Thiruvananthapuram: IIT Patna has emerged as the winner of Acsia Hackathon 2025, a 24-hour national innovation challenge hosted by Acsia Technologies at its Technopark Phase III campus in Thiruvananthapuram. The event brought together some of the country’s brightest student innovators to design AI and machine learning solutions for the future of mobility. 

Organised in collaboration with µLearn and the IEEE Kerala Section, the hackathon drew over 300 registrations from 92 leading institutions across India, including five IITs. Fourteen finalist teams — comprising 24 students — advanced to the final round.

Adhithyan V. P. from IIT Patna claimed the top spot for developing an AI-powered copilot that integrates Jira, GitHub and Microsoft Teams to predict risks, optimise workloads and ensure compliance using intelligent automation.

The second prize went to Sridharan S. from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Chennai, for SmartCockpit AI — a generative in-car assistant designed to personalise comfort, infotainment and safety in real time. The third prize was awarded to Glenn Mathews and Nandana Murali from Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, for MatchMakerAI, an AI-based project staffing assistant that builds optimal, cost-efficient teams with explainable insights.

A Special Jury Mention was presented to Ezhil Srikanth M. and Giridhar N. from Chennai Institute of Technology for Wizard AI, an innovative AI-driven team formation platform.

Delivering the valedictory address, Dr. Achuthsankar S. Nair, retired professor, author and former Director of CDIT, Government of Kerala, lauded the spirit of innovation displayed by participants.

“Innovation is not something we import – it’s innate. The ability to look at a problem and find a simple, practical solution is where true creativity lies. That’s why they often call it jugaad – an instinctive, frugal way of thinking that turns constraints into opportunities. Hackathons like this celebrate that spirit – the courage to experiment, to simplify, and to build something new with what you already have.”

The ceremony also saw the presence of Dr. Rajasree M. S., CEO of TrEST Research Park, and Professor Asharaf S., Dean (Academic) of Digital University Kerala, who served as judges and announced the winners. Senior representatives from Acsia Technologies — including Mr. Deepu S. Nath, Managing Director of FAYA and Chief Volunteer at µLearn; Mr. Anil S, VP – Engineering; and Mr. Rejeesh R, VP – New Initiatives — also addressed the gathering.

The winners received cash awards of ₹50,000, ₹25,000 and ₹15,000 respectively, along with gift hampers from Acsia. All finalists were presented with participation certificates and goodies.

Reflecting on Acsia’s broader vision, Jijimon Chandran, Founder and CEO of Acsia Technologies, said the company has long focused on bridging the gap between academia and industry.

“Our journey with academia has always been about shared learning and growth. Through initiatives such as Wheels of the Future, Industry Immersion, Campus Connect, and the Acsia Finishing School, we’ve seen how young minds can turn ideas into impact when given the right platform. Acsia Hackathon continues that vision – it’s not just about coding, but about building curiosity, creativity, and confidence.”

Over two days, participants addressed problem statements focused on AI, ML, agentic engineering and data analytics, with guidance from senior Acsia engineers. The mentors encouraged students to apply principles of design thinking and real-world system integration throughout the competition.

Aligned with Acsia’s motto of ‘Simplifying the Complex’, the hackathon underscored the company’s commitment to nurturing innovation, fostering academic partnerships, and preparing the next generation of engineers for the era of software-defined vehicles.