each participant may be a member of only one team.Team Formation:Participants must participate in teams of 3–6 members.Teams may include members from different colleges, universities, academic years, and specializations.Teams are encouraged to bring together diverse skills, including development, design, product thinking, research, and domain expertise.One member must be designated as the team leader for communication and submission purposes.Hackathon Format & Process:The hackathon will consist of one screening round, followed by a 24-hour offline hackathon for the shortlisted teams.Round 1: Idea/Prototype Screening:Screening Period: 12 September – 24 September.Participants will submit their proposed solution for evaluation by the screening panel. The submission should demonstrate the problem being addressed, the proposed solution, its relevance to the selected track, and its potential impact.Screening Submission Should Include:Problem statement.Selected track.Proposed solution and key features.Target users and use case.Technology stack.Innovation and scalability.Prototype, wireframe, demo, or GitHub repository, if available.Brief explanation of the expected impact.Number Of Problem Statements:Participants may choose only one problem statement or challenge within one of the three tracks.Selection:Teams will be shortlisted based on the quality, feasibility, innovation, relevance, and potential impact of their submissions.The shortlisted teams will be announced through the official communication channels.Round 2: 24-Hour Offline Hackathon:Hackathon Start: 26 September, 10:00 AM.Hackathon End: 27 September, 10:00 AM.Duration: 24 hours.The top 50 shortlisted teams will participate in the offline hackathon, where they will develop and refine their proposed solutions.Teams are expected to build a functional prototype or proof of concept that demonstrates the practical application of their idea.During The Hackathon, Participants Will Be Expected To:Develop a working prototype or minimum viable product (MVP).Demonstrate the core functionality of their solution.Document their implementation and technology stack.Explain the problem, target users, and expected impact.Submit their final project before the hackathon concludes.Final Submission Deadline: 27 September, 10:00 AM.Prize Announcement: 27 September, 6:00 PM.Further details regarding the venue, check-in process, judging presentation format, and final submission requirements will be communicated to shortlisted participants through the official event channels.Evaluation Criteria:Problem Relevance: Clarity and significance of the problem being addressed.Innovation: Originality and creativity of the proposed solution.Impact & Inclusivity: Potential to benefit a large and diverse user base.Technical Feasibility: Practicality, functionality, and appropriate use of technology.Scalability: Potential for the solution to scale across users, regions, or use cases.User Experience: Accessibility, usability, and human-centered design.Track Alignment: Relevance to the selected hackathon track.Rules & Guidelines:All submissions must be original work created by the participating team.Teams must select one primary track for their submission.Participants may use open-source libraries, APIs, frameworks, and publicly available datasets, provided that their use complies with the applicable licenses and terms of service.Any third-party assets, datasets, models, APIs, or code used in the project must be properly acknowledged.Plagiarism, unauthorized copying, impersonation, and submission of previously developed projects without substantial new work are prohibited.Teams must ensure that their solutions comply with applicable laws, ethical standards, and platform policies.Solutions involving AI must prioritize responsible development, including privacy, safety, transparency, and mitigation of harmful bias wherever applicable.Participants must not submit solutions that facilitate illegal activities, harm, discrimination, or unauthorized access to systems or data.Teams must complete and submit their projects by 27 September, 10:00 AM. Late submissions may not be considered.Teams may be asked to provide a working demonstration, source code, documentation, or a presentation of their solution.Participants are responsible for bringing any required personal equipment, including laptops, chargers, and other development accessories, unless otherwise specified by the organizers.Teams must comply with all venue, safety, and event-management instructions during the offline hackathon.Prize distribution is subject to the final decision of the judging panel and the organizers.The organizers reserve the right to disqualify submissions that violate the rules or contain misleading information.The decisions of the judging panel will be final and binding.Any changes to the schedule, submission requirements, prize structure, or event guidelines will be communicated through the official event channels.Important Information (TLDR):Hackathon Title: Build for Billions.Hackathon Format: Offline, 24-hour hackathon.Total Prize Pool: ₹1,00,000.Number of Tracks: 3 Sub-Tracks + 1 Main Track.Screening Rounds: 1.Team Size: 3–6 members.Inter-College Teams: Allowed.Screening Period: 12 September – 24 September.Shortlisted Teams: Top 50.Hackathon Start: 26 September, 10:00 AM.Hackathon End: 27 September, 10:00 AM.Hackathon Duration: 24 hours.Final Submission Deadline: 27 September, 10:00 AM.Prize Announcement: 27 September, 6:00 PM.Participants are advised to regularly check the official Unstop event page and follow the organizers’ communication channels for updates regarding shortlisting, venue details, submission requirements, judging, and announcements.For all announcements regarding the Hackathon, join the WhatsApp Community.Build Boldly. Build Responsibly. Build For Billions.