The UPWIECON Sustain-a-thon 2026 is an innovation challenge designed to catalyse transformative solutions addressing the complex and interconnected challenges experienced by women across health, education, safety, economic participation, climate resilience, digital inclusion, and leadership in India.
Organized under Uttar Pradesh Section Women in Engineering International Conference on Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Engineering [UPWIECON 2026], the initiative provides an interdisciplinary platform where industry professionals, innovators, healthcare experts, entrepreneurs, policymakers, non-governmental organizations, and startups collaborate to conceptualize, prototype, and demonstrate solutions with measurable societal impact.
Unlike conventional hackathons that focus primarily on rapid software development, the UPWIECON Sustain-a-thon 2026 emphasizes research-driven innovation, systems thinking, and sustainable implementation. Participants are encouraged to develop scalable technological, organizational, policy, or business solutions that can contribute meaningfully to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Open exclusively to working women professionals from Industry or Academia.
Participants must hold an active Membership under the UP Section.
Membership in Women in Engineering (WIE) is mandatory.
Individual submissions are invited.
Participants are invited to develop innovative solutions that improve Indian women's quality of life through technology, policy innovation, systems engineering, healthcare advancement, sustainable business models, or social innovation.
Solutions may involve Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Digital Twins, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Human–Computer Interaction, Healthcare Technologies, Public Policy, Behavioral Sciences, Design Thinking, or interdisciplinary approaches.
Healthcare for women continues to face disparities in accessibility, affordability, continuity, personalization, and preventive care. This track seeks innovative solutions that transform fragmented healthcare delivery into integrated, intelligent, and patient-centered ecosystems.
Develop integrated systems capable of enabling preventive, predictive, and personalized healthcare throughout a woman's life, incorporating clinical, behavioral, environmental, and digital health information.
Develop innovative approaches that improve awareness, diagnosis, monitoring, and long-term management of frequently underdiagnosed conditions affecting women, including reproductive, hormonal, autoimmune, and age-related disorders.
Develop technologies, services, or policy interventions supporting healthy ageing, independence, and improved quality of life for elderly women.
Design innovative models that improve healthcare accessibility and affordability for women residing in underserved, rural, tribal, or geographically remote communities.
Climate change disproportionately affects women, particularly in vulnerable communities. This track explores how women can become catalysts for climate resilience and sustainable development.
Develop technologies or community-driven models enabling women to lead climate adaptation and resilience initiatives.
Design sustainable solutions that reduce the disproportionate burden borne by women in accessing water, sanitation, and clean energy.
Develop resilient livelihood models protecting women from climate-induced economic vulnerabilities.
Design gender-responsive disaster preparedness and recovery systems that enhance resilience before, during, and after natural disasters.
Rapid technological transformation is redefining employment, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Ensuring equitable participation requires innovative approaches to workforce development and economic inclusion.
Design systems that enable equitable participation of women in AI-enabled and technology-intensive industries.
Develop methodologies that recognize, quantify, and integrate unpaid care work into economic and policy frameworks.
Develop innovative pathways supporting women's successful re-entry into professional careers following career interruptions.
Strengthen innovation ecosystems supporting first-generation women entrepreneurs through technology, mentorship, financing, and market integration.
Innovation ecosystems continue to exhibit gender disparities in participation, leadership, commercialization, and research funding.
Increase long-term participation and retention of women within STEM education and research.
Strengthen international research collaboration opportunities for women scientists.
Design evidence-based systems for identifying, mentoring, and nurturing future women leaders across academia, industry, and government.
Develop indicators and benchmarking methodologies for evaluating women's participation within national and global innovation ecosystems.
Submissions will be evaluated by an international jury comprising experts from academia, industry, healthcare, innovation ecosystems, and public policy.
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Novelty and Originality |
20%
|
| Technical Merit |
20%
|
| Societal Relevance |
20%
|
| Sustainability and Scalability |
15%
|
| Feasibility and Implementation Strategy |
15%
|
| Presentation and Demonstration |
10%
|
The Top 3 participants will be invited to present their innovative ideas at the India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, during the 2nd Uttar Pradesh Section Women in Engineering International Conference (UPWIECON-2026) on 20 November 2026.
For registration details and queries, reach out to our team:
GL Bajaj Institute of Technology & Management, Greater Noida
Join UPWIECON Sustain-a-thon 2026 and design sustainable ecosystems that empower women across every stage of life.
Register Now
Phone: (+91) 9650339961 / 9910719256
1stMarch 2026
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Note: Papers accepted in Round 1, 2 and 3 of Rolling Acceptance will be asked to pay registration fee early
