HACKATHON — 30 HOURS

WCC Launchpad 30

Thirty hours to turn one problem worth solving into a working product. National, online, free to enter, ₹1,00,000 in prizes.

Poster for WCC Launchpad 30
Date
20 Sept — 21 Sept 2026
Starts
10:00
Runs for
30 hours
Joining
Details sent to everyone who registers
Kind
hackathon
Who it is for
Students, developers, designers and first-time builders.
agentic aiopen innovationeducationonlinebeginner-friendlyproduct building

WCC Launchpad 30 is a national online hackathon for students, developers, designers and anyone else who wants to find out what an idea looks like once it has to run.

You get thirty hours to pick a problem that genuinely exists, build the one journey through it that matters, and show that it works. You do not need a startup, a rehearsed pitch, or years of experience behind you. You need a problem worth solving and the willingness to build.

The aim is not the biggest project in the room. It is the clearest possible proof that your idea can work. A small product with one reliable, well-made workflow beats a pile of half-finished features almost every time.

30

Hours to build

₹1,00,000

Prize pool

3

Tracks

1–4

Per team

[ Brief ] // What you are being asked to do

Take one problem worth solving and turn it into something people can use, in thirty hours.

What you leave with

  • A working product or prototype whose central workflow actually runs
  • A two-to-three-minute demo video and a short pitch deck
  • Source code judges can reach before the deadline
  • A showcase post on LinkedIn, Instagram and Reddit, links included

Team size

1 to 4. Every participant belongs to one team only.

Who can come

School and college students, developers, designers, no-code builders, first-timers and early-stage teams. Under-18s may be asked for a parent or guardian's permission.

[ Schedule ] // How the day runs

  1. Sun 20 Sep, 10:00Kick-off, tracks explained, building starts
  2. Sun 20 Sep, 14:00First checkpoint: who is your user, and how do you know
  3. Sun 20 Sep, 20:00Mentor sessions and workshops
  4. Mon 21 Sep, 09:00Second checkpoint: what are you cutting
  5. Mon 21 Sep, 14:00Submissions close. Everything on the list is in, or it is not.
  6. Mon 21 Sep, 16:00Wrap. Shortlisted teams are invited to demo live.

[ Judging ]

User insight and problem evidence15 points

How well do you understand the person you are building for? Research, observation, interviews or survey data that shows the problem is real.

Strength of the core solution20 points

Does the product solve the problem you named, directly? Is the main workflow focused, useful, and does it produce a clear outcome?

Technical depth and reliability20 points

How well have you used what you chose? Does it work consistently? Are the integrations, data flows and AI components put together with thought?

Originality and differentiation15 points

What makes this different from the tools that exist and the ideas that show up at every hackathon? A distinctive insight, interaction or approach.

Real-world usability10 points

Could the intended user work it out without a walkthrough? Is it accessible and practical in the setting it is meant for?

Responsible design and trust10 points

Privacy, security, bias, transparency, accessibility and human oversight, where they are relevant. Do users keep control of the decisions that matter?

Public product storytelling5 points

How well do your LinkedIn, Instagram and Reddit posts explain the product and why it matters? Judged on clarity and honesty, never on likes.

Demonstration quality and learning velocity5 points

Does the demo show real progress made during the thirty hours? Can you say what changed, what broke, what you learned and what you would fix next?

[ What you get ]

  • A share of the ₹1,00,000 prize pool
  • A functional product you can put on a résumé or in a portfolio
  • A verifiable digital participation certificate
  • Feedback from judges, mentors and reviewers
  • AI tool credits, n8n and Lovable benefits, and a .XYZ domain
  • Workshops, mentor sessions and community access

[ Tracks ]

Pick one primary track. Interdisciplinary projects are welcome, but the entry has to say which track it belongs to.

01

Agentic AI

Systems where AI agents reason, plan, use tools and finish useful work with proper human oversight. Judged on how useful the agent is, how well it is orchestrated, how reliably it runs, and how clearly a human stays in control.

  • Research and knowledge agents
  • Customer-support agents
  • Personal productivity assistants
  • Multi-agent collaboration
  • Business-process automation
  • Developer and coding agents
  • Responsible autonomous workflows
  • Industry-specific copilots

02

Open Innovation

A real problem, solved with whatever technology fits. The problem should be specific, the user should be clear, and the solution should measurably beat what people do today.

  • Accessibility
  • Climate and sustainability
  • Healthcare operations
  • Finance and commerce
  • Civic technology
  • Community platforms
  • Logistics and mobility
  • Creator tools
  • Safety and trust

03

Education

Products that change how people learn, teach, assess, collaborate or reach opportunities. Show educational value — a chatbot dropped into a learning interface is not it.

  • Personalised learning systems
  • AI tutors and study assistants
  • Teacher productivity tools
  • Skill assessment
  • Accessibility in education
  • Career and internship discovery
  • Collaborative learning
  • Regional-language learning products

[ What you must submit ]

The product does not need to be commercially launched, but its central workflow has to run and be demonstrable. Repositories may be private as long as judges get access before the deadline.

  1. Project name
  2. Selected track
  3. Problem statement
  4. Short solution summary
  5. List of team members
  6. Technology stack
  7. Source-code repository
  8. Working product or demo link
  9. Two-to-three-minute demonstration video
  10. Short pitch deck
  11. Future development plan
  12. Disclosure of AI tools, templates and pre-existing assets used
  13. A LinkedIn post showcasing the product
  14. An Instagram post or reel showcasing the product
  15. A Reddit post showcasing the product

[ Rules ]

  1. The core product must be built during the official hackathon period.
  2. You may research and discuss ideas before the event.
  3. Existing libraries, APIs, frameworks and open-source components are allowed.
  4. Templates or code you wrote earlier must be clearly disclosed.
  5. Only work done during the event counts towards judging.
  6. AI, no-code and low-code tools are allowed.
  7. Every participant belongs to one team only.
  8. The project must be the team's own work.
  9. Plagiarised, copied or misleading submissions are disqualified.
  10. Respect software licences, intellectual property and user privacy.
  11. Projects must not promote illegal, harmful or discriminatory activity.
  12. Everything on the submission list has to arrive before the deadline.
  13. The three showcase posts must be written by team members and describe the product accurately.
  14. No bots, paid engagement, misleading claims or spam to promote those posts.
  15. Judges may ask for repository access or other proof of development.
  16. Organisers may remove anyone who disrupts the event or breaks community guidelines.
  17. The judges' decision is final.

[ Questions ]

Is it free?

Yes. Registration costs nothing.

Can I take part on my own?

Yes. Solo entries are allowed, and so are teams of up to four.

Can beginners enter?

Yes. The event is built for first-timers and experienced builders in the same room.

Do I need an idea before I register?

No. Register first and choose your problem before the building period starts.

Can my team come from different colleges?

Yes. Members can be from different institutions, cities or backgrounds entirely.

Can I use AI tools?

Yes. Disclose the significant ones in your submission.

Can I change track?

Yes, any time before final submission. Only one primary track can be selected.

Is deployment compulsory?

Strongly recommended. If you cannot deploy, provide a reliable executable demo and a video.

Do the social posts really matter?

Yes — all three are required. They are worth 5 points, judged on clarity and honesty. Likes and views count for nothing.

Will everyone get a certificate?

Certificates go to registered participants who check in, submit a valid project on time, post the three showcases and follow the rules. Registering alone does not qualify.

Are the tool credits guaranteed?

No. Credits, domains and subscriptions have their own eligibility rules and depend on partner confirmation and availability.

[ Register ]

Registration opens soon

Free to enter. Joining details go out by email and the official event channel.