“Friends don't lie.” — calibrating the Upside Down…
Four tracks. One gate. Build something the Upside Down hasn't seen — on the floor at Amity Kolkata, the night the world flickers.
Registrations are closed for Catalyst 2026
We hope you join the party next year.
Follow the signal
Updates, team calls, announcements, and behind-the-scenes drops land here first.
Gate opens in
Reward - For Those Who Survive
Total Pool · Worth of prizes
₹50,000 worth of prize pool across cash and non-cash rewards. Every track crowns a single champion, with ₹10,000 worth of prizes per track.
Track-wise rewards · sponsor goodies · internship interviews · bragging rights until '27
Channels - Four Frequencies, Four Patrons
Each track is guarded by a resident of Hawkins. Pick your patron. Build your case. One winner per track takes home ₹10,000 worth of prizes.
"Mornings are for coffee and contemplation."
- The Chief - steady under pressure, the one who runs toward the dark.
Diagnostic intelligence, predictive care, patient triage, medical imaging, drug discovery copilots, mental-health companions.
"Curiosity Voyager."
- The Strategist - reads the patterns, breaks the code, beats the system.
Fraud detection, risk modelling, autonomous trading agents, credit intelligence for the underbanked, embedded finance copilots.
"I made it eighty-five days."
- The Sensitive - attuned to what others miss, the first to feel the shift.
Climate intelligence, carbon accounting, biodiversity monitoring, energy-grid optimisation, circular supply chains, disaster prediction.
"Friends don't lie."
- The Prodigy - raw power shaped into purpose, learning in public.
Adaptive tutors, accessibility tools, regional-language learning, assessment copilots, skill-gap mapping, teacher augmentation.
This isn't a separate track — it's a cross-track special award. Teams from any of the four tracks (Healthcare, Fintech, Sustainability, or Education) can integrate Stellar's blockchain into their project and become eligible for this award — on top of their track prizes.
Build on Stellar. Use its SDKs, smart contracts, or decentralised infrastructure alongside your AI solution. The team that makes the best use of the Stellar blockchain — as judged across all tracks — wins.
Four tracks. Four winners. One special Stellar award. ₹50,000+ worth of prize pool.
Choose your patron →Backers — Signal Amplifiers
The partners keeping the lights on when Hawkins flickers.
Leading the charge for Catalyst 2K26.
Compute, storage, and the grid beneath it all.
Powering decentralised innovation on-chain.
The allies amplifying the signal.
The network. The signal carriers.
Want your name through the gate? Partner with Catalyst 2K26.
Become a Sponsor →Transmission — 21 / 22 May 2026
Check-in & breakfast.
Tracks revealed. Clock starts.
Twenty-four hours on the wire.
Industry experts on the floor.
Energy. Music. Beautiful chaos.
Pencils down. Eyes up.
Pitch to the jury.
Champions of Hawkins crowned.
Location — The Gate, on Earth
Major Arterial Road, Action Area II,
Rajarhat, New Town,
Kolkata, West Bengal — 700135
“When the gate opens, follow the flicker.”
Transmissions - Decoded
Yes, the registration fee is ₹200 per participant.
Yes, teams can change their track even on the day of the event.
Yes, internet access, charging points, and food will be provided throughout the event. Detailed information will be shared with team leaders via email.
Yes, participants must remain at the venue for the entire duration of the hackathon.
Yes, certificates will be issued to all registered team members.
No refunds will be provided. Refunds will only be issued if decided by the organizing team.
Yes, support will be available to guide participants during the event.
Open Channel — Transmit to Hawkins
Questions, sponsorships, press, or partnership proposals — send a signal and we'll transmit back within 48 hours.
