NIFTEM-K hosts 24-hour AI hackathon to develop solutions for alternative protein industry

New Delhi: The National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli (NIFTEM-K), has hosted a 24-hour artificial intelligence (AI) hackathon aimed at developing technology-driven solutions for challenges in the alternative protein industry, bringing together more than 90 participants from 10 states.

Titled Hack the Fork, the event was held on October 24–25 in collaboration with France-based non-profit initiative Hack the Fork. It focused on applying AI to areas such as plant-based food innovation, fermentation technologies, nutritional optimisation, food safety, sustainable food production and food waste reduction.

Of more than 85 teams that applied, 25 were shortlisted for the final round. A total of 22 teams participated in the hackathon, representing a range of institutions and disciplines, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) and the University of Delhi.

The participating teams presented their solutions to an expert jury after working on the challenges during the 24-hour event. The winning teams competed for prizes worth Rs 1.5 lakh and opportunities to join NIFTEM-K’s Startup Incubation Programme.

The hackathon sought to explore how AI could help address emerging challenges in alternative protein development and contribute to more sustainable food systems. The areas of interest included improving nutritional outcomes, strengthening food safety, making food production more sustainable and reducing waste.

Dr Harinder Singh Oberoi, Director of NIFTEM-K, said the initiative could encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and help young innovators develop practical, technology-based solutions for the food sector. He also urged participants to explore new ideas that could support a more sustainable and future-ready food-processing ecosystem.

The event was inaugurated by Alice Pjie, Director of Hack the Fork, on October 24.

The hackathon was coordinated by Dr Vimal Pant, Professor at NIFTEM-K and CEO of NTIBIF. Participants received guidance from mentors representing the Good Food Institute (GFI) India, IIIT Sonepat and the University of Delhi.

The mentors included Chaitanya Chilukuri, Science and Technology Associate at GFI India; Svarnim Samant, Regional Mentor at GFI India; Dr Saurabh Jain, Associate Professor at IIIT Sonepat; and Abhishek Shukla, Research Scholar at the University of Delhi.

Beyond the competition, the opportunity to enter NIFTEM-K’s Startup Incubation Programme could help selected teams explore the next steps in developing their ideas into potential ventures.

The event highlights growing interest in applying AI to food technology, particularly in alternative proteins, where innovation in ingredients, processing, nutrition and sustainability could shape future food production systems.