Logitech, Aspire For Her set Guinness World Record with largest women-only Generative AI hackathon

Nearly 1.29 lakh women from across India have participated in a nationwide Generative AI hackathon organised by Logitech in partnership with Aspire For Her, earning the initiative a new Guinness World Records title for the “Largest Women-Only Generative AI Hackathon (Multiple Venues).”

The record-setting initiative, conducted under Logitech’s #WomenWhoMaster programme, drew registrations from more than 15,000 colleges across over 5,000 cities. More than 60% of the registrations came from Tier 2, Tier 3 and emerging cities, highlighting the expanding interest in artificial intelligence skills beyond India’s established technology hubs.

Guinness World Records created the new title specifically for the event, marking a new benchmark for women’s participation in technology and Generative AI.

The competition followed a multi-stage format. More than 26,000 women took part in the initial online assessment, with 2,800 participants advancing to eight zonal rounds held across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Noida, Pune, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. The competition eventually narrowed to 112 finalists who competed at the Grand Finale at Logitech’s Chennai headquarters.

AI solutions focused on finance, careers and rural entrepreneurship

Kritika Yadav from Ramdeobaba University, Nagpur, won the national competition for HerFinance, an AI-powered financial resilience tool aimed at helping women understand financial risks, money management and financial decision-making.

Priti Kumari Pandey of Parul Institute of Engineering and Technology, Vadodara, was named the first runner-up for “RE – From Skills to Employment.” The AI-based career companion is designed to help users assess their skills, identify suitable career pathways and improve employment readiness.

Mridul Singh Soam from GL Bajaj Institute of Technology and Management, Delhi NCR, secured the second runner-up position with KarigarSetu, an AI-powered platform focused on helping women artisans develop their businesses by linking marketing decisions with sales and transaction data.

The winners received prize money and certificates of championship. Participants were also provided with Logitech’s recently launched MX Keypad, a programmable control device designed for developers working with AI coding tools.

Smaller cities account for majority of registrations

One of the notable aspects of the women-only AI hackathon was the geographical spread of participation. More than 60% of registrations originated from Tier 2, Tier 3 and emerging cities.

The figure points to a growing interest in AI skills among women in India outside traditional technology centres such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Chennai. The organisers said the programme was structured around practical exposure to Generative AI, low-code development and machine learning, alongside mentorship and industry interactions.

The zonal rounds were conducted at eight regional locations, including MET College in Mumbai, Dayanand Sagar University in Bengaluru, SRM Easwari College in Chennai, Praxis Business School in Kolkata, Amity University in Noida, ASM College in Pune, KL University in Hyderabad and Bullaya College in Visakhapatnam.

Focus shifts from participation to practical AI applications

The projects presented at the final stage largely focused on everyday challenges, including financial literacy, employability and women-led rural businesses.

The event comes as Generative AI skills become an increasingly important part of technology education and employment discussions in India. The participation figures also point to the growing demand for opportunities that allow students and young professionals to apply AI tools to practical problems rather than limiting AI learning to theoretical or classroom-based training.

Logitech Global Marketing Manager, MX, Grace Lokako, said the scale of registrations reflected growing interest among women in building careers and solutions around AI. She also highlighted the high participation from smaller cities.

Logitech IMEA Region Director Polina Anokhina said greater participation of women in STEM would be important for developing a more inclusive technology ecosystem.

The organisers said the initiative was intended not only as a competition but also as a platform for women to gain practical experience in Generative AI, interact with mentors and industry professionals, and explore career opportunities in the technology sector.