Presents

Kickstart Hackathon 2025

Shape the connected campus—optimize mobility, energy, safety, and student life in a fast-paced, design-to-prototype sprint. Bring your team's ingenuity; we’ll supply the datasets, mentors, and labs.

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  • 14Hours Onsite
  • 15Demo Slots
  • 60Participants

Theme Reveal

The Smart Campus problem statement will be unveiled live during the 09:00 AM opening ceremony. Use the countdown below to prep your team and shortlist data sources, sensors, and stakeholders you’ll collaborate with.

00 Days
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Countdown targets 9:00 AM IST on October 11, 2025. It will hold at 00:00 once the theme is revealed live.

Event Timeline

October 11 · 07:00 – 08:30 · 1st Floor Lobby

Check-In

Arrive early to register, collect your badge before the action kicks off.

October 11 · 08:30 – 09:30 · Seminar Hall

Opening Ceremony & Theme Reveal

Kickoff with welcome notes, Smart Campus brief, judging criteria, and prize overview.

October 11 · 09:00 – 10:00 · Seminar Hall

Optional Workshop

New to hackathons? Drop in for a quick primer on tools, sample datasets, and rapid prototyping tips.

October 11 · 10:00 – 12:30 · Labs & Classrooms

Hacking Sprint I

Claim your workspace, lock the idea, and start shipping features for your Smart Campus solution.

October 11 · 12:30 – 14:00 · Hostel

Lunch

Refuel, share progress, and get feedback before diving back in.

October 11 · 14:00 – 17:00 · Labs & Classrooms

Hacking Sprint II & Mentor Hours

Build, test, and iterate with mentors on call for unblockers and polish suggestions.

October 11 · 17:00 – 18:30 · Labs & Classrooms

Submission & Polish Window

Finish last-mile fixes, record your links, and submit everything through the Google Form by 18:30.

October 11 · 17:15 – 19:00 · Seminar Hall

Presentations & Judging

Each team gets seven minutes: three for demos, two judges, one Q&A, and a buffer.

October 11 · 19:00 – 19:30 · 6th Floor Lounge

Snacks & Judges Huddle

Grab light bites while the judging panel finalises scores and prepares announcements.

October 11 · 19:30 – 20:00 · Seminar Hall

Closing Ceremony

Results announcements, feedback QR code, prizes, and a final message from the judges.

October 11 · 20:00 – 21:00 · Common Areas

Post-Hack Wrap

Networking, photo ops, and content collection for the recap website.

Judging Criteria

Scorecards balance innovation, execution, and impact. Each judge reviews independently before the panel aligns on rankings.

Impact & Relevance · 35%

How clearly does the solution tackle a real Smart Campus need and articulate measurable outcomes?

Innovation · 25%

Does the idea reimagine campus life with creative use of data, hardware, or AI-driven experiences?

Technical Execution · 25%

Working prototype depth, architecture decisions, and code quality including readiness to ship.

Storytelling & UX · 15%

Presentation clarity, user journey, and demo polish within the 7-minute slot.

Judges panel includes leaders from Engineering, Campus Ops, Design, and Student Experience teams.

Submission Guidelines

  1. Make your code open source and add a clear licence in the repository.
  2. Share the project URL (GitHub preferred) with a README explaining setup, datasets, and key features.
  3. Host your build if possible—extra credit for live demos or deployed links included in the submission.
  4. Upload your deck, demo assets, and repository link through the Google Form before 18:30.

Tools & Resources

APIs & Data

Campus scheduling feeds, occupancy sensors, transit data, and approved third-party APIs.

Hardware Kits

Borrow IoT boards, Raspberry Pis, Arduinos, and sensor packs from the maker cart.

Design Systems

Access Figma libraries, asset packs, and motion presets to mock experiences quickly.

Cloud Credits

Spin up prototypes with pre-approved cloud credits and managed databases.

Awards & Prizes

  • Judges' Evaluation Winner Hosting/cloud credits, hardware dev kit (RPis, Arduinos), and API credits.
  • Crowd Voted Favourite Audience-selected standout receives vouchers, swag, and spotlight coverage.
  • Most Innovative Hack Hardware gear plus API credits to keep exploring the concept.

Prize pool includes hosting/cloud credits, hardware (RPis, Arduinos), vouchers, subscriptions.

FAQ

Who can participate?

The hackathon is open to all.

Do I need a team ready?

No. Join solo and we'll help you team up during the kickoff mixer.

What should we deliver?

At minimum, teams should demo a working prototype and share a brief problem-solution overview. Fully polished products are welcome but not required.

Will meals be provided?

Yes! We'll have snacks and caffeine throughout the hackathon so you can stay focused.

Register Your Team

Share your details on our dedicated portal—register solo and get teamed up later or submit as a ready squad.

Open Registration Portal

Organizers can access live submissions via the Kickstart Organizer Console.