ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) and Google Cloud launched a new India-wide hackathon as an extension of their existing ONDC project to foster scaled innovation throughout the e-commerce industry in India.

 

ONDC and Google Cloud will host an India-wide hackathon to catalyze creativity and address important obstacles for the country's next billion digital users. The hackathon aims to create solutions that democratize access to digital commerce for all people, regardless of digital literacy, geography, or economic condition. The event also intends to build an open ecosystem of developers, students, and companies working inside the ONDC framework to innovate.

 

The 'Build for Bharat' hackathon, which will last three months and attract 100,000 participants, will provide mentoring, assistance, and other resources to help participants tackle common e-commerce challenges such as improving supply chain visibility, creating more targeted consumer personalization, and improving inventory management, according to the company in a statement. The hackathon's interactive activities include webinars, question-and-answer sessions, expert-led workshops, and virtual community channels like Discord.

 

Earlier this month, Google Cloud and ONDC introduced the open source ONDC Open Commerce solution, which allows buyers and sellers to effortlessly integrate onto the ONDC network. Since then, more than 20 e-commerce enterprises have used the Open Commerce solution.

 

“The next step in this strategic collaboration involves ONDC and Google Cloud working together to significantly expand the ability for buyers and sellers of all sizes across the country – especially those in smaller cities – to transact on the network through the use of Google Cloud’s generative AI tools,” it said.