An innovation challenge for university students to solve India's deadliest neglected crisis — snakebite envenoming.
India loses more lives to snakebite each year than to HIV/AIDS — and more than Dengue, Malaria, and Rabies combined.
Those most affected are the people who can least afford treatment — farmers, laborers, and tribal communities with little access to care.
Thousands of survivors are left with lasting physical, psychological, and economic damage — a silent epidemic largely ignored by the global health community.
Snakebite receives a fraction of the research funding and public attention of other deadly diseases, making student-led innovation even more critical.
This competition is open to all Bangalore-based college, university, and institute students. We aim to mobilize students across every discipline to design scalable, practical solutions that cut snakebite deaths and disabilities in half by 2030.
Choose the challenge area that fits your skills and passion. Interdisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged — the best solutions draw on diverse expertise.
Embed prevention, education, and research into existing institutional structures. Collaborate with partners to create systems that are self-sustaining — not one-off projects.
Low-resource settings demand innovative clinical solutions. Address cost barriers to antivenom, improve timely access to treatment, and reduce the time from bite to care.
Break the "neglect" cycle. Build strategies to mobilize funders, improve first-aid awareness in high-risk communities, and elevate snakebite onto the global health agenda.
Mark these dates in your calendar. Proposals can be submitted as a 750-word written pitch or a 5-minute video.
Form your team and sign up for Nagathon. Registration is open to Bangalore-based university students across all disciplines.
Join the orientation sessions on June 27 and 28 to understand the challenge, ask questions, and prepare your proposal.
Submit a 750-word written pitch or a 5-minute video outlining your solution and chosen track.
Five finalist teams are selected and notified. Finalists move on to the last round and prepare for the in-person finale.
Present live at IISc on Sunday, August 16, followed by the winner’s banquet and final celebration.
Top innovations are generously rewarded — plus every finalist receives mentorship, media exposure, and a platform to grow their idea.
For the most innovative, scalable, and impactful solution to the snakebite crisis.
Recognizing excellence in research, design, or community-based approaches.
Celebrating the third-best team and their contribution to the challenge.
Earn up to ₹1 Lakh INR for your team — one of the highest student hackathon prizes in Bangalore for a social innovation challenge.
Tailored guidance from world-class experts including Chloe Vasquez and Prof. Kartik Sunagar.
Winning solutions will be featured in local news outlets and our partner networks.
Connect with the Global Snakebite Initiative's worldwide community of researchers and advocates.
The best proposals may receive support to pilot or expand their solutions in real-world settings.
Nagathon is a joint initiative bringing together global expertise in snakebite advocacy and world-class venom research.
One of Asia's premier research universities, IISc in Bangalore provides the academic platform and venue for final presentations.
A worldwide coalition dedicated to reducing the burden of snakebite envenoming through advocacy, research, and capacity-building.
Based at IISc, this lab leads cutting-edge research into venom evolution and antivenom development, directly informing the challenge.
Questions about eligibility, tracks, or the submission process? Reach out to our organising team — we're here to help you build the strongest possible proposal.
Submit your details below and our organising team will follow up with the next steps.