New Delhi, 18th August, 2026: iQOO, the high performance smartphone brand, today has announced the launch of iQOO Hackathon 2026, India’s first hybrid mobile hackathon, inviting engineers, young developers, AI enthusiasts and early IT professionals across India to build technology solutions for real–world challenges.
With registrations now open, the hackathon will travel across Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad. The four-city City Battles will follow a 30-hour format, challenging participants to rethink conventional development workflows by combining smartphones with traditional development environments. The initiative will culminate in a Grand Finale in Bengaluru, where the winning teams from the city battles and shortlists from the online registrations will compete for the coveted title of iQOO Hackathon 2026 Champion.
Going beyond a conventional hackathon, iQOO Hackathon 2026 introduces a phone–first, hybrid development model. Putting the performance capabilities of the iQOO 15 to the test, challenging participants to code, build and solve complex problems using their phone as part of their development workflow. The experience is enabled by the combination of a powerful Snapdragon processor and OriginOS optimisation, supporting faster coding, seamless multitasking and demanding workloads. The device’s vapour cooling system helps manage heat during prolonged, intensive usage, while its large-capacity battery supports long hours of development without frequent charging; bringing together the performance, endurance and efficiency required by IT professionals, coders and engineering students.
The Red Light, Green Light format challenges participants to build primarily on the iQOO smartphone during the Red Light phase, while the Green Light phase allows them to combine smartphone and laptop workflows. Participants will also receive AI credits, with projects judged on phone–first execution, AI integration, Office Kit usage, real–world relevance and final pitch quality
Selected participants will have access to 12+ industry mentors throughout the hackathon. Their projects will be evaluated by a panel comprising technology leaders and AI experts with participants assessed on the quality and relevance of their solutions, technical execution, creativity and ability to address real–world challenges.
The City Battles will kick off in Bengaluru on August 29-30 , followed by Pune on 5-6 September, Chennai on 12-13th September and Hyderabad on 26-27 September . Winners from each city will progress to the Grand Finale, scheduled to take place in Bengaluru on 9-11th October.
The competition will offer a ₹6 lakh prize pool at each City Battle, with awards for the Winner, First Runner-up, Second Runner-up and Special Honour, alongside additional recognition for standout projects. The Grand Finale will feature a ₹25 lakh prize pool, giving participants an opportunity to compete at the national level and earn the title of iQOO Hackathon 2026 Champion.
With iQOO Hackathon 2026, the brand aims to demonstrate how iQOO makes high performance smartphones that extend beyond everyday use to support demanding professional workflows. By putting coders and developers through intensive, real–world challenges, the hackathon showcases how performance, software optimisation, cooling and battery endurance can come together to support long-duration, complex tasks.
Registrations for iQOO Hackathon 2026 are now open. Interested participants can register at https://iqoo.reskilll.com/