New Delhi, Jan 20: The EcoInnovators Ideathon 2026, a national student innovation challenge focused on Artificial Intelligence for sustainability, successfully concluded in January with grand finales for both its school and college tracks. The initiative is officially recognised by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, as a Pre-Summit Event of the IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026.
Organised by the Global Learning Council (GLC), headquartered at the Villars Institute, Switzerland, in partnership with Schoolnet India Limited, Axilor Ventures, and Pratithi Investments, the Ideathon aimed to empower India’s youth to develop AI-driven solutions addressing pressing environmental challenges.
The 2026 edition witnessed participation from approximately 5500 students across over 1,000 government and private schools and colleges spanning 23 states, reflecting wide regional and socio-economic diversity. Over a three-month journey, participants underwent structured AI masterclasses, mentorship sessions, and multi-stage evaluations, culminating in the development and presentation of working prototypes.
School Track (Grades 8–12): Students built functional mobile and web apps, and even games, using low- and no-code “vibe coding” platforms to tackle critical environmental challenges. The Grand Finale was held on 17 January 2026 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
School Track Winner: Team A&H Biosen from Bhavan Vidyalaya, Chandigarh, represented by Aditi Sharda and Himank Mittal, along with Team inventors of Espalier Heritage School, Nashik, Maharashtra represnted by Yashmit Deshpande Satej Patil jointly won the first prize.
College Track (Undergraduate): Students worked with real-world datasets to develop AI/ML models that detect rooftop solar installations from satellite imagery, aligned with national renewable energy priorities. The finale was held on 12 January 2026 at the Infosys Science Foundation, Bengaluru.
College Track Winner: Similar to the school track, Team Aura Sphere of Rajalakshmi Engineering College (represented by Sakthivel R, Akash Vardhan, Harish T) & Team Dude Coders of IIT Madras, Chennai (represented by S Shriprasad, Saranth P, and B Shruthi) won the first prize jointly.
The winning teams from both tracks will present their innovations at the Villars Symposium, Switzerland, in June 2026.
The Award Ceremony in New Delhi was graced by Shri Abhishek Singh, IAS, Additional Secretary, MeitY, Government of India, and CEO, IndiaAI Mission, who while complimenting the Global Learning Council and Schoolnet India Limited said, “The government’s support for such events reinforces our commitment to nurturing India’s future-ready AI talent aligned with the People–Planet–Progress agenda.”
RCM Reddy, MD & CEO, Schoolnet India Limited, said, “This initiative aligns strongly with our vision to democratise education and create pathways for students from all backgrounds to engage meaningfully with AI. The scale and diversity reaffirm the power of partnerships in shaping India’s future-ready talent.”
Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co-founder of Infosys and Advisory Board Member of GLC, said, “It is encouraging to see young people across India applying AI thoughtfully to sustainability challenges. Initiatives like the EcoInnovators Ideathon help build originality, responsibility, and real-world solutions.”
Dr. Subra Suresh, Founder and President of the Global Learning Council, added, “As a Pre-Summit Event of the IndiaAI Impact Summit, the EcoInnovators Ideathon highlights how youth-led innovation can advance responsible AI for social good that will improve quality of life for future generations.”
The initiative was supported by a robust ecosystem of partners, including IIT Madras (Centre for Responsible AI), Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), and Infosys Springboard, bringing together expertise from academia, industry, and the AI startup ecosystem.
