What happens when you give India’s brightest young minds access to world-class infrastructure and a challenge to solve the nation’s toughest problems?
You get Ideatron!
On 9th and 10th of January, 2026, the Microsoft Gurgaon office was buzzing with an energy that’s hard to put into words. As an official pre-summit event for the AI Impact Summit 2026, we hosted the Ideatron: “AI for Public Good” Hackathon. It wasn’t just a competition; it was a glimpse into the future of responsible innovation.
The Mission: Beyond the Code
We didn’t want “just another hackathon.” Our goal was to pivot the AI conversation from profit to progress. We invited students and freshers to tackle the “India-first” challenges that matter – from smart irrigation for our farmers to streamlining citizen services in governance.
The Journey: 1,200 to 8
The response was overwhelming. We received over 1,200 applications from across the country. Sorting through them was a challenge in itself, as we looked for that rare mix of technical feasibility and genuine social empathy.
In the end, eight finalist teams – many of whom travelled across states with nothing but their prototypes and a dream – made it to the floor. Watching these freshers’ step into the world of applied AI for the first time was incredibly moving.
A Powerhouse Collaboration
This wasn’t a solo mission. It took a village to build this launchpad:
- Netweb Technologies provided the backbone – the resources and the “brainpower” hardware and a deep coupled State of the Workspace Solution called Skylus Workspaces.
- Reskill orchestrated the energy, ensuring the selection and flow were seamless.
- Microsoft opened their doors, providing a world-class environment for innovation to thrive.
The infrastructure: No Compromises
We believe that to build the best, you need the best. This is where Netweb’s Skylus AI Workspaces changed the game.
One of the biggest hurdles in AI development is hardware parity. We didn’t want teams worrying about local setups or lagging machines. Using NVIDIA H200 NVL GPUs, we provided every team with massive compute power delivered right through their browsers.
- The Novelty? Instant accessibility. No configuration, just pure innovation.
- The Security? Built-in isolation to ensure that every team’s intellectual property remained their own.
- Data Leak Prevention? With built-in isolation and strict ingress/egress controls to protect sensitive datasets.
The 48-Hour Sprint
The tempo was relentless. For two days, the room was a mix of intense silence and spirited debates.
- Mentorship in Action: Our mentors didn’t just give advice; they sat in the trenches with the teams, refining raw ideas into workable prototypes.
- The Jury Experience: The interaction between the teams and our industry experts was a two-way street of learning. The judges weren’t just looking at the code – they were looking at the heart behind the solution, its applicability, measurability as well.
- Winning experience- Agriculture emerged as the standout theme, with the winning team Aloo Intelligence presenting AI-enabled crop monitoring and smart irrigation. Climate Crusaders secured second place with innovative environmental insights, while Urban Flowaitook third for their intelligent traffic management solution. Together, these ideas showcased not only technical skill but also a commitment to ethical, scalable, and human centric AI.
Does it Work? The Proof is in the Progress
We measure success not just in lines of code, but in impact:
- 100% Completion: Every single team moved from concept to a working prototype.
- High Stakes: The winning solution focused on AI-enabled crop monitoring, a direct win for Indian agriculture.
- Seamless Tech: The Skylus Workspace handled the load without a single hiccup, proving that high-end AI infrastructure can be democratized.
At the end of the day, technology has its highest impact when it serves society. These young innovators proved that India’s AI future isn’t just bright – it’s deeply human.
