Revolutionising Agriculture: A Look Back at Ninjacart Hackathon

“People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” — Steve Jobs

On April 27th and 28th, 2024, we organised India’s biggest agri-tech hackathon at Ninjacart headquarters in Bangalore. This event drew participation from 175 teams from all over the country, competing for a total prize pool of 1.75 lakhs. After a rigorous selection process, 18 teams with 50 participants were shortlisted for the 36-hour hackathon challenge. 

Our objective was to unite talented minds from across the country to present groundbreaking solutions for pressing challenges in the agri industry, a sector that sustains livelihoods for over 55% of the population, thereby contributing to the revolution in agri-tech.

A series of four key problem statements were outlined in the competition:

The Battle of Innovation

The hackathon encouraged participants to focus on specific issues and come up with innovative solutions from diverse perspectives. Eighteen teams worked tirelessly on their ideas, taking short breaks for chips, pizzas, redbull and brief naps to recharge their energy and regain their thinking power. After 18 hours, the first round of eliminations began, leading to the selection of the top 5 teams: Team Vaso, Team Nocturnals, Team Elite, Team Variables and Ashutosh Verma.

Celebrating the Winners

All teams showcased innovative ideas, each contributing towards transformative changes in the agri-tech industry. Participants underwent rigorous evaluation based on factors such as novelty, execution, and attitude. Projects were assessed not only for their originality and innovation but also for their feasibility and scalability.

The all girls’ team from Kurukshetra University, Haryana was declared winners of Ninjacart Hackathon 2024 for their project on Farmer Management Software: Traceability and Monitoring in Farmer Ecosystem. The first runners were students from Sri Eshwar College of Engineering, Coimbatore for their project on Revolutionising Plant Management and Enhancing Farming Efficiency. Additionally, three teams were equally declared second runners-up.

Looking Ahead

As the hackathon ended, we celebrated not just the winning teams but all the participants who worked hard to change agriculture with technology. This journey is just beginning; the ideas developed here are capable of being incorporated to grow into real-world solutions.

The Ninjacart Hackathon was a celebration of innovation, teamwork, and the power of technology in agriculture. It wouldn’t have been possible without our mentors and organising team, who made the event a big success. We look forward to more hackathons and discovering amazing talent, as we keep pushing for new ideas and a better future for agriculture.