BHARAT TEX 2024 Hackathon Sparks Innovation in Technical Textiles!

The Ministry of Textiles, under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), is set to host a hackathon titled ‘Fostering Innovations in Technical Textiles – Hackathon for Unleashing Creativity in Technical Textiles’ as part of the BHARAT TEX 2024 initiative. Scheduled to take place from February 26 to 29, 2024, the event aims to bring together diverse stakeholders from students and researchers to entrepreneurs and industry professionals. The primary goal of the hackathon is to create a collaborative platform that not only raises awareness but also stimulates innovation in the rapidly evolving field of technical textiles.

NTTM, being the sponsor and partner for the hackathon, envisions addressing real-world challenges in the industry by fostering creativity and encouraging collaboration among participants.

Significance of Technical Textiles

As the textiles industry undergoes a revolutionary shift, incorporating advanced materials and innovations into traditional fabrics, the significance of technical textiles is on the rise. NTTM, a flagship scheme of the Government of India, focuses on research, development, and innovation (RD & I), as well as education, skill development, and market promotion in the technical textiles sector. The BHARAT TEX 2024 event serves as a showcase for the progress and achievements of prominent projects funded by NTTM.

Hackathon Structure and Thematic Areas

The hackathon will be divided into three phases: Ideation, Development, and Presentation and Judging. Participants will have the opportunity to work on practical applications within the realm of technical textiles. 

The event will cover ten thematic areas, including smart textiles, sustainable textiles, medical textiles, protective textiles, composites, functional fabrics, development of specialty fibres and high-performance fibers, development of indigenous Machinery/Equipment/Instruments, Integration of Technical Textiles with Applied Sciences and Engineering, and any other relevant domains.

Opportunities for Participants

By participating in the hackathon, aspirants stand to gain knowledge, build valuable connections, receive recognition for their contributions, and actively contribute to finding solutions for challenges faced by the technical textiles industry. The top three winners of the hackathon may be considered for funding under the Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT). This grant can amount to up to INR 50 lakhs for a maximum period of 18 months, subject to fulfillment of other eligibility criteria of the GREAT scheme.

Interested participants can submit their proposals by February 5, 2024, via email at nttm-textiles[at]gov[dot]in with the subject line ‘Hackathon – (Title of the Proposal) Bharat-Tex 2024.’ For further details and inquiries, please visit BHARAT TEX 2024.