Google Mumbai Data Challenge: Air Quality Mapping & Forecasting
Google Mumbai Data Challenge: Air Quality Mapping & Forecasting supports participants developing hourly PM2.5 forecasts for Mumbai to inform environmental monitoring and urban planning.
Funder: Zindi
Due Dates: November 10, 2026 (Final submission) | November 13, 2026 (Rankings reveal) | November 20, 2026 (Planned finale)
Funding Amounts: $6,000 USD prize pool: $500–$2,500 per award
Summary: Develop machine-learning models forecasting hourly PM2.5 concentrations at four Mumbai monitoring stations to support environmental monitoring and urban planning.
Key Information: Participation is open across India, but Maharashtra residency is required for prizes and finalist selection.
Description
This Google challenge, hosted on Zindi, invites participants to forecast hourly PM2.5 concentrations at four monitoring stations in Mumbai. Beyond, Google’s programme partner, works with Zindi to coordinate delivery. Participants use historical observations from India’s Central Pollution Control Board to identify pollution patterns across locations and environmental conditions, then predict future concentrations using only information available at prediction time.
The challenge explores how AI and data science can support environmental monitoring and urban decision-making. Accurate forecasts could help communities take precautions, enable authorities to respond proactively, and inform longer-term environmental planning. Participants gain practical machine-learning experience on a real-world public-health problem, with optional additional climate and environmental datasets available through ClimateVerse.
