Skip to main content

HARBINGER – Global Hackathon of RBI

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the results of second edition of its global hackathon – HARBINGER 2023.

What is hackathon?

A hackathon is an event organised to bring together people and entities for the development of innovative solutions for the existing challenges in specified area through problem statements. The problem statements are worked upon by the participants during the limited time-period of the hackathon. It is a competitive event where the participants submit ideas, create solutions, exhibit the prototypes, and the solutions are judged by a panel to arrive at the winners of the hackathon. 

What is HARBINGER?

“HARBINGER – Innovation for Transformation” is a global hackathon organised by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) which gives an opportunity to the participants to get mentored by industry experts and exhibit their innovative solutions before an eminent jury and win exciting prizes in each category.

What are the prizes under HARBINGER?

Winners get prize money as below (updated on October 23, 2025) –

  • Winner across each problem statement - ₹40 lakh
  • Runner-up across each problem statement - ₹20 lakh
  • Special prize to the best ‘all woman team’ (a team comprising of only woman members’), across all the problem statements - ₹20 lakh
  • Stipend for each team shortlisted for solution development phase (for meeting the cost of development of prototype) - ₹5 lakh 

What are the criteria to apply under HARBINGER?

  • All entities, teams or individuals (18 years and above), from all backgrounds and geographies, who are eligible to enter into a contractual agreement are eligible to apply under HARBINGER.
  • The product / solution should have an element of innovation or novel application of technology serving common good.

What are the themes and problem statements of HARBINGER?

First edition of HARBINGER – HARBINGER 2021

  • Launch – November 2021
  • Theme – Smarter Digital Payments
  • Problem statements –
    • Innovative, easy-to-use, non-mobile digital payment solutions for converting small-ticket cash transactions to digital mode.
    • Context-based retail payments to remove the physical act of payment.
    • Alternate authentication mechanism for digital payments.
    • Social Media Analysis Monitoring tool for detection of digital payment fraud and disruption.

Second edition of HARBINGER – HARBINGER 2023

  • Launch – February 2023
  • Theme – Inclusive Digital Services
  • Problem statements –
    • Innovative, easy-to-use, digital banking services for differently abled (Divyaang).
    • RegTech solutions to facilitate more efficient compliance by Regulated Entities (REs).
    • Exploring use cases / solutions for CBDC-Retail transactions, including transactions in offline mode.
    • Increasing Transactions Per Second (TPS) / throughput and scalability of blockchains.

Third edition of HARBINGER – HARBINGER 2024

  • Launch – June 2024
  • Theme 1 – Zero Financial Frauds
  • Problem statements of Theme 1 –
    • Real time prediction, detection and prevention of frauds in financial transactions using alternate sources of data including publicly available information.
    • Ensuring transaction anonymity in token-based (CBDC) transactions while maintaining financial system integrity.
    • Identifying mule bank accounts / payment wallets.
  • Theme 2 – Being Divyang Friendly
  • Problem statement of Theme 2 – 
    • Accurately identifying banknotes by visually impaired.

Fourth edition of HARBINGER – HARBINGER 2025

  • Launch – October 2025
  • Theme – Secure Banking: Powered by Identity, Integrity and Inclusivity
  • Problem statements –
    • Tokenised KYC
    • Offline CBDC (e₹)
    • Enhancing trust


References

Reserev Bank of India. (2024, June 07). 'Reserve Bank of India launches its Third Global Hackathon – HaRBInger 2024'. Retrieved from https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_PressReleaseDisplay.aspx?prid=58059

Reserve Bank of India. (2021, November 09). 'HARBINGER 2021 - Reserve Bank of India First Global Hackathon'. Retrieved from https://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/content/pdfs/HARBINGER09112021.pdf

Reserve Bank of India. (2021, November 09). 'RBI launches its First Global Hackathon - HARBINGER 2021'. Retrieved from https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_PressReleaseDisplay.aspx?prid=52533

Reserve Bank of India. (2022, June 02). 'RBI announces results of its First Global Hackathon - HARBINGER 2021'. Retrieved from https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_PressReleaseDisplay.aspx?prid=53799

Reserve Bank of India. (2023, February 14). 'HARBINGER 2023 - Reserve Bank of India’s Second Global Hackathon'. Retrieved from https://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/content/pdfs/Harbinger2023_14022023.pdf

Reserve Bank of India. (2023, October 12). 'RBI announces results of second edition of its Global Hackathon – HARBINGER 2023'. Retrieved from https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_PressReleaseDisplay.aspx?prid=56547

Reserve Bank of India. (2023, February 14). 'Reserve Bank of India launches its Second Global Hackathon - HARBINGER 2023'. Retrieved from https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_PressReleaseDisplay.aspx?prid=55218

