Microsoft is supporting NITI Aayog in MoveHack, a global mobility hackathon inviting solutions, prototypes and ideas to address challenges faced by India in mobility and transportation space, said a statement from the technology giant. As a cloud partner for the hackathon, the US firm will offer Azure cloud credits of up to USD 25,000 to winners who build B2B solutions, in addition to USD 200 worth of Azure credits to every participant. According to NITI Aayog, the hackathon, which was launched on 1st August 2018, has received more than 35,000 registrations so far from over 25 countries.
Additionally, Microsoft Research (MSR) India will consider incubating and offer funding or resource support to winners who leverage AI to build their solutions. This will be a part of a new incubation program started by MSR, wherein the organization is working with academia, government and entrepreneurs to help incubate technologies for societal impact, with special emphasis on cloud and AI platforms. Funding will be determined individually for each project that meets the selection criteria; based on the scope of the project and associated resource requirements.
Anna Roy, Adviser, NITI Aayog, said “MoveHack is a unique opportunity for the best minds from across the globe to tackle challenges in mobility and transportation that India offers. We have tied up with Smart Cities, Central and State Ministries to implement the best solutions from this hackathon, in addition to opening up our ecosystem for commercialisation of these products/prototypes.”
Keshav Dhakad, Group Head & Assistant General Counsel, Corporate, External & Legal Affairs (CELA), Microsoft India, said, “Through our partnership with NITI Aayog, we collectively aim to enable the resolution of most pressing social challenges via large scale deployment of cloud & AI led innovations. Our support to MoveHack is part of this collaboration and we believe that solutions incubated through this program will contribute to the nation's transformation in a meaningful way.”
NITI Aayog's MoveHack is a global mobility hackathon which invites innovative, dynamic and scalable solutions to improve mobility and transportation in India. Open to participants of all nationalities, it is divided into two categories: Just Code It and Just Solve It. While the former is focused on solutions based on innovations in technology/product/software and data analysis, the latter is for innovative business ideas or sustainable solutions to transform mobility infrastructure through technology. Awards for the hackathon include recognizing the top 10 winners with a total prize of more than Rs 2 crore.
