Bhubaneswar: To promote innovation and entrepreneurial thinking among the youth, the OdiaPreneur Smart Odisha Hackathon 3.0 is being organised for students.
The state-level hackathon is a joint initiative of Odisha’s Directorate of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE), Research and Entrepreneurship part of IIT Bhubaneswar, and UNICEF. It will be conducted for students of Higher Secondary Schools and Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas across the state.
As part of this initiative, the OdiaPreneur web portal was formally launched today by Niyati Pattnaik, Director, DHSE. Through this portal, students can showcase their creative ideas and, with the guidance of their mentors, register their innovative concepts online.
The event was attended by Smita Raut, SPD, OAVs, Naresh Chandra Sahu, Assistant Professor, IIT Bhubaneswar, Lalita Pattnaik, Education Specialist, UNICEF, C.H. Vijayalakshmi, Deputy Director and Umakant Sethy, OIC, SAMS, among others.
Speaking on the initiative, Director Niyati Pattnaik said the OdiaPreneur Smart Odisha Hackathon will collect the best innovative ideas from students across the state. She added that the program would not only encourage creativity but also offer students opportunities to interact with industry and entrepreneurs, helping them learn from real-world experiences.
Expressing IIT Bhubaneswar’s enthusiasm, Naresh Chandra Sahu said that the institute is proud to collaborate with DHSE to empower the next generation of innovators in Odisha. He added that the hackathon will provide students with a platform to display their talent, creativity, and problem-solving abilities, while experts will mentor them to achieve excellence.
UNICEF Education Specialist Lalita Pattnaik appreciated DHSE’s efforts and noted that the hackathon would help channel students’ innovative thinking towards solving real social challenges.
Over 3,000 students from across the state are expected to participate in the hackathon scheduled for December 2025 and January 2026. More than 900 innovative ideas are likely to be submitted. Participation will primarily include students of Classes XI and XII.
The Smart Odisha Hackathon will focus on key themes such as agriculture, healthcare, renewable energy, and waste management. Over the next two months, the program will be conducted at three levels—school, district, and finally at the state level.
