Bengaluru, Aug 1 (IANS): Global professional services company Accenture is inviting college students to participate in this year's "innovation challenge" and win prize worth up to Rs 150,000, besides getting into a fast-track recruitment process to be set up for all eligible finalists.

As part of the competition, Accenture is inviting entries from students pursuing graduate, under-graduate and post-graduate programmes for two themes, "innovate for businesses" and "innovate for the society", the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

The participants can demonstrate their technology skills in areas such as advanced analytics, automation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Blockchain, crowdsourcing, digital ethics and cybersecurity, Immersive Reality, and Internet of Things (IoT) for their entries.

"Accenture has been conducting innovation programmes for college students in India for the past six years and more than 20,000 ideas have been submitted by students during this time," said Mohan Sekhar, Senior Managing director and lead for Accenture Advanced Technology Centers in India.

Submissions to the challenge will undergo a screening process and the shortlisted participants will be invited to present their ideas to a jury panel consisting of industry professionals and experts at the grand finale scheduled to be held in Bengaluru in October, Accenture said.

The deadline for submitting entries to the challenge is August 12, the company said.