Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, hosted India’s largest two-day agentic AI founders’ hackathon - ‘0 to 1 - Hack with Uttar Pradesh’

On Nov 1, 2025, India's first AI augmented multidisciplinary university, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, Technology Business Incubator (TBI) & Student Innovation Cell (IEDC) hosted a two-day agentic founders’ hackathon - ‘0 to 1 - Hack with Uttar Pradesh’. The hackathon event was a catalyst in India’s growing leadership & in the field of Artificial Intelligence, it has achieved a colossal milestone in the field of innovation & technology. ‘0 to 1 - Hack with Uttar Pradesh’ was more than just a coding marathon; it was an opportunity to show creativity, collaborate, and explore innovative ideas. This hackathon of 30 hours witnessed participants pushing their limitations of AI applications to develop solutions that may change the future of governance, business, society, and more.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s co-chairing of the Paris AI Action Summit discussed India’s strong commitment & leadership in the global AI landscape. Following the course, the Indian government is all set to host the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in February in New Delhi. As a pre-run-up event, the agentic AI founders at Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, reflected India’s prep and readiness to bring innovation-led AI transformation.

The mega hackathon event brought together over 20,000 young innovators from different countries, who showcased their creativity, problem-solving skills, & technological expertise. The hackathon event was powered by Blackbox AI, and it was also the event's official AI collaborator, where global tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Meta, IBM, Gemini, & Perplexity served as the key collaborators for the hackathon. During the event, a virtual fireside chat with Mr. Roger Rizk, Co-founder & COO, Blackbox, was also organised, where students interacted with him and got a peek into the future on how AI will become a prime tool for innovation, development, and almost everything.

The 30-hour hackathon competition provided a platform for young minds to develop innovative solutions to solve challenges with creativity & tech competence. Students over 10,000 from Uttar Pradesh and an equal number from other Indian states participated in the hackathon. The event witnessed entries from over 300 institutions, like IITs, NITs, & IIITs, and over 4,300 teams participated. A total prize pool of INR 10 Lakhs was offered to encourage participants to give all of their efforts and win the hackathon.

Mr. Jai Inder Singh Sandhu, Managing Director, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, said, ‘The Government of India will be hosting the India AI Impact Conference 2026 in New Delhi, and this Agentic AI Founders' Hackathon at Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, is being organized as a pre-run-up event to it. The participation of over 20,000 young innovators from across India shows that our youth are no longer job seekers but are emerging as job creators through innovation and startups."

He further added, "The day is not far when India will emerge as a global leader in Artificial Intelligence. In Uttar Pradesh, the vision of a Viksit Bharat 2047 will be visualized through the Al City initiative, which is not merely a project but the blueprint for a self-reliant, & technology-driven India. The participation of over 10,000 students from Uttar Pradesh in this hackathon is a reflection of that vision, and the Agentic Al Founders' Hackathon hosted by Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh marks the first major step toward turning that dream into reality."