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OpenAI Academy and NxtWave (NIAT) have come together to launch the OpenAI Academy X NxtWave Buildathon, the largest GenAI innovation challenge aimed at empowering students from Tier 1, 2, and 3 STEM colleges across India. This landmark initiative invites the country’s brightest student innovators to develop AI-powered solutions addressing pressing issues across key sectors, including healthcare, education, BFSI, retail, sustainability, and agriculture, and more under the themes “AI for Everyday India, AI for Bharat’s Businesses, and AI for Societal Good.”
A Hybrid Challenge Driving Real-World AI Innovation
The Buildathon will be conducted in a hybrid format, combining online workshops and activities with regional offline finals, culminating in a grand finale where the best teams pitch live to expert judges from OpenAI India.
The participants will first complete a 6-hour online workshop focused on GenAI fundamentals, intro to building agents, OpenAI API usage training, and responsible AI development best practices. This foundational sprint ensures all participants are well-prepared to develop innovative and impactful AI solutions using OpenAI’s cutting-edge technologies.
The Buildathon unfolds over three competitive stages:
- Stage 1: Screening Round — Post-workshop, teams submit problem statements, project ideas, and execution plans online. A panel of mentors reviews submissions to shortlist the most promising entries.
- Stage 2: Regional Finals — Shortlisted teams participate in an intensive 48-hour offline Buildathon held across 25–30 STEM colleges, with hands-on mentor support. Regional winners are announced following this stage.
- Stage 3: Grand Finale — The top 10–15 teams from regional finals compete in the Grand Finale, pitching their solutions live to expert judges.
Participants will have access to the latest in AI innovation, including GPT-4.1, GPT-4o, GPT-4o Audio, and GPT-4o Realtime models, supporting multimodal inputs like text, image, and audio. Additionally, tools like LangChain, vector databases (Pinecone, Weaviate), MCPs, and the OpenAI Agents SDK. These tools will empower students to build high-impact, multimodal, action-oriented GenAI applications. Hands-on mentorship and structured support will guide participants throughout the process.
Widespread Reach, Diverse Participation
The Buildathon aims to empower 25,000+ students across seven states — Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Delhi NCR. The Grand Finale will be hosted in Hyderabad or Delhi. With coverage across all major zones of India, the event ensures nationwide representation and diversity.
Evaluation Criteria Across All Stages
The participants will be evaluated in three stages. In the Screening Round, mentors will assess submissions based on problem relevance, idea feasibility, and the proposed use of OpenAI APIs. During the Regional Finals, on-ground judges will evaluate the prototypes for innovation, depth of OpenAI API integration, societal impact, and business viability. Finally, in the Grand Finale, an expert panel will judge the top teams using the same criteria, with greater weightage given to execution quality and the effectiveness of live pitching.
Exciting Rewards & Career-Boosting Opportunities
Participants in the Buildathon will gain access to a wide range of exclusive benefits designed to boost their skills, visibility, and career prospects. All selected teams will receive hands-on training along with mentorship from leading AI experts across the country. Top-performing teams will earn certificates, GPT+ credits for prototyping, and national-level recognition. They’ll also gain a rare opportunity to pitch directly to the OpenAI Academy’s India team during the Grand Finale. Winners will receive prize money worth ₹10,00,000 in total along with Career opportunities in the OpenAI ecosystem.
A National Movement for GenAI Talent
Driven by NxtWave (NIAT), the Buildathon aligns with India’s mission to skill its youth in future technologies. With OpenAI Academy bringing in expert guidance, branding, and cutting-edge tools, this initiative is poised to become a defining moment in India’s AI journey along with offering students across the country a real chance to build and shine on a national stage.
This landmark initiative aims to position OpenAI Academy at the forefront of India’s AI talent development, activating over 25,000 students across 500+ campuses and generating more than 2,000 AI projects tackling real-world challenges. Through collaborative efforts, OpenAI Academy and NxtWave seek to foster a vibrant community of AI builders ready to drive innovation and impact across India.
By enabling thousands of OpenAI-powered projects, the OpenAI Academy x NxtWave Buildathon sets the stage for a new wave of AI builders ready to innovate for India and beyond.
NIAT website - https://bit.ly/4jH4aJ5