World’s First BRICS Nations Hackathon Sets 17,000 Young Innovators on India and Russia’s Energy Challenges

Source: The Tribune | Original Published At: 2026-07-04 06:08:10 UTC

Key Points

• The GO-BRICS India-Russia Energy-o-thon 2026 launched as the world's first BRICS nations hackathon with over 17,000 engineering student registrations from India and Russia.
• The competition challenges teams to use AI to manage a 90 MW power deficit in hybrid industrial energy systems while meeting sustainability constraints.
• The three-stage contest includes online qualifying, offline semi-finals in India, and a grand finale in Russia planned to coincide with the BRICS Heads of State Summit.
• The initiative is led by the BRICS International Forum with institutional support from India's Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT).
• More than 40 percent of participants are women, noted as a significant share for an energy and technology competition.
• Organizers plan to extend the hackathon model to other BRICS nations in future editions.
• Solutions are evaluated by a panel from India's technology and startup community on technical merit, feasibility, and real-world applicability.