XR Innovation Challenge

Build the Future in XR

DesignXR Hackathon 2026 : Reimagining Learning & Problem-Solving using XR + AI.

Submission closes in

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Days
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Hours
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Minutes
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Seconds
5
Members / Team
8+
Industries
25%
Innovation Weight
Top 100
Finalist Rewards
Partners & Sponsors

Official Partners & Sponsors

DesignXR Hackathon is proudly supported by industry-leading organizations pushing the boundaries of XR and immersive technology.

Interested in sponsoring DesignXR Hackathon?

✉️Become a Sponsor
Watch the Intro

See DesignXR in Action

Get a feel for what DesignXR is all about — watch the official intro video and the quick trailer.

About the Hackathon

What Makes DesignXR Special

An immersive innovation challenge pushing the boundaries of extended reality — design-first, impact-driven, and open to everyone.

🌐

Real-World Focus

Not just concepts or demos — we build XR solutions that solve actual problems across education, healthcare, architecture, and more.

🧠

Design-First Approach

Creativity and usability are core. Combine cutting-edge technology with thoughtful design to create truly immersive experiences.

🤝

Open to All

Solo participants or teams up to 5. Developers, designers, XR artists, AI engineers — all disciplines welcome. Any country.

🚀

Real Impact

Strong emphasis on usability, immersion, and measurable real-world impact. Build things that matter beyond the hackathon.

Build Categories

What You Can Build

Create XR-based solutions using AR, VR, MR, or WebXR across any of these high-impact domains.

🎓

Learning & Education

🏗️

Architecture & Design

🏥

Healthcare

🏢

Real Estate

🎮

Gaming

🤖

AI Immersive Assistants

🧰

Simulations & Training

🛍️

Product Visualization

👥

Collaboration Tools

🌍

Virtual Environments

Rewards

Prizes & Recognition

Top performers earn licenses, sponsor tools, mentorship, and featured showcases. Everyone wins a certified credential.

🥈
2nd Place
Runner-Up
  • ElevenLabs 3-month Pro tier (worth $298) for each member
  • Exclusive Swags
  • 2-Year DesignXR Premium License
  • Industry Mentorship Program
  • Certificate of Achievement
🥇
1st Place
Grand Winner
  • Winning Team will receive 4-Day All-Access Passes to AWE USA 2026 for every team member (travel expenses not included)
  • ElevenLabs 3-month Pro tier (worth $298) for each member
  • 3-Year DesignXR Premium License
  • Winner Swags
  • Featured Showcase on DesignXR
  • Winner Certificate
🥉
3rd Place
Second Runner-Up
  • ElevenLabs 3-month Pro tier (worth $298) for each member
  • Swags Included
  • 1-Year DesignXR Premium License
  • Certificate of Achievement
🏅
Top 100 Finalists
Finalist Rewards
  • 6-Month DesignXR Premium License
  • Top 100 Finalist Certificate
  • Internship Oppetunity from Sponsors
🎉
All Valid Participants
Participation Rewards
  • Official Participation Certificate
  • Community Access & Discord

Note: *All the rewards will be provided upon availability by partners & sponsors.

How to Submit

Submission Requirements

Submit your project on Devpost with the following details. Incomplete submissions without a demo video will be disqualified.

📋

Basic Details

Project Title & Description, Problem Statement, Solution Overview, Target Users / Industry.

🎥

Demo Video (Mandatory)

2–4 minute video clearly showing what you built, how it works, and why it matters. Missing = disqualified.

🖼️

Visual Assets

Screenshots / Images, Tech Stack Used, XR Platform Details (Meta Quest, PC, Mobile, etc.).

💻

Source Code

GitHub / Source Code link is optional but highly recommended. Shows transparency and technical depth.

Evaluation

Judging Criteria

Industry experts, XR professionals, and design leaders evaluate projects across five key dimensions.

25%

Innovation & Creativity

Originality of the idea and uniqueness of approach to the problem space.

25%

Design & UX

Immersion quality, usability, and the overall interaction experience.

20%

Technical Implementation

Effective and skillful use of XR technologies and development tools.

20%

Impact & Use Case

Real-world applicability, problem-solving value, and industry relevance.

10%

Presentation & Demo

Clarity of explanation, demo quality, and overall communication.

Who Can Join

Eligibility & Rules

Open to builders around the world. Here's what you need to know before participating.

Eligibility

  • Students & independent creators
  • Solo or teams up to 5 members
  • Must be 13 years or older
  • Cross-disciplinary teams encouraged
  • Participants from any country welcome
  • Organizer employees may not win prizes

Project Rules

  • Must use XR technologies (AR/VR/MR/WebXR)
  • Focus on design, visualization, or interaction
  • Projects must be built during hackathon period
  • Third-party APIs, SDKs, and OSS allowed
  • 3D models: Blender, Maya, or equivalent
  • Demo video is mandatory (2–4 mins)

Social Sharing

  • Share progress on social media
  • Tag @itsikhwal in your posts
  • Use #DesignXRHackathon
  • Judges' decisions are final
People Behind the Scenes

Judges & Mentors

Our panel of industry experts, XR professionals, and design leaders are here to evaluate your work and guide you through the journey.

