Global IME Bank Limited launches the Global IME AI/ML Hackathon 2026

5th July 2026, Kathmandu

Global IME Bank Limited has officially launched the Global IME AI/ML Hackathon 2026, a specialized competitive platform aimed at encouraging technological innovation in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for the banking sector.

AI/ML Hackathon 2026 Launched

The digital tournament brings together talented tech enthusiasts to design systems that maximize financial security, simplify retail processes, and create modern consumer experiences.

The event was formally inaugurated on Friday during a special corporate ceremony. The opening session was led by the bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Surendra Raj Regmi, who highlighted the institution’s commitment to adopting next-generation systems to counter emerging commercial challenges.

After successfully organizing the country’s first banking-sector AI hackathon last year, the commercial institution has introduced this second edition to further accelerate the use of advanced tech tools. By scaling up the event format, the organization seeks to provide practical data solutions to modernize conventional financial setups.

TARGETED PARTICIPANTS AND RESIDENTIAL CHALLENGE PHASES

The nationwide competitive hackathon explicitly targets tech-driven students, tech startups, developers, software engineers, data scientists, and independent researchers. Following a thorough open application screening process managed by the bank’s internal review panels, exactly 14 elite teams were selected to enter the core challenge lines.

According to the organizational handbook, the residential competition is being conducted across two major continuous phases designed to test endurance and innovative potential:

Advertisement

• Phase 1 – Continuous Coding Challenge: A grueling 36-hour non-stop development window where teams build functional software models from scratch.
• Phase 2 – Onsite Pitch Hackathon: A practical demonstration phase where final products are analyzed, verified, and reviewed by a panel of expert judges.

The bank has managed comprehensive residential accommodations for all selected participants at the competition venue, ensuring that developers can collaborate continuously throughout the coding marathon. The participating teams are tasked with presenting fresh concepts that address specific, real-world industry challenges outlined by the banking leadership.

STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS AND RECOGNITION PACKAGES

The foundational tracks of the Hackathon are constructed around resolving urgent bottlenecks within the modern digital economy. The core project areas assigned to the groups focus on building highly advanced tools:

• Autonomous Lending Orchestration: Designing multi-agent systems capable of performing automated document verification and regulatory credit scoring.
• Agentic Fraud Detection: Setting up machine learning models for deep transaction monitoring and context-aware verification to block online scams.
• Multilingual Voice Assistants: Developing generative AI applications supporting English, Nepali, and mixed language inputs for voice-guided smart banking.
• Advanced Security Infrastructure: Constructing AI-based intrusion detection tools to identify emerging zero-day network anomalies.

CEO Regmi stated that the hackathon plays a critical role in discovering future digital banking solutions and practical answers to systemic threats. The bank confirmed that the top-performing teams will receive generous cash prize pools alongside valuable opportunities for long-term professional collaboration with the bank’s internal IT development departments.

NATIONAL EXPANSION AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE

Global IME Bank Limited remains a leading pioneer in financial technology adoption across Nepal, earning various prestigious awards over the past several years. The firm has previously secured global recognitions including Bank of the Year 2014, Best Internet Bank 2016, and the title of Best Bank Nepal for three consecutive terms across 2024, 2025, and 2026. Additionally, the bank has received multiple Euromoney Awards for Excellence alongside corporate honors for environmental social governance practices.

The commercial enterprise stands out as the first private commercial bank in Nepal to establish a functional branch network across all 77 districts of the country. The massive operational network comprises over 1,000 localized service centers nationwide, including:

• 344 Comprehensive Branch Offices
• 368 Automated Teller Machines
• 147 Branchless Banking Units
• 69 Extension and Revenue Collection Counters
• 3 Contact Offices Stationed Overseas

Beyond domestic retail operations, the institution manages robust cross-border remittance channels stretching across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and India. By routing international funds through formal banking lines, Global IME Bank Limited continues to contribute significantly to the stability and growth of the national economy while promoting financial literacy across underserved communities.

For More: AI/ML Hackathon 2026 Launched