NIFTEM‑K hosts India’s first AI‑food technology hackathon, ‘Hack the Fork’

India’s first AI‑food technology hackathon takes place at NIFTEM‑K

The National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli (NIFTEM‑K), opened its campus on 24 October 2026 for a 24‑hour sprint titled Hack the Fork. The competition concluded on 25 October, marking the debut of an AI‑driven food‑technology hackathon in the country.

Who organised it and why it matters

The event was a joint effort between the France‑based non‑profit Hack the Fork, NIFTEM‑K’s Smart Protein Project, and The Good Food Institute India. By bringing together academia, industry and start‑up ecosystems, the organisers aimed to showcase how artificial intelligence can accelerate India’s transition to sustainable protein sources and modernise food‑system logistics – a priority echoed in national development plans.

Participation and scale

More than 85 teams applied from across ten states. A panel of experts shortlisted 22 teams, comprising over 90 participants, including students from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) and the University of Delhi. Their projects tackled three core themes:

• AI for plant‑based formulation – using indigenous pulses, cereals and oilseeds to design nutritious alternatives to animal protein.
• AI for bioprocessing and fermentation scale‑up – applying predictive models to move lab‑scale fermentation into commercial production.
• Open AI solutions for supply‑chain, food safety and nutrition – leveraging data‑driven optimisation to reduce waste and ensure safety.

Prizes and incubation support

A cash prize pool of ₹1.5 lakh was split across the top three ranks. Winners also earned a place in NIFTEM‑K’s Startup Incubation Programme, providing mentorship, lab access and potential funding pathways. The prize structure reflects the government’s push to nurture home‑grown agri‑tech start‑ups.

A step toward a tech‑enabled food future

Hack the Fork is part of an international series run across eleven universities in eight countries, but NIFTEM‑K was the sole Indian host. The event underscores India’s growing capability to blend AI with traditional agricultural knowledge, positioning the country as a leader in alternative‑protein research and sustainable food‑system innovation.

Looking ahead

Officials from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries have expressed intent to replicate the hackathon model in other research institutions, signalling a broader roll‑out of AI‑centric initiatives in the agri‑food sector. As the country strives for food security and climate‑resilient production, events like Hack the Fork illustrate how policy, academia and industry can converge to drive tangible, technology‑enabled solutions.