Tata Technologies, a global product engineering and digital services company, announces the launch of the 2nd edition of Tata Technologies InnoVent hackathon in collaboration with Microsoft and Tata Motors. This collaborative initiative aims to engage engineering students across India, providing them with a platform to showcase their creativity and innovations that address the challenges faced by the manufacturing industry. This year's hackathon focuses on Generative AI-enabled innovations that deliver value across the product development value chain, including product engineering, manufacturing, and customer experience.

Tata Technologies will empower the top project team/s with the innovation tools and technologies needed to develop scalable innovations. The Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from Tata Technologies will mentor and guide the top-performing project team/s to scale their projects. Microsoft will offer top team/s complimentary access to Azure resources and project mentoring through the Azure community, while Tata Motors will help define real-world challenges and support the commercialization of top projects. The hackathon is open to 3rd and 4th year engineering students across India and encourages inclusive participation, inviting entries from women engineers and differently abled team members, thus reinforcing its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The evaluation process will consist of three stages: initial reviews, virtual Proof of Concept (PoC) presentations, and final demonstrations. Projects will be assessed based on diversity, novelty, feasibility, and impact. The top three winning teams will receive cumulative cash prizes worth Rs 0.45 million, along with paid internship opportunities at Tata Technologies. The last date for project submission Is 31st July 2024.

Reflecting on the 2nd edition of Tata Technologies InnoVent, Warren Harris, MD and CEO, Tata Technologies, stated, “Tata Technologies InnoVent embodies our commitment to engineering a better world for our youth. Through our collaboration with Microsoft and Tata Motors, we aim to provide young innovators with a platform to develop novel solutions leveraging Generative AI and help them translate their ideas to life. The 1st edition of InnoVent was a success and we are already piloting a few innovations with our customers. I am excited to see the innovative projects that will come from this year’s hackathon.”

 

Himani Agrawal, Country Head – Azure, Microsoft India & South Asia, commented on the collaboration, “Microsoft looks forward to collaborating with Tata Technologies for the InnoVent Hackathon, empowering the next generation of innovators. By providing a scalable Gen AI Azure environment and access to the wider Azure community, we aim to help students accelerate the development of their innovations. We look forward to the impact of this collaboration.”

Sven Patuschka, CTO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. & Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd, remarked on the launch of the hackathon, “Generative AI is revolutionizing product design for enhanced customer experiences. We are excited to partner with Tata Technologies for the InnoVent Hackathon to foster innovations addressing real-world challenges. By mentoring and supporting promising projects, we aim to inspire future engineers to drive automotive innovation. I look forward to witnessing the pioneering solutions and meeting the finalists on Demo Day.”

Santosh Singh, EVP & Global Head- Marketing & Business Excellence, Tata Technologies, expressed his enthusiasm on the launch of InnoVent 2024, “InnoVent offers young engineering students a platform to leverage technology, upskill and innovate solutions that address some of the most pressing challenges in the manufacturing industry. This year's focus on Generative AI highlights its transformative potential for the future of manufacturing and the importance of nurturing fresh ideas from young minds. We are particularly excited to see contributions from women and differently abled innovators, as this reflects our deep commitment to inclusivity and our efforts towards engineering a better world for all.”