The Grand Finale of 2nd edition of IDEA 2.0 (Hackathon) themed “Cybersecurity & Fraud Prevention and enhancing Customer Experience using Generative AI” under the PSBs Hackathon Series 2026 of Somaiya Vidyavihar University supported by Union Bank of India was held on September 3 at K J Somaiya School of Engineering (Auditorium), Vidyavihar (East), Mumbai. A total of six teams emerged as winners under various categories are as follows:
| Prize /Category | Team | College |
| Winner | Syntax_error | IIT, Bhilai |
| 1st Runner-up | MoneyLords | IIT, Guwahati |
| 2nd Runner-up | Coded Hearts | IIIT, Nagpur |
| All-Women Team | Checkmates | Symbiosis International, Pune |
| Team with PwD Representative | CloudCompute | VCET, Vasai |
| Additional Recognition Category | AI Final Boss | VIT, Pune |
The winning Teams received Cash Prizes amounting a total of Rs. 13 lakhs. Teams from premier institutes such as IIT Mumbai, IIT Guwahati, IIT Bhilai, IIIT Nagpur, NIT Patna, BITS Ranchi, Maulana Azad NIT Bhopal, Motilal Nehru NIT Prayagraj, Symbiosis International, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum etc. participated in the Hackathon.
The Hackathon is part of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, Government of India initiative steered by Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) under which Public Sector Banks are organising hackathons to encourage innovation and develop technology-driven solutions for the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector.
This edition of IDEA Hackathon 2.0 witnessed an enthusiastic response of 1,511 entries across the country. Following a rigorous evaluation process, the finalist teams presented innovative solutions across key themes including Artificial Intelligence, FinTech, Cybersecurity, Digital Trust, Customer Security, Privacy, Assurance, Reliability and Convenience (CSPARC), and Ease of Doing Business.
The event was attended by senior officials of Union Bank of India, representatives from the banking and fintech ecosystem, technology experts, academicians and industry leaders, providing a platform for young innovators to showcase solutions for real-world challenges in the BFSI sector.
“Hackathons like this are a powerful platform to connect the banking sector with India’s young innovators and solve real-world challenges. As banking becomes increasingly digital and operates 24×7, innovation must go hand in hand with security, trust, convenience and tangible customer value.
The ideas emerging from this hackathon reflect the tremendous potential of our young minds to shape the future of banking. As we adopt Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies, we must combine them with actual intelligence concept, logic and common sense and aspirational intelligence that drives purposeful innovation.
At Union Bank of India, our focus is not simply on identifying winning ideas, but on exploring how promising solutions can be taken beyond the hackathon and translated into practical, scalable outcomes. The future of banking will be defined by innovation that earns customer trust and creates measurable value for society.” said Shri Asheesh Pandey, Managing Director & CEO, Union Bank of India.
