IMC Awards 2026 Winners: Full List from the 10th India Mobile Congress, Including 5G Hackathon Champions

More than 800 startup teams entered the 5G Innovation Hackathon, but only six made it to the final winners list. That gives a good idea of how competitive the IMC Awards 2026 were this year.

The awards were presented during the 10th India Mobile Congress 2026 in New Delhi. This year’s winners covered everything from 5G and AI to drones, cybersecurity, cloud technology, farming and Made in India telecom products.

India Mobile Congress 2026 at a Glance

India Mobile Congress is one of Asia’s biggest telecom, media and technology events. It is organised by the Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Communications together with the Cellular Operators Association of India.

The 2026 edition was the tenth India Mobile Congress. It ran from 7 to 10 October 2026 at Yashobhoomi in Dwarka, New Delhi.

The event focused on nine major areas, including 5G and 6G, AI-powered networks, semiconductors, satellite and non-terrestrial networks, cybersecurity, quantum communication, enterprise technology, circular economy and electronics manufacturing.

In simple terms, non-terrestrial networks means internet connectivity delivered through satellites or high-altitude platforms instead of only through towers on the ground. Circular economy is about reusing and recycling electronics so fewer devices end up as e-waste.

IMC Awards 2026: Complete Winners List

5G Innovation Hackathon 2026: From 800 Entries to 6 Winners

The most interesting part of the awards was the 5G Innovation Hackathon 2026, a nationwide challenge started by Ericsson India. Startups, researchers, colleges and independent innovators were asked to build practical solutions using 5G, AI, cloud and IoT.

IoT, or Internet of Things, refers to connected devices such as sensors, cameras, wearables and machines that can send and receive data. With fast 5G connectivity and lower delay, these devices can react almost in real time.

The selection happened in three stages. From around 800 applications, 20 teams reached the final shortlist. A jury made up of telecom industry leaders and government representatives then selected the winners.

Meet the 5G Hackathon Winners

Torchit is known for assistive technology for people with visual impairment. Skye Air Mobility works on drone delivery in India, where fast and reliable connectivity can help with safer operations. scanO uses AI to help screen oral health using smartphone photos.

The runners up were Okulo Aerospace, Proxgy and KissanAI. Their work spans drones and aerospace, connected IoT wearables and AI tools designed for Indian farmers.

One thing stands out here: many of the winning ideas focus on healthcare, farming, accessibility and drones. These are areas where better connectivity can make a real difference outside major cities as well.

What Jyotiraditya Scindia Said at IMC 2026

Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia said India’s progress in technology is being driven by young innovators and by stronger telecom coverage, affordability and inclusion.

“India’s phenomenal rise is driven by our youth’s ability to innovate and think out of the box. The tremendous success of our telecom story over the last decade has achieved unparalleled coverage, inclusivity and affordability. The true value lies in IP and in the area of innovation.”

He also spoke about India’s journey from self-reliance today towards the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. His focus on IP, or intellectual property, is important because owning technology can create much more long-term value than simply using technology developed elsewhere.

Made in India and Telecom Export Winners

Homegrown technology and exports were a major theme at the IMC Awards 2026. Space World Digital Solutions won Best Made in India Telecom Innovation, while Aerial Telecom Solutions won Best MSME in Telecom Ecosystem.

Tanla Platforms was named Biggest Indian Telecom Technology Exporter of the Year. The Hyderabad-based company is widely known for business messaging services, including the OTPs and alerts many users receive on their phones.

Nokia Solutions and Networks India won Biggest Telecom Technology Exporter of the Year. CTDI received the Sustainable Growth Award for its work in the telecom ecosystem.

Cloud, Software and Cybersecurity Winners

Ericsson won Most Innovative Telecom Software. HCL Tech took Best Cloud Solution for Telco Ecosystem, while Fortinet won Best Security, Privacy and Authentication Driven Solution of the Year.

These areas matter because modern mobile networks now depend heavily on software, cloud systems and strong security. Better software can help operators manage traffic and faults faster, while stronger security becomes more important as scams, SIM-swap fraud and data theft increase.

Sundaram Clayton Wins for a Real-World 5G Use Case

Sundaram Clayton Ltd. won Most Innovative 5G Use Case Deployed for the Year. In a factory environment, 5G can be used for connected machines, live quality checks and automation. This shows how the technology is moving beyond faster phone downloads and into manufacturing.

Best Exhibitors at IMC 2026

Qualcomm, best known for Snapdragon chips used in many Android phones, won for its interactive exhibit. Ciena, which works on optical networking and fibre infrastructure, received the Most Innovative Tech Display award.

What IMC 2026 Means for Your Next 5G Phone

Awards for cloud software, exports and network technology may seem far removed from everyday smartphone use, but they directly affect the networks people use every day. Better telecom software can improve reliability, stronger security can reduce fraud risk, and more local manufacturing can help make 5G devices more affordable.

This is already visible in recent launches such as the Lava Bold N1 5G Special Edition, the Redmi 17C 5G sale and the vivo V80 and X Fold6 launch.

You can also check the hand-picked phone collection for quick comparisons.

The Bigger Picture from the 10th India Mobile Congress

After ten editions, India Mobile Congress is no longer only about telecom operators and network equipment. It now brings together drones, AI, satellite connectivity, quantum communication, cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing.

The IMC Awards 2026 reflect that change. Startups working on farming, healthcare and accessibility shared the stage with major global companies such as Ericsson, Nokia and Qualcomm, while Indian companies were recognised for building and exporting telecom technology.

With 6G research, satellite networks and AI-powered infrastructure becoming more important, future editions of IMC could have an even bigger impact on how India stays connected.