OpenAI Academy × NxtWave Host Regional Buildathon in Chennai, Showcasing Tamil Nadu’s Emerging GenAI Talent
The OpenAI Academy × NxtWave Regional Buildathon in Chennai brought together 400 young innovators from across Tamil Nadu, highlighting the state’s rising GenAI talent—especially from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. The event was inaugurated by Srutanjay Narayanan, IAS, Joint Chief Executive Officer of the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency, and forms part of the nationwide OpenAI Academy × NxtWave Buildathon, India’s largest GenAI challenge.
The winners of this regional event will secure a place in the grand finale of the national buildathon, a major pre-summit engagement for the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, a flagship global conference hosted by the Government of India under the India-AI Mission.
Hosted at AMET University, the two-day buildathon enabled students to design prototypes addressing real-world challenges in fields such as healthcare, education, agriculture, business, and public safety. Participants worked with advanced tools including OpenAI’s GPT-4.1, GPT-4.0, and multimodal AI systems, guided by over 50 expert mentors from NxtWave.
“AI Talent from Every Corner of Tamil Nadu Is Rising”
Addressing the students, Mr. Srutanjay Narayanan, IAS, praised the remarkable innovation displayed by participants from smaller towns and institutions.
He said,
“It’s inspiring to see students from Tier-2 and Tier-3 universities engaging with cutting-edge technology at such an early stage. Understanding the fundamentals of AI will help India lead global innovation. I am impressed by the quality of projects here, and our e-governance agencies are open to supporting impactful applications developed by talented youth.”
Colleges Across Tamil Nadu Participate
Students from leading institutions such as SIMATS College of Engineering, Sathyabama University, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Coimbatore), Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Anna University Regional Campus (Madurai), Dhirajlal Gandhi College of Technology (Salem), VIT Vellore, and many others took part in the event.
NxtWave on Democratizing AI Education
Rahul Attuluri, CEO and Co-Founder of NxtWave, highlighted the movement’s mission to bring AI skills to every corner of the country.
He said,
“The Chennai regional buildathon helped us tap into exceptional AI talent across Tamil Nadu. With over 70,000 learners participating nationally, our mission is to democratize AI education and empower young minds to build job-ready skills by solving real-world problems. Tamil Nadu is emerging as a major contributor to India’s AI future.”
High-Impact AI Prototypes Steal the Show
Students showcased a wide range of socially impactful, scalable, and locally relevant AI-drivenen innovations, including:
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Smart Village Transformation Kits
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AI Teachers for government schools
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IoT-based rainwater harvesting systems
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Soil health scanners
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Cattle-monitoring smart tags
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Real-time smart bus stops powered by solar energy
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Pothole detection mobile apps
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Smart dustbins with auto-compression and municipal alerts
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Women’s safety smart rings with GPS and SOS functionality
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Plastic-to-fuel conversion devices
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Automatic solar panel cleaning robots
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Portable health ATMs and low-cost atmospheric water generators
A Glimpse into India’s GenAI Future
With strong participation from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, the Chennai Regional Buildathon demonstrated the growing depth of AI talent across Tamil Nadu. The innovative prototypes presented reflect India’s potential to emerge as a global leader in AI innovation—driven by young minds solving real-world challenges across rural and urban sectors.
The event concluded with optimism and excitement as students prepare for the national grand finale of the OpenAI Academy × NxtWave Buildathon, contributing to India’s future as a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
