MumbaiHacks 2025 spotlights India’s growing AI ecosystem with prototypes across fintech, health and misinformation.
MumbaiHacks 2025 drew more than 3,500 participants to NESCO, Mumbai, reaffirming the city’s emergence as a national centre for AI-led innovation. Organised by The Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai (TEAM) and Made in Mumbai, the hackathon brought together students, engineers, and early-stage builders from across the country. The two-day event offered ₹1 crore in prizes and produced winning prototypes across Fintech, Healthtech and Misinformation—developed by teams led by Darshan Khapekar, Shravani Rasam, Aadil Shah and Alfiya Siddique (Fintech); Himanshu Sharma and Hemish Jain (Healthtech); and the all-women group of Sejal Chaudhari, Supriya Nayak, Shambhavi Patil and Akritee Singh (Misinformation). Mentors and entrepreneurs who spent the night guiding participants described the experience as evidence of Mumbai’s strengthening culture of “builders who can walk independently”—a sentiment repeatedly articulated during the event’s fireside interactions.
The organisers noted that MumbaiHacks has evolved significantly over the past “seven to eight years”, with participants describing the shift from early-stage experimentation to a structured community capable of supporting both technical depth and entrepreneurial ambition. Speakers highlighted how the ecosystem has moved “beyond the ritual of hackathons” into a model that provides pathways for young innovators to transition “from builders to founders” over time. Several mentors spoke about the need for more inclusive, accessible spaces where participants uncomfortable with conventional tech forums can still find peer support, a judgement-free environment, and guidance on transforming raw ideas into operational projects.
One of the defining moments of the hackathon came when IDFC FIRST Bank’s MD & CEO, Mr V. Vaidyanathan, announced on the spot that the top 100 teams would receive vouchers of ₹3,000 per member—recognising roughly 10% of all participants. Organisers said the gesture validated the efforts of first-time coders and young entrepreneurs, many of whom spoke about the financial and emotional “volume of losses” that early innovators often absorb before finding momentum. The event also hosted industry leaders and influencers, including actor and host Raghu Ram, who emphasised the importance of perseverance, and fintech creator Sharan Hegde, who encouraged participants to rethink how financial literacy is communicated to young users.
The prototypes were evaluated by a distinguished jury. The Healthtech panel included Devendra Brid, Vishal Gondal, Arjun Vaidya, and Suraj Gaud; the Fintech jury comprised Akanksha Hazari, Tyagarajan Iyer, and Sharan Hegde; and the Misinformation track was judged by Neeraj Roy, Avantika Gode, Deepit Purkayastha, Ashok Hariharan, and Dr Gaurav Dhakar. Jury members commented that what matters “between idea and execution” is the discipline demonstrated under pressure—something they observed throughout the 16-hour overnight sprint. Many also pointed out that the quality of submissions reflected a shift in how India’s young developers prioritise real-world problems, from rural health to financial transparency to information integrity.
TEAM Governing Council member Vivek Khemani said the hackathon has transitioned from an annual event into a movement shaping Mumbai’s identity as India’s emerging AI capital. With 84 Mumbai-based founders supporting the initiative and nearly 900 women participating, MumbaiHacks 2025 showcased how local ambition, structured community support, and industry mentorship can converge to advance India’s next wave of AI talent. As he observed, the challenge now is ensuring this energy extends beyond one weekend—towards long-term support that helps participants “move from curiosity to capability, and capability to impact.”