GITAM’s BioMed Bharat 2026 hackathon launched to spur affordable medical devices

GITAM (Deemed to be University) has launched BioMed Bharat 2026, a biomedical device innovation hackathon aimed at encouraging students to develop affordable and impactful healthcare technologies and foster collaboration between medicine and engineering.

The initiative, spearheaded by the GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (GIMSR), was formally launched on Thursday with the release of the event brochure by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Eroll D’Souza, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr. B. Gitanjali and Registrar Prof. D. Gunasekharan.

The national-level hackathon invites undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students from recognised institutions across India to ideate, design and prototype biomedical devices to address real-world clinical challenges. Teams must consist of three members, and registration is to be completed through the official GITAM website.

The competition will be conducted in multiple stages, including virtual evaluation and expert mentoring. Shortlisted teams will be invited to the GITAM Visakhapatnam campus in September 2026 for the final phase, where they will develop working prototypes and compete in the grand finale.

Organisers have announced a total prize pool of ₹4.5 lakh. The winning team will receive ₹1 lakh, while the first runner-up will get ₹50,000. Finalists will also receive mentorship, translational research support, industry networking opportunities, as well as travel reimbursement and accommodation for the final round.

The university said selected projects may receive incubation support through its proposed MedTech Innovation ecosystem, being developed in collaboration with Blockchain for Impact.

Officials said the initiative aims to serve as a platform for young innovators to transform ideas into scalable healthcare solutions and promote entrepreneurship in the medical technology sector.