IIT Patna Wins Acsia Hackathon 2025 for AI-Powered Copilot Project

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
IIT Patna emerged as the winner of Acsia Hackathon 2025, a 24-hour national innovation challenge organised by Acsia Technologies, a global provider of automotive software solutions powering Digital Cockpits & Displays, e-Mobility, and Telematics, at its Technopark Phase III campus in Thiruvananthapuram. The competition brought together bright young minds from across India to design AI/ML solutions for the mobility of the future.

The event attracted over 300 registrations from 92 premier educational institutions, including five IITs, with 14 finalist teams comprising 24 students competing in the final round. The hackathon was held in collaboration with µLearn and the IEEE Kerala Section.

Adhithyan V. P. from IIT Patna won the first prize for developing an AI-powered copilot that unifies Jira, GitHub, and Teams to predict risks, optimise workloads, and ensure compliance through intelligent automation.

The second prize went to Sridharan S. from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Chennai, for SmartCockpit AI – a generative in-car assistant that personalises comfort, infotainment, and safety in real time.

The third prize was awarded to Glenn Mathews and Nandana Murali from Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, for MatchMakerAI, a generative AI-based project staffing assistant that forms optimal, cost-aware teams with explainable insights.

A Special Jury Mention went to Ezhil Srikanth M. and Giridhar N. from Chennai Institute of Technology for their AI-driven team formation solution, Wizard AI.

Delivering the valedictory address, Dr. Achuthsankar S. Nair, retired professor, author, scholar, and former Director, CDIT, Government of Kerala, congratulated the participants and said:

“Innovation is not something we import – it’s innate. The ability to look at a problem and find a simple, practical solution is where true creativity lies. That’s why they often call it jugaad – an instinctive, frugal way of thinking that turns constraints into opportunities. Hackathons like this celebrate that spirit – the courage to experiment, to simplify, and to build something new with what you already have.”

The valedictory ceremony was attended by Dr. Rajasree M. S., CEO of TrEST Research Park, and Professor Asharaf S., Dean (Academic) of Digital University Kerala, who served as judges and announced the winners. Mr. Deepu S. Nath, Managing Director of FAYA and Chief Volunteer at µLearn, Mr. Anil S, VP – Engineering, Acsia Technologies, and Mr. Rejeesh R, VP – New Initiatives, Acsia Technologies, also addressed the gathering. The winners received cash prizes of ₹50,000, ₹25,000, and ₹15,000 respectively, along with goodies from Acsia. All participants received certificates and gift hampers.

Jijimon Chandran, Founder and CEO of Acsia Technologies, emphasised the company’s long-standing focus on industry–academia collaboration:

“Our journey with academia has always been about shared learning and growth. Through initiatives such as Wheels of the Future, Industry Immersion, Campus Connect, and the Acsia Finishing School, we’ve seen how young minds can turn ideas into impact when given the right platform. Acsia Hackathon continues that vision – it’s not just about coding, but about building curiosity, creativity, and confidence.”

Over the course of two days, participants tackled problem statements centred on AI/ML, agentic engineering tools and data analytics. Senior Acsia engineers mentored the teams, helping them apply design thinking and real-world system integration concepts.

Reflecting Acsia’s philosophy of ‘Simplifying the Complex,’ the hackathon marked another milestone in the company’s mission to foster innovation, bridge academia and industry, and prepare young engineers for the software-defined vehicle era.