On May 20, 2025, the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) launched the CemHack for Green Infra hackathon at its Ballabgarh campus, inaugurated by Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This first-of-its-kind national-level hackathon aims to drive innovation in the cement and construction sectors, fostering green technology solutions and supporting startups.
NCB Incubation Centre’s First Anniversary
Celebrating Innovation
The launch coincided with the first anniversary of the NCB Incubation Centre (NCB-IC). Shri Sanjiv congratulated NCB-IC for its efforts in promoting entrepreneurship and encouraged prestigious institutions like IITs, NITs, and regional technical universities to participate, expressing hope for startup success stories emerging from the hackathon.
Hackathon Structure and Themes
Two-Track Competition
Organized by NCB-IC, the hackathon features a two-track competition for startups, professionals, individuals, and students, academia. It focuses on solving real-world challenges in the cement ecosystem, with themes including:
- Green Cement
- Green Process
- Green Concrete
- Carbon Capture & Storage
- Logistics & Supply Chain
- Net Zero Targets
Participation is free, with cash rewards up to ₹1 lakh and incubation or mentoring opportunities at NCB-IC.
Registration and Participation
Open to Innovators Nationwide
Registrations for the hackathon are open from May 20 to July 20, 2025, via the official website www.ncbindia.com/cemhack.php. The event aims to provide a platform for grassroots innovations and support the commercialization of sustainable solutions in cement and allied sectors.
NCB’s Role and Recent Milestones
Leading R&D in Cement
NCB, under the DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, is India’s apex R&D organization for cement and building materials. Dr. L P Singh, Director General, NCB, highlighted the hackathon’s role in driving sustainability and announced a DST-funded CCU test bed project with IIT Roorkee and JK Cement Ltd. A Centre of Excellence for CCU is also planned at NCB.
Below is a summary of the CemHack for Green Infra hackathon:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Launch Date | May 20, 2025 |
| Organizer | NCB Incubation Centre |
| Themes | Green Cement, Green Process, Green Concrete, Carbon Capture, Logistics, Net Zero |
| Tracks | Startups/Professionals, Students/Academia |
| Rewards | Up to ₹1 lakh, Incubation/Mentoring |
| Registration | May 20 to July 20, 2025 |
Event Participation
Bringing Together Innovators
The launch event was attended by Prof. K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee; Shri Neeraj Akhoury, Chairman-NCB & MD-Shree Cement Ltd.; and Dr. L P Singh. It saw participation from research scholars, students, industry leaders, and NCB scientists, underscoring the collaborative spirit of the initiative.
Key Highlights
- CemHack for Green Infra hackathon launched on May 20, 2025, by NCB-IC.
- Focuses on green tech solutions in cement and construction sectors.
- Features two tracks for startups/professionals and students/academia.
- Themes include Green Cement, Carbon Capture, Net Zero.
- Offers ₹1 lakh cash rewards and incubation opportunities.
- Registrations open from May 20 to July 20, 2025 at ncbindia.com.