Seventh edition of the globally awarded Hackathon, “>.hack();”
Innovation took centre stage at Mar Athanasius College of Engineering (MACE), Kothamangalam, as the IEEE MACE Student Branch hosted the seventh edition of its flagship hackathon, >.hack();_ ’26, from 4 to 6 September 2026. Designed as a platform for students and young innovators to experiment, collaborate, and build, the hackathon brought together 3000+ registrations from across India. With the theme “Building a Better Tomorrow”, this year’s edition challenged participants to move beyond ideas and develop technology-driven solutions to problems that matter.
The event commenced with an inaugural ceremony attended by several guests, IEEE members, volunteers and students from all around India. The event was formally inaugurated by Dr Bos Mathew Jos, Principal, MACE, whose address highlighted the growing importance of innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and practical problem-solving in today’s technology-driven world. He also addressed the participants and encouraged them to approach the hackathon as an opportunity to learn, experiment, and challenge their own limits.
The successful execution of >.hack();_ ’26 was guided by the dedicated efforts of Event Leads Kalyani B and Sooraj N S, whose leadership and coordination played a key role in bringing the seventh edition to life. From planning and coordination to overseeing the various stages of the hackathon, their efforts helped ensure a smooth and engaging experience for participants, mentors, judges, and volunteers.
After an intense round of evaluations, Team ME, represented by Madhav K Anil, emerged as the Winner of >.hack();_ ’26. Team YUKTI, represented by Rohith Vinod, Mohammed Fahad, Jovin John and Riswan Muhammed M S, secured the 1st Runner-Up position, while Team FocusX secured the 2nd Runner-Up position. The winning teams received prizes worth in total, along with additional awards and opportunities supported by the event’s partners and sponsors, including Devin, KeyValue, South Indian Bank, SBI, HIO, Arduino and other industry partners. With its seventh edition successfully concluded, >.hack();_ ’26 leaves behind more than prototypes and prizes-a community of young minds who dared to think, build, experiment, and create what comes next.
