IDEATE. SCREEN.
BUILD VIRTUAL.
PITCH OFFLINE.
We built KILN ’26 because we are tired of hackathons where teams win with slide-deck theatre and zero working code. Submit a blueprint, clear the screening quiz, build all day on October 1st, and pitch live on stage on October 15th for ₹35,000+ in cash.
How The Hackathon Works
Four clear steps from pitching an initial idea to winning on stage.
Idea Pitch & PPT Submission
Tell us what you plan to build. Keep it tight (5–7 slides). No essay-writing: focus on the user problem, your proposed tech stack, and wireframes.
- •Specific user problem you are solving
- •Target user and why existing tools fail them
- •Architecture diagram & libraries/APIs you will use
- •Figma wireframes or interactive UI mockups
- •What part of this will realistically be coded in 1 day
Online Screening Quiz
A 30-minute screening test to verify that teams actually understand core development and problem solving. Fast, practical, and objective.
- •30-minute timed quiz on the Unstop portal
- •Practical logic & basic algorithms
- •Web fundamentals (HTTP, APIs, DOM, state)
- •Basic system design and database choices
- •Top scorers receive confirmation tickets for the hackathon
Virtual Hackathon (Full Day)
The build day. You and your team build the MVP from home or campus. Push code to GitHub, test your features, and submit a 2-minute video walkthrough.
- •Continuous 10-hour build sprint
- •Midday mentor checkpoint to unblock tricky bugs
- •Submit public GitHub repository with sprint commits
- •Live hosted demo URL or testable build
- •2-minute video showing the app solving the core problem
Offline Grand Finale & Demo Day
The top shortlisted teams come pitch live on stage in front of industry founders and engineers. Live demos, tough questions, and the cash prize ceremony.
- •Live stage demo running on your machine
- •5-minute pitch + 3-minute jury Q&A
- •Direct networking with founders and mentors
- •Live prize distribution of ₹35,000+ in hard cash
- •Physical trophies and winner certificates handed out on stage
₹35,000+ In Real Cash
No coupon bundles or imaginary valuations. Direct bank transfers, physical trophies, and participation certificates.
Hard cash directly to the team, physical winner trophy presented at the October 15th offline demo day, and 1-on-1 mentorship.
Cash prize, runner-up trophy, certificate of merit, and builder swag pack.
For the team with the boldest technical implementation or best problem validation.
Certificates of Participation for All Active Teams
We respect your time. If your team submits your PPT, takes the quiz, and submits a functional prototype on October 1st, every member receives an official verifiable certificate.
Mark Your Calendar
Key deadlines so your team stays on track.
PPT Submission Deadline
Submit your 5–7 slide pitch deck on Unstop before 11:59 PM.
Online Screening Quiz
30-minute timed screening quiz on Unstop.
Hackathon Shortlist Announcement
Selected teams notified for the 1st October virtual build.
The Virtual Hackathon (Full Day)
09:00 AM – 07:00 PM IST build sprint from anywhere in India.
Grand Finale Finalists Announced
Top teams invited to pitch in person.
Grand Finale Demo Day & Awards
Live stage pitches, jury questions & ₹35,000+ cash prizes.
Five Problem Tracks
Choose what you are excited to build. We care about utility over buzzwords.
Autonomous AI Agents
Build specialized agent workflows or copilots that automate messy, repetitive tasks without hallucinating or losing source context.
- Traceable source references for all outputs
- Human-in-the-loop review checkpoints
- Clean handling of edge cases and failures
High-Trust Public Tools
Make public data genuinely useful: scam verification, local municipal alerts, grievance trackers, or plain-language government policy explainers.
- Clear evidence and provenance labels
- Plain-language explanations for non-tech users
- Fast, mobile-friendly interface
Climate & City Resilience
Help a local community, college campus, or neighborhood prepare for heatwaves, sudden waterlogging, or power cuts.
- Actionable checklist that works offline
- Localized risk map or neighborhood snapshot
- Honest labeling of simulated vs real data
Low-Bandwidth Healthcare
Design lightweight tools that help patients find nearby verified clinic care, prepare symptoms before an appointment, and work smoothly on 2G/3G.
- Fast load times on slow connections
- Clear next-step guidance and multi-language support
- Strict guardrail: do not give unsupervised prescriptions
Open Innovation
Working on a killer developer tool, micro-SaaS, or FinTech product? If it is genuinely useful and well-built, bring it here.
- Clearly demonstrates a solved problem
- Frictionless onboarding flow
- Clean, maintainable codebase
Have a different idea?
Our Open Innovation track welcomes any prototype that solves an authentic problem, has clean code, and actually works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Straightforward answers about the dates, rounds, and prizes.
How does the hybrid format work?
−Everything leading up to and including the hackathon is online. You submit your deck online, take the screening quiz on Unstop on Sept 28, and build all day from home or campus on October 1st. The top finalist teams are then invited 2 weeks later (October 15th) for an in-person Demo Day to pitch live on stage and collect cash prizes.
What is the team size?
+1 to 4 members. Solo builders are completely welcome, as are cross-college teams.
What if our team cannot attend the offline finale on October 15th?
+We strongly encourage finalists to be present in person for the networking and stage pitches. However, if travel constraints arise, we accommodate verified remote pitches for genuine outstation finalists.
Does everyone get a participation certificate?
+Yes. If your team submits the PPT in Stage 1, takes the screening quiz in Stage 2, and submits a functional prototype during the Oct 1 virtual hackathon, every member receives an official verified Certificate of Participation.
Is there any registration or entry fee?
+None. KILN ’26 is 100% free across all stages.
Can we use pre-existing libraries, templates, or AI tools?
+Yes! You can use existing open-source libraries, UI kits, and AI tools. However, the core application logic and feature implementation must be written during the October 1st build sprint. Submitting pre-built projects is strictly prohibited.
BRING AN IDEA.
BUILD VIRTUAL. WIN IN PERSON.
Registration is free on Unstop. Gather your teammates, submit your deck by September 26th, and show us what you can build.
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