ICEA Announces Top 5 Winners of TruthTell Hackathon: AI Solutions to Combat Misinformation

ICEA Announces Top 5 Winners of TruthTell Hackathon Ahead of WAVES 2025

Selected from over 5,600+ registrations from across the globe, the following five winning innovators won a cumulative cash prize of INR 10 lakhs: Team Unicron from Delhi won for their innovative work - Anvesha, in detecting misinformation across text, images, and videos. Team Alchemist from Dehradun was recognized for VeriStream: Fact-First in Every Frame, a holistic solution that uses LangChain-powered NLP, dynamic knowledge graphs, GIS insights, and Explainable AI to detect and correct misinformation in live broadcasts. Team Whooshing Liars from Bengaluru received the award for Nexus of Truth, an AI-powered tool designed to detect deepfakes, fact-check news articles, and flag false content in real time, with multilingual support and live-streaming alerts. Team Bug Smashers from Delhi was awarded for Live Truth: AI Powered Misinformation Detector, a solution that combines local Large Language Models (LLM) and fact-checking APIs to provide real-time credibility scores, along with community-driven validation through GPS-based SMS verification during live broadcasts. Team Vortex Squad from Bengaluru won for Real-Time Misinformation Detection and Fact-Checking System, an AI-driven tool that addresses the challenge of detecting and flagging misinformation during live events, ensuring accuracy and transparency in real time.

ICEA Announces Top 5 Winners of TruthTell Hackathon as Part of Upcoming WAVES Summit 2025

~Winners will be rewarded ₹10 lakh in prizes cumulatively; solutions to be showcased at WAVES 2025~ India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB), today announced the top five winners of the TruthTell Hackathon -- a global challenge to combat misinformation and manipulated media through technology. This Hackathon is part of the 'Create in India Challenge' for the upcoming World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025. The winners were felicitated at a showcase event held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, where the top 25 shortlisted innovators demonstrated their working prototypes to a panel of industry experts. Selected from over 5,600+ registrations from across the globe, the following five winning innovators won a cumulative cash prize of INR 10 lakhs: Team Unicron from Delhi won for their innovative work - Anvesha, in detecting misinformation across text, images, and videos. Team Alchemist from Dehradun was recognized for VeriStream: Fact-First in Every Frame, a holistic solution that uses LangChain-powered NLP, dynamic knowledge graphs, GIS insights, and Explainable AI to detect and correct misinformation in live broadcasts. Team Whooshing Liars from Bengaluru received the award for Nexus of Truth, an AI-powered tool designed to detect deepfakes, fact-check news articles, and flag false content in real time, with multilingual support and live-streaming alerts. Team Bug Smashers from Delhi was awarded for Live Truth: AI Powered Misinformation Detector, a solution that combines local Large Language Models (LLM) and fact-checking APIs to provide real-time credibility scores, along with community-driven validation through GPS-based SMS verification during live broadcasts. Team Vortex Squad from Bengaluru won for Real-Time Misinformation Detection and Fact-Checking System, an AI-driven tool that addresses the challenge of detecting and flagging misinformation during live events, ensuring accuracy and transparency in real time. Each of these teams demonstrated innovative approaches aimed at improving media integrity and combating misinformation during live broadcasts. Their solutions, ranging from AI verification tools to manipulated media detection systems, will now be showcased at the upcoming WAVES Summit in Mumbai from 1-4 May 2025. The hackathon forms part of the WAVES 2025 to promote responsible innovation in the media and technology landscape. The event was graced by esteemed dignitaries, including Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & IT and CEO, IndiaAI Mission, and Shri Sanjiv Shankar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. The distinguished jury for the TruthTell Hackathon Grand Finale included Shri. Jeet Vijayvargiya, Former CEO, MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), Shri. Vikram Malhotra, Director - AI Tech Strategist at Microsoft India, Shri. Alok Gurtu, Managing Partner at ABG Venture Partners, Dr. Avik Sarkar, Senior Researcher & Visiting Faculty at the Indian School of Business (ISB), and Shri Shashank Vaishnav, Co-Founder & CTO, STAGE. Speaking at the event, Mr. Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman, ICEA, said, 'India has long witnessed the power of rumour - from village folklore to misguided beliefs and in today's digital age, misinformation doesn't walk - it flies. Therefore, stepping into the digital realm to tackle the issue of misinformation is now more crucial than ever. The rapid spread of falsehoods, especially in this digital age, presents a serious challenge. However, with the bright and innovative minds we have here today -- including a remarkable 36% female participation -- I am confident we will create robust, future-ready solutions. These aren't just prize-winning ideas; they are blueprints for how India can lead the world in building ethical, AI-driven solutions for complex digital threats." Further congratulating the winners, Mr. Mohindroo said that the journey of the winners is just beginning and he looks forward to seeing their solutions make a real-world impact. He also stated that the ideas presented during the TruthTell Hackathon will continue to push boundaries and lead AI innovation on the global stage. Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & IT, GoI, stated, "In an era where AI can convincingly mimic voices, images, and even entire identities, distinguishing fact from fiction has become a pressing challenge. The TruthTell Hackathon is a significant step in addressing this issue, and I commend all the participants for their efforts in developing innovative solutions. The work being done here will contribute immensely to combating the spread of misinformation and protecting society from its harmful consequences. We are committed to supporting initiatives like this, which empower the nation to leverage AI for responsible innovation. I believe these solutions will not only be valuable to India but will also play an essential role in the global fight against misinformation." Congratulating ICEA for organising this hackathon, Shri Singh said that through this hackathon we are investing in preserving trust - currency of our digital future and expressed hope that the top 5 winners will further develop the best solutions to combat misinformation. Shri Sanjiv Shankar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, GoI, said, "The TruthTell Hackathon is a vital step towards addressing the challenges posed by misinformation in today's digital age. As one of 32 challenges under 'Create in India Challenge,' this initiative brings together young innovators from across the globe to solve one of the most significant issues affecting the media and entertainment industry. Misinformation can derail societal harmony and disrupt lives, which is why it's crucial for us to find technological solutions that can flag false content in real-time. I congratulate all the participants for their impressive ideas and encourage them to keep innovating. We look forward to seeing these solutions presented at WAVES 2025, where they will be showcased to an international audience, potentially influencing the future of responsible media. Together, we can shape a more informed, secure digital ecosystem for the future." Launched in October 2024, the TruthTell Hackathon received over 450 unique idea submissions from students and professionals across 300+ cities, with 36% of participants being women. After multiple rounds of screening and mentorship, 25 finalists were selected to participate in the on-ground finale in Delhi. They represent the incredible energy of India's youth - from Coimbatore to Chandigarh, and from Bangalore to Bhopal. Supported by the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY), and the IndiaAI Mission, the TruthTell Hackathon aligns with the Government of India's broader vision to promote ethical AI and strengthen trust in digital ecosystems through innovation-led problem solving by done India's young population. For more information, visit https://icea.org.in/truthtell About ICEA ICEA is the premier industry association that works with electronics and technology companies in India. Our vision is to transform India into a global technology powerhouse by fostering seamless integration between hardware and software capabilities. Through our leadership, we are building a dynamic ecosystem that champions innovation and drives excellence.