UWA Launches ‘Hack for Impact 2026’ Global Innovation Challenge for India–Australia Students

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Chennai: The University of Western Australia (UWA), in collaboration with the Indo‑Australian Chamber of Commerce (AustCham India), Perdaman, and Invest and Trade Western Australia, has announced the launch of Hack for Impact 2026, a five-day global online innovation challenge bringing together students from India and Australia to solve real-world industry problems.


The initiative marks a key step in UWA’s expanding engagement with India and comes alongside the university’s plans to open its first international branch campuses in Mumbai and Chennai in 2026.

Designed as an industry-led innovation platform, Hack for Impact 2026 will bring together multidisciplinary teams of students to collaborate across borders and work on live challenges presented by UWA’s industry partners. The programme will focus on future-facing sectors such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and technology, energy, education, agriculture, tourism, and sports, with solutions assessed for desirability, feasibility and real-world viability.

The fully virtual programme will run from 9–13 April 2026, following registrations that close on 6 April 2026 and a mandatory online information session on 8 April 2026. Participants will engage in a live launch, daily mentor interactions with professionals from India and Western Australia, collaborative team sessions, and conclude with a Shark Tank-style Grand Final where shortlisted teams will pitch their ideas to an expert jury.

Students will compete for a AUD 20,000 (₹12.5 lakh) prize pool, along with industry mentoring, certificates of participation and post-hackathon support. The challenge is open to students from all disciplines and does not require prior hackathon experience.

Professor Amit Chakma, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Western Australia, said the initiative aims to strengthen innovation collaboration between India and Australia while equipping students with skills in design thinking, cross-cultural teamwork and entrepreneurial problem-solving.

Gaven Standon, Executive – Telstra Partner Ecosystem and President of AustCham India, added that the programme provides a platform for students, industry and government to co-design solutions around secure connectivity, cybersecurity and responsible AI while strengthening cross-border collaboration across the Indo-Pacific region.

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