Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) has announced the launch of the Hyundai Centre of Excellence (Hyundai CoE) Mobility Innovation Ideathon and the Research Synergy Forum – two flagship industry-academia collaboration programs under the Hyundai CoE.
The initiatives will bring together students, professors and researchers from the seven member universities of Hyundai CoE, creating a platform for innovation, knowledge exchange and talent development in future mobility technologies.
Established in 2025, Hyundai CoE serves as Hyundai Motor Group’s collaborative research platform with leading academic institutions in India. The network currently includes IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Hyderabad, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) Nagpur and Tezpur university. Through research collaborations and academic partnerships, Hyundai CoE aims to enhance India-localized mobility R&D capabilities while supporting the growth of the country’s innovation ecosystem.
The Mobility Innovation Ideathon will run from September through early December 2026 and invite students from Hyundai CoE member universities to develop ideas under the theme “Enhanced In-Vehicle Experience.”
“The Mobility Innovation Ideathon will be an important opportunity to discover creative ideas from students at leading universities in India and gain new insights into the Indian mobility market and customers,” said Bijaya Ketan Panigrahi, Professor of Electrical Engineering Department in IIT Delhi and Hyundai CoE Co-Chair.
“We expect student driven ideas to contribute to future mobility research and enhanced customer experience. Going forward, we will continue to develop the Mobility Innovation Ideathon into an industry-academia collaboration channel that connects outstanding Indian talent with Hyundai Motor Group,” said Chang Yeon Cho, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India Engineering.
Reflecting the growing convergence of artificial intelligence, digital technologies, software-defined vehicles, user experience and personalized mobility services, the competition will encourage students to propose innovative concepts that address the unique needs of Indian customers and mobility environments.
Participants can submit ideas across four challenge categories:
India-Smart Interaction
- AI-Powered & Digital In-Vehicle Experience
- Next-Generation In-Vehicle Interface
- Smart Value Innovation
Students will be able to submit their ideas through the dedicated microsite, following which each member university will conduct a preliminary screening process. Preliminary winners from each university are scheduled to be announced on October 30th, 2026.
The preliminary winners selected by each member university will undergo an offline semi-final evaluation by Hyundai Motor Group judges. Selected 7 finalist teams will present their ideas during the final round scheduled on December 16th, 2026, where Hyundai Motor Group jury will select the grand prize winner. The Group plans to award approximately INR 10 lakh in prize money across the seven finalist teams.
Alongside the student competition, Hyundai CoE will also host the Research Synergy Forum, a faculty-focused research exchange program designed to strengthen collaboration between Hyundai researchers and professors from member universities.
