HACKATHON

Organizing Partner Guidelines

Structure and Format

Each Organizing Partner shall:

• Open registrations at least one week before the Hackathon.
• Conduct an institution-level Hackathon and shortlist the top one to three teams for the Online Evaluation Round.
• Conduct a one-day on-site / online Hackathon, preferably onsite.
• Ensure participation of approximately 10 shortlisted teams, with each team comprising 1–3 members.
• Ensure that each team includes at least one participant from a medical or healthcare background, where desirable.
• Encourage multidisciplinary teams comprising participants from medicine, engineering, information technology, design, business, or related disciplines.
• Collect the prescribed registration fee of ₹500 per team.

Partnership and Collaboration

Each Hackathon is encouraged to be jointly organised by:

• One Medical Institution (Medical College or Hospital)
• One Technical Institution (Engineering, IT, Design, or Management Institute)

The Organizing Partners shall provide:

• Venue
• Internet connectivity
• Power backup
• Basic laboratory or makerspace support, where applicable
• Refreshments and drinking water

Jury and Mentorship

Each Organizing Partner shall constitute a jury consisting of at least five members, including:

• One representative nominated by TSI.
• Two to three local experts including clinicians, AI/data science experts, healthcare professionals, or public health leaders.
• One entrepreneur, investor, or industry representative.

Additionally, mentors with expertise in healthcare, technology, innovation, and business should be available throughout the Hackathon to guide participating teams.

Expected Deliverables

Each participating team shall submit:

• Problem statement and validation
• Functional prototype or proof of concept such as an application, device prototype, AI workflow, dashboard, chatbot, etc.
• Short pitch presentation covering:
  • Problem Statement
  • Proposed Solution
  • Prototype Demonstration
  • Healthcare and Social Impact
  • Sustainability
  • Business Model

Selection Process

The Hackathon shall be conducted in three stages:

Stage I – Institution-Level Hackathon

• Each participating institution shall conduct its own Hackathon.
• Institutions may receive multiple registrations.
• Based on the prescribed evaluation criteria, each institution shall shortlist one to three teams for the next stage.

Stage II – Online Evaluation Round

• All shortlisted teams from participating institutions shall present their solutions before a central evaluation panel through an online platform.
• The evaluation shall be based on the standardised assessment criteria prescribed by TSI.
• Based on the evaluation, up to ten teams shall be shortlisted for the Grand Finale.

Stage III – Grand Finale at Telemedicon 2026

• The shortlisted teams shall present their solutions at Telemedicon 2026 in Jaipur before the final jury.
• Winners shall be selected based on the final evaluation.

Hackathon Journey

Logistics

The local Organizing Partner shall be responsible for:

• Venue arrangements
• Participant refreshments
• Event materials
• Certificates
• Local prizes, if planned

Local sponsorships are encouraged. TSI and Telemedicon 2026 shall provide branding materials, including logos, poster templates, and communication formats.

Reporting

Within five days of the Hackathon, each Organizing Partner shall submit:

• Event summary
• Number of participants
• List of participating institutions
• Jury details
• One to three teams going to Round 2
• Brief description of shortlisted projects
• Event photographs
• Media coverage, if available

Guidelines for Participating Teams

Eligibility

The Hackathon is open to:

• Students
• Researchers
• Clinicians
• Healthcare professionals

Each team shall consist of 1–3 members and must include at least one participant from a medical background, clinician, or public health profession.

Participant Expectations

Participants are expected to:

• Comply with all Hackathon guidelines.
• Participate throughout the scheduled event.
• Develop a functional prototype or validated proof of concept.
• Work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.

Team Deliverables

• Functional prototype or a simulated demonstration
• Pitch presentation
• Recorded demonstration of 3–5 minutes (optional but encouraged)

Judging Criteria

Projects may be evaluated based on the following parameters:

• Problem identification and clarity
• Technical innovation
• Clinical relevance and validation
• Social impact and sustainability
• Quality of the prototype
• Presentation and communication

Presentation Format

Unless otherwise communicated by the Organizers, each shortlisted team shall be allotted:

• 10 minutes for presentation and demonstration
• 5 minutes for interaction with the jury
• The presentation should preferably be limited to five slides.

Code of Conduct

Participants shall maintain professional and ethical conduct throughout the Hackathon.

Participants shall not:

• Engage in plagiarism or intellectual property infringement.
• Present another individual's work as their own.
• Engage in discrimination, harassment, or misconduct.
• Disrupt the event or interfere with other participants.

Any violation may result in immediate disqualification.

Ethics and Compliance

Participants shall ensure that:

• No live testing on humans or animals is conducted during the Hackathon.
• Only synthetic, dummy, anonymised, or publicly available datasets are used.
• No attempt is made to identify or reconstruct patient information.
• Projects comply with applicable ethical standards, medical safety requirements, and data privacy regulations.

Medical Device and Regulatory Considerations

Where applicable, participants should consider relevant regulatory requirements, including:

• CDSCO guidelines
• ICMR guidelines
• ISO 13485 – Medical Devices – Quality Management Systems
• IEC 60601 – Medical Electrical Equipment Safety
• Other applicable national or international standards

Safety Requirements

• Hardware demonstrations must comply with basic electrical and laboratory safety practices.
• No testing is performed on patients or within clinical environments without appropriate approvals.
• Safety instructions issued by the Organizers must be followed at all times.

Intellectual Property and Confidentiality

• Each participating team shall sign the prescribed Intellectual Property and Confidentiality Agreement prior to participation.
• Ownership of intellectual property shall remain with the respective participants unless otherwise agreed in writing.
• Participants are advised not to disclose proprietary or commercially sensitive information that has not been adequately protected.

Post-Hackathon Support

Winning teams may receive opportunities including:

• Mentorship from domain experts
• Guidance on regulatory pathways
• Startup and incubation support
• Connections with investors, accelerators, healthcare organisations, and innovation partners

Any subsequent collaboration shall be subject to separate discussions and mutual agreement between the concerned parties.

Recognition and Awards

Teams shortlisted through the Online Evaluation Round shall participate in the Grand Finale at Telemedicon 2026, Jaipur.

Winning teams may receive:

• Cash prizes
• Certificates
• Awards
• Recognition during Telemedicon 2026
• Opportunities for mentorship and networking with investors and industry experts

The prize structure shall be announced separately by the Organizers.

General Conditions

The Organizers reserve the right to:

• Modify the Hackathon schedule, format, or evaluation process.
• Increase or reduce the number of shortlisted teams.
• Change the composition of the jury or mentors.
• Postpone, reschedule, or cancel the event if required.
• Disqualify any participant for misconduct, plagiarism, misrepresentation, or non-compliance with these guidelines.

Participation in the Hackathon shall constitute acceptance of these guidelines and any subsequent instructions issued by the Organizing Committee.