NABARD Hackathon

AI-Driven Cash Flow Prediction & Risk Flagging for Rural Micro Enterprises

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About the Hackathon

The NABARD Hackathon @ GFF 2026 invites startups, fintechs, AI innovators, students, developers and technology professionals to build innovative solutions that strengthen rural financial inclusion through data-driven intelligence.

Participants are invited to develop an AI-driven Cash Flow Prediction & Risk Flagging System for rural micro enterprises using alternative data sources, digital payment signals and market intelligence.

The hackathon aims to encourage innovative solutions that enable financial institutions and development agencies to better understand the financial health of rural enterprises, improve credit access and facilitate timely interventions.

Problem Statement

The Challenge

AI-Driven Cash Flow Prediction & Risk Flagging System for Rural Micro Enterprises

Context

A rich rural data ecosystem, largely untapped

India has millions of rural micro enterprises, including SHGs, FPOs and individual entrepreneurs. These entities often lack formal credit histories, limiting their access to structured financial services.

However, the rapid adoption of digital payments (such as UPI), along with the availability of market intelligence and other proxy indicators, has created a rich data ecosystem reflecting real-time rural economic activity. Despite this, these diverse datasets remain largely underutilised for generating predictive insights that can enhance financial stability and resilience.

The Problem

Monitoring financial health is still largely manual

The current approach to monitoring the financial health of microenterprises is largely manual, limiting the ability of institutions and field officers to anticipate risks.

There is no integrated, data-driven system that combines financial data with digital transaction signals (e.g., UPI trends), market intelligence, and external factors to predict future cash flows.
As a result, early warning signs of financial stress are often missed, leading to delayed interventions, liquidity issues, and increased credit risk. The challenge is to develop a predictive solution that enables proactive decision-making and timely support for such enterprises.

Timeline

6 July 2026

Registration Opens

Registration and idea submissions begin

15 July 2026

AMA / Problem Statement Clarification

Live session to clarify the problem statement

20 July 2026

Registration & Idea Submission Deadline

Last date to register and submit your idea

20–25 July 2026

Round 1 Evaluation

Preliminary shortlisting of applications

25 July 2026

Shortlisted Teams Announced

Selected teams move to prototype development

25 July – 15 August 2026

Prototype Development Period

Shortlisted teams build their prototypes

15 August 2026

Prototype Submission Deadline

Final prototype and demo video due

15–20 August 2026

Round 2 Evaluation

Evaluation of prototypes and demo videos

20 August 2026

Finalists Announced

Finalists selected for the grand finale

9–11 September 2026

Grand Finale & Live Demo

Live demo at Global Fintech Fest 2026

Challenge Details

The objectives, expected deliverables, constraints, who can apply, and how submissions are evaluated.

What your solution should achieve

Develop an AI/ML-based model to predict cash flows over a 3–6 month horizon.
Integrate multi-source data, including:
- Financial records: savings, loans, repayments, balances (if available)
- Digital transaction proxies (e.g., UPI trends and usage patterns)
- Market intelligence & historical data: raw material and commodity prices, demand trends, long-term crop productivity data, climate data and seasonal patterns impacting income
Design an early warning system to identify potential financial stress or risk in microenterprises.
Provide simple, actionable insights for microenterprises and field officers to enable corrective actions.

Relevance for the Rural Finance Ecosystem

Why solutions built here matter for rural India:

Enhanced Credit FlowReliable cash-flow forecasts and risk profiles strengthen banks' credit appraisal capabilities and provide early warning signals — improving access to formal credit for rural enterprises focused on expansion, technology adoption, and market development.

A Digital Public GoodThe platform can act as common digital infrastructure for enterprise profiling, cash-flow assessment, and risk monitoring across the rural finance ecosystem.

Credit-Linked GrowthBy enabling enterprises to demonstrate business viability, repayment capacity, and growth potential, the platform helps replicate successful interventions with institutional credit — supporting sustainable rural development at scale.

Prize & Recognition

The NABARD Hackathon @ GFF 2026 offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with policymakers, financial institutions and technology leaders to solve real-world challenges in rural finance. Build solutions that can improve credit access, strengthen livelihoods and support sustainable rural development at scale.

1st Prize₹1,00,000

2nd Prize₹50,000

3rd Prize₹25,000

Be a Part of India's Rural Innovation Journey

Apply to the NABARD Hackathon @ GFF 2026 and turn AI, alternative data, and digital payment signals into real-world solutions that improve credit access, strengthen livelihoods, and support sustainable rural development.