APIS holds MSME Digital Hackathon

Andhra Pradesh Innovation Society (APIS), the nodal agency for implementing the State Innovation & Startup Policy, has announced the results of the MSME Digital Hackathon 2025.

The announcement follows the completion of the evaluation process and publication of the official notification by APIS. Launched in October 2025 by the AP MSME Development Corporation in collaboration with APIS, the hackathon aimed to identify cutting-edge digital and AI-driven solutions designed to strengthen the MSME ecosystem in the State.

The initiative aligns with Andhra Pradesh’s ongoing mission to foster entrepreneurship, improve accessibility to government services, enhance digital compliance, and boost export competitiveness through scalable innovation-led platforms.

The hackathon received an overwhelming response with 350 applications submitted from startups and innovators across India. After multiple rounds of screening and evaluation, the top three winners were selected across three key innovation categories — AI-Based DPR

Preparation Tool, AI-Powered Chatbot for the MSME ONE Portal, and SaaS-Based Cross-Border Export Console. The winners were jointly finalized by AP MSME Development Corporation and APIS based on innovation, feasibility, impact potential, and scalability.

The winners of the 2025 edition are: Sudhakar Pantula, Prospecta Technologies India Pvt. Ltd. — winner under the category AI-Based Chatbot for the MSME One Portal, Akhil Reddy, Citta Marketing Agency — winner in two categories under the Startup segment for his innovative solutions: AI-Based DPR Preparation Tool and SaaS-Based Cross-Border Export Console

Chief Executive Officer, APIS & RTIH P. Dhatri Reddy reaffirmed APIS's ongoing commitment to fostering innovation, stating: “As the State’s nodal agency for the Innovation & Startup Policy, we will continue to organise similar hackathons and challenge-based procurement events. We invite government departments, PSUs, and corporate partners to collaborate with us by sharing problem statements that require innovative solutions. A unified digital platform for hosting all hackathons and challenge programs will be launched soon.”

She said all technical and handholding support for the winning solutions will be facilitated through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub (RTIH) to ensure smooth adoption and implementation across relevant government systems.

Extending his remarks, Vishwa M, Chief Executive Officer, AP MSME Development Corporation, congratulated the winners and appreciated their contributions, stating: “These solutions demonstrate strong potential for driving digital transformation within the MSME sector. We look forward to supporting implementation and scaling these innovations to enhance efficiency and service quality for MSMEs across the State."