Handloom Hackathon 2026 Concludes at IIT Delhi with Technology Solutions for India's USD 5 Billion Handloom Industry

280 finalists from 100 shortlisted teams present solutions focused on loom modernization, sustainability, market access and weaver livelihoods

Handloom Hackathon 2026 brings innovators together at IIT Delhi

The Handloom Hackathon 2026 provided a national platform for innovators, researchers, faculty members and handloom experts to address challenges across loom modernization, design innovation, sustainability, market access and weaver livelihoods.

At the Grand Finale, shortlisted teams presented solutions focused on productivity, traditional craftsmanship and the global competitiveness of India's handloom sector.

Development Commissioner (Handlooms) Dr. M. Beena, IAS said that traditional craftsmanship and modern technology can work together in the handloom sector. "We must combine innovation with traditional craftsmanship to improve the lives of weavers," Dr. Beena stated.

She also highlighted the sustainability and circularity of handloom while pointing to the role of technology in loom processes, design development and modern marketing strategies. Dr. Beena also highlighted the Indian Handmade Portal, an e-commerce platform that enables weavers to sell globally without intermediaries.

Four thematic categories recognise winning solutions

The competition included problem statements covering four key areas linked to the modernization and revitalization of India's handloom industry.

In the Weaver Livelihoods & Financial Inclusion category, VIZHI – AI Powered Trend Forecasting App, developed by Madeshwaraboobalan V and Srinidhi B from IIHT Salem, was selected as the winner. The platform uses artificial intelligence to forecast market trends, helping weavers anticipate demand patterns and make production decisions linked to income stability.

Sutradhar, developed by Atharv Sanjeev Kumar and Gurkirat Singh from IIT Madras, won the Market Access & Digital Integration category. The solution connects rural weavers with digital markets and enables direct access to global buyers while removing supply chain intermediaries.

The Sustainability & Environmental Impact category was won by Savinya, developed by Naveen Goyal, Mahak Goyal, Ritu Devi, from Savinya Studio. The solution incorporates sustainability across the handloom production cycle and develops circular economy models aimed at reducing environmental waste.

In Innovation in Design & Operations, the Weaver Mithra Back Support System emerged as the winning entry. Developed by Sriram Vaggu, Adigoppula vishal from KLB IIHT Hyderabad, the system addresses occupational health challenges and is intended to support longer, more productive working hours for weavers.

Proposed Centre of Excellence at IIT Delhi

The hackathon also highlighted collaboration between academia, industry and government in the development of the handloom sector.

Dr. Deepti Gupta, Head of the Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering at IIT Delhi, announced the proposed Centre of Excellence for Handloom Technology at IIT Delhi. The centre is expected to be inaugurated next week in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles.

The proposed centre will bring technology into handloom production with a focus on standardization and productivity while retaining the uniqueness of handcrafted textiles.

ThinkStartup highlights innovation and social impact

Sanjeeva Shivesh, Co-founder of ThinkStartup and Program Director of the Handloom Hackathon 2026 Organising Committee, congratulated the finalist teams and encouraged them to continue developing their solutions.

"This hackathon is a milestone in creating meaningful social and economic impact for India’s weavers. The winning solutions exemplify how innovation can preserve heritage while driving progress. This spirit of empowering young innovators also aligns with ThinkStartup’s Youth Ideathon, which encourages school and college students to become creators and develop ideas that can solve real-world challenges and contribute to India’s progress.”

Jury and ecosystem partners discuss the sector's future

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Vice Chancellor, World University of Design, said, "Handloom is often viewed through the lens of heritage. The Handloom Hackathon reminded us that it is equally a source of innovation. As a jury member, I was encouraged to see young minds applying design thinking, emerging technologies and entrepreneurial imagination to one of India’s most enduring creative ecosystems. The future of handloom will not be secured by preserving the past alone, but by enabling the next generation to reinterpret it for contemporary markets and lifestyles. This initiative by the Ministry of Textiles is an important step in that direction."

CV Raghu, President & Founder, General Counsel’s Association of India, said, "As India’s handloom sector modernizes, the innovations coming out of platforms like this hackathon will increasingly touch questions of design ownership, geographical indication and intellectual property. Building that legal and governance backbone alongside the technology is what will let weavers and young innovators capture the full value of what they create. It was heartening to see solutions that think about the weaver’s livelihood not just as a design problem, but as a rights and market-access problem too."

Sanchit Govil, Co-founder, Lal10, said, "We’ve spent years building the bridge between rural artisans and digital markets, so it was exciting to see a new generation of innovators tackle that same problem from fresh angles. Sutradhar and the other market-access solutions at this hackathon are exactly the kind of thinking the sector needs, technology that removes intermediaries and puts more of the value directly in weavers’ hands. Initiatives like this hackathon are critical to accelerating that shift."

Vanita Vasudeva, Startup Portfolio Management, FITT, IIT Delhi, said, "What stood out at this hackathon was how quickly finalist teams moved from problem statements to workable prototypes. That’s exactly the kind of founder mindset we look to nurture through incubation- taking a strong idea and giving it the structure, mentorship and market validation it needs to survive beyond the competition. With the right incubation support, several of these handloom-tech solutions have a genuine shot at becoming durable ventures."

One-year incubation support planned for investor-ready participants

The Ministry of Textiles has committed to providing 1-year incubation support for investor-ready participants. The initiative is intended to support the implementation of winning and promising solutions and establish a pathway from ideation to market viability.

The Handloom Hackathon 2026 concluded with a focus on technology-enabled solutions, sustainability, academia-industry collaboration and support for India's weaver communities.