⚖️

Expert Judges

Projects will be evaluated by these XR industry leaders

Judge
Tanvi Pisal

Tanvi Pisal

User Experience Designer

Apple / Red Oak Technologies

Judge & Mentor
Deepak Nair

Deepak Nair

Developer Advocate

Meta

Mentor
Sanjivani Awandkar

Sanjivani Awandkar

Director

DnyanAI Consultancy & Solution Pvt. Ltd.

Judge
Praneetha Kotla

Praneetha Kotla

Lead RPA Developer

Johnson & Johnson

Judge & Mentor
Christoph S

Christoph S

Consultant & Speaker

Telekom MMS

Judge & Mentor
Esteban Kong

Esteban Kong

Senior Visual Designer

Fragomen

Judge & Mentor
Ulrich Buckenlei

Ulrich Buckenlei

Geschäftsführer

VISORIC GmbH

Judge
Yawen Xiao

Yawen Xiao

UX Designer

Tripo | XR & Immersive Experience

Judge & Mentor
Satya Dev

Satya Dev

Assistant Manager

Deloitte

Judge
Ranjan Verma

Ranjan Verma

Digital Content Creator

Judge & Mentor
Sky Kim

Sky Kim

Senior Software Engineer

Unity Technologies

Judge
Aditi

Aditi Sharma

Design Educator

Youtube 100k+

Judge
Jingle

Jingle Chen

Founder

Strata

Judge
Andy Austin

Andy Austin

Founder & CEO

Adsora

Judge
Surya Rao Rayarao

Surya Rao Rayarao

Full Stack Technical Lead

SS&C Technologies

Judge & Mentor
Arti Sikhwal

Arti Sikhwal

Data Scientist

Emerson

Judge
Antony Vitillo

Antony Vitillo

Multimedia Developer & PR

New Technology Walkers

Judge
Rukshad A

Rukshad A

Lead, Platform Engineer

Prudential Financial

Judge
public

Public Best Choice

Tools & Learning

Helpful Resources

Everything you need to build an outstanding XR project — dev tools, assets, tutorials, and AI APIs.

🎮
Unity
XR Development
🧊
Blender 3D
3D Modeling
🖼️
Sketchfab
Design & Assets
🌿
Poly Haven
Free HDRIs & Assets
👤
Ready Player Me
Avatars
🕺
Mixamo
Animations
📚
Unity Learn XR
Tutorials
Gemini APIs
AI Integration
🤖
OpenAI APIs
AI Integration
Event Schedule

Hackathon Timeline

Key dates and phases of DesignXR Hackathon. All times in IST (GMT+5:30).

🚀
Kickoff

Kickoff Session

April 11, 2026

The hackathon officially begins. Attend the kickoff session, get oriented, join Discord, and start forming your team.

📝
Build

Submissions Open

April 20, 2026

Make sure your team is fully signed up before this deadline.

💻
Submit

Submissions Closes

May 11, 2:30 AM

Build your XR project and submit on Devpost. Include your demo video (2–4 mins), screenshots, and tech stack. No video = disqualified.

~20 days to build
🗳️
Community

Public Voting

May 11, 6:30 PM → May 15, 2:30 AM

The community votes on their favourite projects. Share on social media with #DesignXRHackathon and tag @itsikhwal to get votes.

~5 days of voting
⚖️
Expert Panel

Judging Period

May 16, 6:30 PM → May 24, 2:30 AM

Industry experts, XR professionals, and design leaders evaluate shortlisted projects across all five criteria.

~9 days of judging
🏆
🎉 Final

Winners Announced!

May 25, 2026 at 6:30 PM IST

Top projects revealed. Grand Winner, Runner-Up, and all finalists recognized.

🚀 Team Organizers

Organizers & Volunteers

The core team working behind the scenes to plan, manage, and deliver an amazing hackathon experience from start to finish.

🤝

Team

Passionate individuals supporting the event operations, helping participants, and ensuring everything runs smoothly.

Got Questions?

Frequently Asked Questions

The hackathon is open to students and independent creators from any country. You can join solo or form a team of up to 5 members. Participants must be at least 13 years old. Cross-disciplinary teams (developers, designers, XR artists, AI engineers) are encouraged.
No prior XR experience is required! The hackathon welcomes beginners and experts alike. We provide resources, tutorials, and Discord support to help you get started. What matters is your creativity, learning attitude, and the impact of your solution.
You can build for Meta Quest, PC VR, Mobile AR (iOS/Android), or WebXR. For development, Unity is recommended. For 3D models, use Blender, Maya, or any 3D software. Third-party APIs, SDKs, and open-source tools are all allowed.
Yes — submissions without a demo video will NOT be considered. Your demo video (2–4 minutes) must clearly explain what you built, how it works, and why it matters. This is the primary way judges evaluate your project.
We have an active Discord community with mentor office hours and FAQ/tech help channels. Reach out there for technical guidance, team formation, and general support throughout the event.
Ready to Build?

Join the XR Revolution

Start building the next generation of extended reality experiences. The future is immersive.

🚀Submit on Devpost

After building, submit on Devpost • Share on social media with #DesignXRHackathon • Tag @itsikhwal

Spread the Word

Share & Invite Others

Copy the message below and share it with your network — or download the promo card to post on social media.
Make your digital participant badge here and share it with your network!