Tata Technologies has announced the successful conclusion of the third edition of its flagship engineering innovation hackathon, InnoVent 2026, focused on smart mobility solutions for the future. The company said the initiative witnessed wide participation from engineering students across India and reinforced its engagement with academia and future-ready talent.
According to the company’s press release dated January 23, 2026, InnoVent 2026 saw participation from 10,247 students across 404 colleges in 28 states, resulting in 2,822 unique project submissions addressing real-world challenges in the automotive and manufacturing sectors. Women accounted for 39% of total participation.
The top three teams were awarded cash prizes totalling Rs 4.5 lakh, while career opportunities were extended to all 42 finalists who participated in the Demo Day held at Tata Technologies’ Hinjawadi campus in Pune. The event also featured a first-of-its-kind humanoid robot co-host, symbolising the convergence of artificial intelligence, human creativity and future-focused engineering.
The winning team, Team Drushti from CMR College of Engineering & Technology, Hyderabad, secured the first prize for its solution on intelligent customisation of vehicle infotainment systems for visually impaired drivers. Teams from Vellore Institute of Technology and International Institute of Information Technology, Pune, secured the second and third prizes respectively.
Commenting on the initiative, Tata Technologies CEO and Managing Director Warren Harris said InnoVent reflects the company’s belief that the future is shaped by combining engineering excellence with human purpose. The company added that over 650 hours of innovation training and mentoring were delivered during the programme to help students convert ideas into real-world prototypes.
