Rajasthan celebrates ideas, innovation, IT and startups with 5th DigiFest in Bikaner

Bikaner, known for its lipsmacking snacks and awe-inspiring heritage structures, is playing host to one of the biggest tech-focused gatherings in the country, the fifth edition of the Rajasthan DigiFest.

As with previous editions held in Jaipur, Kota and Udaipur, the DigiFest has lined up a range of events that focus on giving startups, students, entrepreneurs, innovators and tech enthusiasts a platform to explore potential partnerships, business connects, expert guidance, investments, and more.

Speakers at the event include influencers and business leaders such as Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Manipal Global Education & Aarin Capital and Padmaja Ruparel of the Indian Angel Network. Other expert speakers on technology and startups include Sauvik Banerjjee, VP – TATA Industries and CTO of TATA CliQ, and Shradha Sharma, YourStory Founder & CEO.

What’s in store at the Bikaner Digifest

In addition to the main stage where tech tycoons, startup founders and business leaders will share their expertise, there are several other workshops and talks organized in parallel tracks. The three-day event also features some cool events that showcase technology in an unusual manner.

The International Balloon Challenge

The challenge received hundreds of entries from around the country and 10 winners will see their payload flown ‘near space’ from the beautiful desert around Bikaner, free of cost, on July 25. They will also receive an acknowledgement from the Government of Rajasthan for successfully completing their mission on July 27.

TecRush

There’s nothing like a great run to relieve stress and make you feel like you’re on top of the world. The Bikaner Digifest kicks off with the TecRush marathon, open to everyone, on the evening of July 25. Given the number of participants expected, based on the registrations received, there should be a few thousand people getting energised with a great run to get things going at the DigiFest. Plus, there are thousands of prizes to be won over just a couple of hours.

Hackathon 5.0, EduHack and Green-A-Thon

DigiFest hackathons are unique, not just because they bring together thousands of participants from across students and tech geeks, but because of what they seek to achieve and the rewards on offer. For one, the hackathons – Hackathon 5.0, Green-A-Thon, EduHack, e-Mitra hackathon – offer problem statements covering social impact areas such as sustainable solutions, citizen-centric services, education, and more. The winning ideas for each of these don’t just stay on paper. The winners get contracts worth up to Rs 32 lakh to actually work with the State Government and see their solutions come to life. There are also a host of goodies being given away.

EduHack is a 24-hour hackathon aimed at giving teachers, professors, lecturers and educationists an opportunity to create path-breaking solutions to improve the education system.

The Green-A-Thon is also a 24-hour coding competition that provides a platform for green ideas trying to make the world more sustainable. Participants will showcase their ingenious ideas related to sustainable energy and environmental causes. The first edition of Green-A-Thon saw 800 coders develop sustainable solutions to make state cities smart and green.

The second edition of the e-Mitra Hackathon will see owners of e-Mitra kiosks pitch their innovative ideas on how to enhance and simplify the usage of e-Mitra services using electronic media.

Startup Fest

DigiFest will also see a host of startups, investors, mentors, tech experts and business leaders come together to explore how to work together and catalyse early-stage startups. In addition to a pitching session that will be attended by venture capitalists, HNIs, angel & seed investors, entrepreneurs will also get a chance to find mentors and experts who can provide them with the guidance that they need to take their startups to the next stage.

Job Fair

The three-day event also features a Job Fair that will run on all three days. It is an opportunity for the youth to get hired by leading companies and give their career the start that it needs. Over 100 companies and 15,000 applicants have taken part in Job Fairs organized in the past. According to the organizers, over 2,500 job offers have been made while another 5,000 were shortlisted for further evaluation over the course of the past four Digifests.

Rajasthan IT Expo

The IT Expo features exhibitions from startups in the state, as well as the various e-governance initiatives by the State Government. In addition, you can have your fill of the latest smart machines, including robots and drones. There’s also a special exhibit featuring virtual reality and augmented reality. The IT Expo promises “a universe full of new experiences, state-of-the-art technology and latest scientific inventions.”

Follow the Bikaner DigiFest on Twitter through the hashtag #RajasthanDigifest.