New Delhi, India — OpenAI Academy and NxtWave (NIAT) have joined forces to launch the OpenAI Academy X NxtWave Buildathon, the biggest GenAI innovation challenge in India designed to empower students from Tier 1, 2, and 3 STEM colleges nationwide. This ambitious initiative calls on India’s brightest young minds to create AI-driven solutions addressing real-world challenges across vital sectors such as healthcare, education, BFSI, retail, sustainability, agriculture, and more. The competition is structured around three key themes: “AI for Everyday India,” “AI for Bharat’s Businesses,” and “AI for Societal Good.”

A Hybrid Challenge Fostering Real-World AI Innovation

The Buildathon will run in a hybrid format combining online workshops with offline regional finals, concluding with a grand finale where top teams pitch live to expert judges from OpenAI India. This format ensures broad accessibility while offering hands-on mentorship and real-world engagement.

The journey begins with a comprehensive 6-hour online workshop covering the fundamentals of generative AI, agent building, OpenAI API training, and best practices for responsible AI development. This workshop equips participants with the essential skills to innovate using OpenAI’s latest technologies.

The competition proceeds in three stages:

• Stage 1: Screening Round – After the workshop, teams submit problem statements, project ideas, and execution plans online. A panel of mentors reviews submissions and selects the most promising for the next round.
• Stage 2: Regional Finals – Shortlisted teams gather for a 48-hour intensive offline Buildathon held across 25–30 STEM colleges, receiving hands-on support from mentors. Regional winners emerge from this round.
• Stage 3: Grand Finale – The top 10–15 teams from regional finals compete by pitching their AI solutions live to a panel of expert judges.

Build with Cutting-Edge AI Tools

Participants will have access to the latest AI models including GPT-4.1, GPT-4o, GPT-4o Audio, and GPT-4o Realtime, supporting multimodal inputs like text, images, and audio. Additional tools such as LangChain, vector databases like Pinecone and Weaviate, MCPs, and the OpenAI Agents SDK will empower students to create impactful, multimodal AI applications. Structured mentorship throughout the challenge will help teams refine their ideas and execution.

Broad Reach and Diverse Participation

The Buildathon aims to engage over 25,000 students across seven Indian states: Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Delhi NCR. The grand finale is planned for either Hyderabad or Delhi, ensuring national representation and diverse participation from across the country.

Judging Across Multiple Dimensions

Evaluation occurs at every stage. In the Screening Round, submissions are assessed based on problem relevance, feasibility, and use of OpenAI APIs. Regional Finals judges evaluate innovation, depth of API integration, societal impact, and business viability. In the Grand Finale, an expert panel weighs these criteria heavily on execution quality and the effectiveness of live pitching.

Exciting Rewards and Career Opportunities

Beyond prizes, the Buildathon offers participants hands-on training and mentorship from top AI experts in India. All selected teams receive certificates and GPT+ credits for prototyping. The top teams gain national recognition and a chance to pitch directly to OpenAI Academy’s India leadership. Prize money totaling ₹10,00,000 will be awarded alongside career opportunities within the OpenAI ecosystem.

A National Movement for AI Talent

Driven by NxtWave (NIAT), this Buildathon aligns with India’s vision to upskill its youth in future technologies. OpenAI Academy contributes expert mentorship, branding, and cutting-edge tools, together fostering a vibrant AI builder community ready to innovate for India and beyond.

This initiative expects to activate 25,000+ students across 500+ campuses, generating over 2,000 AI projects tackling real-world challenges. By enabling thousands of OpenAI-powered solutions, the OpenAI Academy x NxtWave Buildathon is set to become a landmark event, nurturing India’s next generation of AI innovators.