Reserve Bank of India. (2025, October 23). 'Reserve Bank of India launches its Fourth Global Hackathon – HaRBInger 2025'. Retrieved from https://rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_PressReleaseDisplay.aspx?prid=61485


Follow at - Telegram   Instagram   LinkedIn   X   Facebook

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Digital Payments – E-mandate Framework 2026

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued e-mandate framework for digital payments. What is an e-mandate?  A mandate is a standard instruction that a customer provides to his / her issuing bank and other institutions allowing them to automatically debit the mentioned amount from his / her bank account. e-mandate is the electronic version of it. To whom shall the framework be applicable? The framework shall be applicable to Payment System Providers and Payment System Participants. To which transactions shall the framework be applicable? The framework shall be applicable to processing of recurring transactions, domestic or cross-border, using cards / Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) / Unified Payments Interface (UPI). What are the guidelines for registration and revocation of e-mandate? A customer desirous of opting for e-mandate facility shall undertake a one-time registration process. The mandate shall be registered only after successful validation of additional factor of authenticati...
Post a Comment
Read more

Guidelines to facilitate faster cross-border inward payments

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued guidelines to facilitate faster cross-border inward payments. What is the rationale behind the guidelines? The RBI’s Payments Vision 2025 aims to bring efficiency in the cross-border payments aligning with the G20 roadmap for cross-border payments that has set targets for achieving cheaper, faster, more transparent, and more accessible cross-border payments. One of the challenges with speed of cross-border payments is experienced at the beneficiary leg i.e., the time taken from receipt of the payment at the beneficiary bank till credit to the beneficiary account. What are the guidelines to facilitate faster cross-border inward payments? Banks shall inform their customer of the receipt of cross-border inward transactions immediately on receipt of inward message. Messages received after close of operating hours of banks shall be informed to customer immediately at the start of the next business day. Banks shall undertake reconciliation and confirmat...
1 comment
Read more

Utkarsh 2029

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has published its medium-term strategy framework – Utkarsh 2029, for the period April 2026 to March 2029. Utkarsh RBI had first formulated its medium-term strategy framework, viz. ‘Utkarsh 2022’ for the period 2019-2022 in July 2019, replacing its annual action plans as the latter spanned over a short period, insufficient to pursue strategic objectives.  The strategic framework contained, inter alia, RBI’s Mission, Core Purpose, Values and Vision Statements, reiterating RBI’s commitment to the Nation. It became a medium-term strategy document guiding RBI’s progress towards realisation of the identified milestones. The subsequent strategy framework, i.e., ‘Utkarsh 2.0’, spanned the period 2023-25. Utkarsh 2029  Utkarsh 2029 is the medium-term strategy framework for the period April 2026 to March 2029. Utkarsh 2029 has a 3-layered structure consisting of strategy pillars guided by the vision and values of RBI. Vision of Utkarsh 2029 – Continue excelle...
Post a Comment
Read more

Credit Information Reporting

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had issued directions on credit information reporting by the regulated entities. What are Credit Information Companies (CICs)? Credit Information Companies (CICs) mean companies that have been granted a certificate of registration by RBI under section 5 of the Credit Information Companies (Regulations) Act, 2005 (CICRA).  The following CICs are registered with RBI – CRIF High Mark Credit Information Services Private Limited Equifax Credit Information Services Private Limited Experian Credit Information Company of India Private Limited TransUnion CIBIL Limited What are Credit Institutions (CIs)? Credit Institutions (CIs) mean the following institutions – Commercial Banks  Small Finance Banks (SFBs) Local Area Banks (LABs) Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs) Rural Co-operative Banks – State Co-operative Banks (StCBs) Central Co-operative Banks (CCBs) All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs) regulated by RBI – Export I...
Post a Comment
Read more

Guidelines on Money Changing Activities (Updated as on April 02, 2026)

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has updated the guidelines on money changing activities. Who is Authorised Person? Authorised Person means an authorised dealer, money changer, off-shore banking unit or any other person authorised under section 10(1) of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) to deal in foreign exchange or foreign securities. What are the categories of Authorised Persons? Authorised Dealer (AD) Category-I – entities which are authorised by RBI to carry out all permissible current and capital account transactions. Authorised Dealer (AD) Category-II – entities which are authorised by RBI to carry out specified non-trade related current account transactions, all the activities permitted to Full Fledged Money Changers (FFMC) and any other activity as decided by RBI, and include (i) Upgraded FFMCs; (ii) Select Regional Rural Banks (RRBs); (iii) Select Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs); and (iv) Other entities. Authorised Dealer (AD) Category-III – entities which are authorised...
Post a Comment
Read more