Eligibility

DataNova 2026 – Global Data-thon welcomes innovative thinkers and problem-solvers from around the world who are passionate about Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and technology-driven innovation.

Eligible participants may include:

  • University and college students from any academic discipline.

  • Researchers, academics, and aspiring innovators.

  • Working professionals, data scientists, software developers, and AI/ML practitioners.

  • Individuals and teams interested in solving real-world problems through data-driven approaches.

Participants should register through the official competition platform and comply with all event rules, submission deadlines, and eligibility requirements published by the organizers.

Participation is subject to the official event guidelines. Please refer to the competition listing for any applicable age, team-size, geographic, or institutional restrictions.

Project and Submission Requirements

Participants are expected to develop and submit an original project that addresses a meaningful problem using data, analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, or related technologies.

Each submission should clearly communicate the following:

  • Project Overview: A concise explanation of the solution and its purpose.

  • Problem Statement: The real-world challenge being addressed and its significance.

  • Proposed Solution: The approach, methodology, and key features of the project.

  • Technology Stack: Tools, frameworks, programming languages, datasets, and models used.

  • Implementation and Demonstration: A working prototype, code repository, demo video, screenshots, or other relevant evidence, as applicable.

  • Results and Validation: Testing, evaluation, findings, or other evidence supporting the solution's effectiveness.

  • Potential Impact: The expected practical value, feasibility, scalability, and potential beneficiaries.

  • Team Contributions: Clear identification of team members and their respective contributions, where applicable.

Submission Guidelines

  1. Projects must be submitted through the official Devpost challenge page before the published deadline.

  2. Participants must have the rights and permissions necessary to use submitted code, datasets, models, and other project materials.

  3. Third-party libraries, open-source components, external APIs, and pre-existing work must be appropriately acknowledged.

  4. Submissions must not contain plagiarized material, fabricated results, or misleading claims about functionality or performance.

  5. Participants must follow applicable privacy, data protection, cybersecurity, and responsible AI practices.

  6. Organizers may request demonstrations or clarifications to verify project functionality and the authenticity of submitted work.

Please consult the official challenge page for the final deadline, required deliverables, team-size limits, and any additional submission instructions.

Prizes

DataNova 2026 – Global Data-thon recognizes outstanding projects for their innovation, technical quality, and potential real-world impact.

Cash Prizes

  • First Prize: USD $1,000

  • Second Prize: USD $500

  • Third Prize: USD $250

In addition to the cash awards, selected participants may receive tool memberships or other benefits, subject to the final prize terms announced by the organizers.

Recognition and Opportunities

  • Recognition as a winner of DataNova 2026 – Global Data-thon.

  • Official winner certificates, subject to the organizers' award and verification process.

  • Opportunities to showcase projects and demonstrate technical capabilities.

  • Visibility among participating professionals, researchers, and the wider innovation community.

Prize Conditions

Prize eligibility, distribution, payment procedures, applicable taxes, and any additional award conditions will be communicated by the organizing committee. Winners may be required to verify their identity, eligibility, and project ownership before prizes are distributed.

Only awards and benefits explicitly confirmed by the organizers should be considered guaranteed.

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection

Projects will be evaluated by the DataNova judging panel based on the competition's published criteria and the relevance of each submission to its selected challenge area.

The evaluation will consider the following dimensions:

  • Innovation and Originality: Novelty of the idea, creativity of the approach, and differentiation from existing solutions.

  • Technical Quality: Soundness of the methodology, implementation quality, appropriate use of technologies, and technical depth.

  • Problem Relevance: Clarity of the problem statement, importance of the challenge, and alignment between the problem and proposed solution.

  • Data and Analytical Rigor: Appropriate use of data, quality of analysis, model evaluation, validation methods, and interpretation of results.

  • Practical Feasibility and Impact: Potential for real-world application, scalability, usefulness, and measurable benefit.

  • Presentation and Documentation: Clarity of the project explanation, quality of supporting materials, demonstration, and reproducibility where applicable.

Winner Selection Process

  1. Submission Review: Eligible submissions are checked for completeness and compliance with the published rules.

  2. Project Evaluation: Judges assess eligible projects using the established evaluation framework.

  3. Shortlisting: Projects with strong evaluations may advance to subsequent rounds, where applicable.

  4. Final Evaluation: Shortlisted teams may be asked to demonstrate their solutions or answer questions from the judging panel.

  5. Final Results: Winners are determined by the authorized judging panel based on the applicable scoring criteria and evaluation process.

The organizing committee will oversee the competition process and address procedural concerns. Judges are expected to evaluate projects objectively and disclose any relevant conflicts of interest.

The final winners will be announced through the official communication channels identified by the organizers.

Important: The organizers should publish the final scoring weights, tie-breaking rules, conflict-of-interest procedure, and round-specific requirements before judging begins. The criteria above describe the proposed framework; they should not be represented as a finalized weighted rubric until formally approved.