Cognizant has announced the launch of the third edition of its Technoverse Hackathon, expanding the initiative into a nationwide platform expected to draw over 20,000 pre-final year engineering students from more than 400 colleges across India.
The Cognizant Technoverse Hackathon 2026 aims to bring together students to collaborate and build AI-powered solutions for real-world industry challenges, reflecting the growing emphasis on enterprise-scale innovation and talent development.
“We are living in a pivotal moment for the industry, and as an AI builder, Cognizant is deeply committed to developing the next generation of talent that will drive this transformation,” said Rajesh Varrier, President of Global Operations and Chairman and Managing Director, Cognizant India.
The hackathon will allow participants to work on industry-aligned problem statements and interact with Cognizant practitioners, offering exposure to enterprise innovation processes. Students will build solutions across sectors, including banking, insurance, healthcare, life sciences, retail, manufacturing, communications, media and technology, and energy and utilities.
The company said the initiative will maintain a strong focus on inclusion, mandating 50% women’s participation. Each participating team of four must include at least two women members.
The competition is set to conclude in May, with the top three teams to be recognised at a felicitation ceremony at a Cognizant facility in Pune.
The hackathon builds on Cognizant’s broader skilling push through its Synapse initiative, launched in 2023 to train individuals in advanced technologies such as generative AI. The company said it has already surpassed its initial goal of upskilling one million people globally ahead of its 2026 target, and now aims to upskill two million individuals by 2030.
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