BEYOND BRANCH. BEYOND DEGREE. BEYOND CODE.
Co-curated by
July 14, 2026 | Radisson Blu, Bengaluru, Outer Ring Road
About Momentum’26
Momentum began as a radical idea. Two years ago, 400+ visionaries from academia and industry convened around a shared conviction, that the long-standing compact between them was ready to be reimagined.
By 2025, the idea had become a reckoning. More voices joined. Global uncertainty was no longer a subject of considered debate. It had become the very atmosphere in which institutions and organizations functioned.
Now in 2026, the reckoning has a shape.
The new era of talent has dawned. Companies are increasingly prioritizing AI-ready talent, and the opportunities for those prepared for this shift have never been bigger.
The programmer who can direct AI is the most sought-after engineer in the room. The analyst who can interpret AI output is the one driving strategy. AI is here to augment human potential, and institutions that prepare students for that reality are the ones that will define the next decade of talent.
A degree still opens the door. But in a world where AI can code, what wins the room is no longer the syntax. It is the purpose with which intelligence is wielded.
Momentum’26 convenes at the center of this transformation, a one-day symposium with a provocation as its compass: Beyond degree. Beyond stream. Beyond code.
This is the provocation behind Momentum’26, our high-stakes symposium with the country’s most consequential minds.
One day, one room, and one playbook ready to be written: on how India learns, hires, and redefines employability in the age of AI.
The legacy of Momentum: Past edition highlights
changemakers in one room
speakers from across industry and academia
corporates in attendance
academic institutions engaged
hours of industry dialogue and knowledge sharing
marquee panel discussions across the biggest shifts
thought-provoking fireside chats
keynote addresses by distinguished voices
HirePro report launch on college hiring
hackathon registrations (1 nationwide finale)
Revisit the conversations that shaped the discourse
Who should attend Momentum’26
Chief Human Resources Officers
Talent Acquisition Heads
University Relations & HR Professionals
Startup Leaders
Deans of Institutions
College Placement Directors & Officers
University & College Heads of Departments
Momentum’26 is a curated gathering, by invitation, by conviction, for those who hold the future of India's talent ecosystem in their hands.
What awaits you at Momentum’26
Topics for Panel Discussions
HirePro Report Launch
Momentum’26 marks the release of HirePro's flagship report on the state of college hiring in India, combining sector-wide data, employer intent signals, and insights from the top 1,000 HackVega 1.0 hackathon students. Be among the first to access findings that will shape how companies recruit and how institutions prepare talent for 2027.
HackVega 2.0 Hackathon Finale
HackVega 2.0 is not a coding competition. It is a branch-neutral, AI-integrated problem-solving challenge run across India's top engineering colleges, identifying judgment, adaptability, and real-world capability along the way. Open to the 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029 batches, the Momentum’26 finale crowns the winners, and activates access to India's most rigorously pre-assessed graduate talent pool.
Agenda
Date: July 14, 2026 | Location: Radisson Blu, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road
Registration and networking
Welcome address
Keynote address
The redefined graduate: Competencies, capabilities, and the new currency of employability
Panel discussion
The evolving talent mandate: What industry is hiring for in the age of intelligent automation
Tea break and networking
Keynote address
India's talent inflection: From volume to value in college hiring
Panel discussion
Reimagining assessment: Evaluation frameworks for a skills-first, AI-native generation
Lunch and networking
Fireside chat
Building future-ready organizations through early talent
Panel discussion
Beyond IT
Tea break and networking
Panel discussion
The employer brand reckoning: How top students choose, and what companies are getting wrong
Fireside chat
The equity imperative: Ensuring AI-era opportunities reach India's broader talent landscape
HackVega 2.0 hackathon finale
Closing and networking
Featured Speakers
Featured Partners
Participating Colleges
Speak at Momentum’26
Momentum's stage is for those with the conviction to challenge convention. If you carry a perspective on what learning, employability, and talent must become in the age of AI, we welcome your voice.
To express interest, reach out to:
jinu.cheeran@hirepro.in
Become a Partner
Momentum’26 brings together the people and organizations shaping how India hires, learns, and builds talent for the age of AI. If your brand belongs in that conversation, let’s talk.
Drop an email to:
abhishek.sarda@hirepro.in
About HirePro
Because the world needs great talent, we make it happen with the unified strength of Careernet, HirePro, Longhouse and MyCareernet.
As an AI-powered recruitment platform, at HirePro, Fearless Hiring is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to make the unpredictable world of hiring predictable with our profound expertise, AI technology, and impeccable service.
Established in 2004 and headquartered in Bengaluru, we offer pre-eminent technology platforms and allied services to companies that require expert support to navigate the talent landscape. Serving as the partner of choice for businesses worldwide, we help them fearlessly navigate the intricate phases of the recruitment supply chain.
For more details, visit: https://hirepro.in/