IMPHAL, May 15: Three organisations from the Northeast bagged the top three positions at the NER Tech Hackathon held in Bengaluru, which concluded on May 12. The event saw participation from 60 teams representing colleges and start-ups across India, all competing to develop innovative 5G-based solutions addressing real-world challenges.
Organised by the North Eastern Regional Community Resource Management Society (NERCORMS) in collaboration with Amantya Technologies, the hackathon was part of a project titled “Deepening of Scientific Research on 5G Use Cases for Solving Challenges of Society.” It was supported by the North Eastern Council (NEC) under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Government of India. The first edition of the hackathon was held in Guwahati in March this year.
The Bengaluru edition attracted over 1,000 entries, with the top 60 shortlisted teams showcasing solutions in key sectors such as Healthcare, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and IoT for Oil & Gas.
AkumenAI from Manipur, led by Thiyam Akuvan, won the first prize of ₹10 lakh for their outstanding solution. OncoALERT from Assam secured the runner-up position with a ₹2 lakh cash award, followed by DESIGO, a team of IIT Guwahati alumni, who also received ₹2 lakh as runners-up.
Inaugurating the event, Satinder Kumar Bhalla, Secretary of NEC, underlined the transformative potential of 5G in accelerating development in the Northeast. “Solutions born here won’t just tackle one problem—they will trigger contributions across sectors in the Northeast,” he said.
Lorho Pfoze, Former Vice Chairman of the North East MPs Forum, highlighted how such initiatives can pave the way for the Northeast to emerge as a technology hub and India’s gateway to Southeast Asia.
The event drew participation from major industry players and experts from Jio Platforms, Airtel, IIT Guwahati, IARI Delhi, Dassault Systems, and Venture Catalysts, among others. Teams presented live demos and proofs of concept, focusing on solving real-life issues faced in the Northeastern region.
