The national finale of India’s largest ‘GenAI Innovation Challenge’ is set to take place in New Delhi on February 17. Over 300 students will showcase their AI solutions aimed at addressing real-world social issues during the ‘India AI Impact Summit 2026’. The event, co-organized by OpenAI Academy and NxtWave Disruptive Technologies, will feature participants selected from a pool of 70,000 students.
Launched in June 2025, the ‘Buildathon’ initiative has provided a platform for 70,000 students from tier 2 and 3 cities to explore and innovate using AI tools. Students were encouraged to leverage Generative AI tools, Large Language Models (LLMs), and modern AI frameworks to tackle challenges in sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, governance, climate action, and public services.
Aligned with the India AI Mission, the ‘Buildathon’ aims to democratize AI learning and innovation, particularly among students from tier 2 and 3 cities. Rahul Attuluri, CEO and Co-founder of NxtWave, emphasized the importance of exposing Bharat’s youth to cutting-edge AI ecosystems, providing them with insights into the global AI landscape.
The ‘India AI Impact Summit’ will kick off on February 16, featuring a diverse participation from over 100 countries. The summit is expected to be the largest among the four global AI summits held so far. Notable attendees will include heads of government, ministers, and CEOs from leading global and Indian companies. The event will also spotlight 12 promising Indian startups in sectors such as healthcare and multilingual technology, potentially attracting foreign investments and talent to bolster India’s digital economy target of $1 trillion by 2030.
