Hyundai CoE Launches Mobility Innovation Ideathon and Research Synergy Forum in India

New Delhi, India, September 21, 2026: Hyundai Motor Group is strengthening its focus on India’s future mobility ecosystem with the launch of the Hyundai Centre of Excellence (Hyundai CoE) Mobility Innovation Ideathon and the Research Synergy Forum.

The two initiatives are designed to deepen collaboration between industry and academia by bringing together students, professors and researchers from Hyundai CoE’s seven member universities. The programmes will focus on innovation, knowledge exchange and developing talent for future mobility technologies.

Established in 2025, Hyundai CoE serves as Hyundai Motor Group’s collaborative research platform with leading Indian academic institutions. Its member universities include IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Hyderabad, VNIT Nagpur and Tezpur University.

Through research partnerships and academic collaboration, Hyundai CoE aims to strengthen India-specific mobility R&D capabilities while contributing to the country’s wider innovation ecosystem.

Hyundai Mobility Innovation Ideathon

The Mobility Innovation Ideathon will run from September through early December 2026 and will invite students from Hyundai CoE member universities to develop ideas around the theme “Enhanced In-Vehicle Experience.”

The competition comes as automotive technology increasingly combines artificial intelligence, digital technologies, software-defined vehicles, advanced user interfaces and personalised mobility services.

Students will be encouraged to develop concepts addressing the specific requirements of Indian customers and the country’s diverse mobility environment.

The four challenge categories are:

• India-Smart Interaction
• AI-Powered & Digital In-Vehicle Experience
• Next-Generation In-Vehicle Interface
• Smart Value Innovation

Students can submit their ideas through the dedicated Ideathon microsite. Each participating university will conduct a preliminary screening, with the preliminary winners scheduled to be announced on October 30, 2026.

The selected university winners will then participate in an offline semi-final evaluation conducted by Hyundai Motor Group judges. Seven finalist teams will advance to the final round on December 16, 2026, where a Hyundai Motor Group jury will select the grand prize winner.

Hyundai Motor Group plans to distribute approximately ₹10 lakh in prize money among the seven finalist teams.

Bijaya Ketan Panigrahi, Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Delhi and Hyundai CoE Co-Chair, said the Ideathon would provide an opportunity to discover new ideas from students at leading Indian universities and gain insights into the Indian mobility market and customers.

Chang Yeon Cho, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India Engineering, said the company expects student-driven ideas to contribute to future mobility research and enhanced customer experiences, while helping build a stronger industry-academia collaboration channel connecting Indian talent with Hyundai Motor Group.

Research Synergy Forum to focus on future mobility

Alongside the student Ideathon, Hyundai CoE will conduct the Research Synergy Forum, a faculty-focused research exchange programme aimed at strengthening collaboration between Hyundai researchers and professors from its member universities.

The forum will provide an opportunity to share research outcomes and discuss potential areas for future collaboration. Key areas will include batteries, electrification and future mobility.

The programme is also expected to facilitate greater research exchange among faculty members across Hyundai CoE universities and identify practical opportunities for collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group’s R&D divisions.

Hyundai expands industry-academia collaboration

The Mobility Innovation Ideathon and Research Synergy Forum expand Hyundai CoE’s industry-academia engagement beyond individual research projects to include talent discovery, idea generation, research networking and future mobility innovation.

Through its continued partnerships with leading Indian universities and researchers, Hyundai Motor Group aims to develop the next generation of mobility innovators while strengthening India-focused research and development capabilities for future mobility.