Hardware Builds
Buildathon
Tap a problem statement to read the full details.
About the Event
Buildathon is KAYA's hardware build track — design and prototype real hardware over the event, the same way a hardware startup builds its first working unit. From circuits and sensors to full embedded systems, teams get their hands dirty and build something real, not just a slide deck.
Hardware forces a different kind of founder discipline than software does — you can't patch a bad BOM decision at 2 AM the way you can push a hotfix, so every choice about components, cost and manufacturability has to be made with the same rigor a hardware startup applies before its first production run. That constraint is the whole point: it teaches you to build for reality, not just for a demo.
A working prototype is the strongest pitch there is — it proves the idea survives contact with the physical world, which is exactly what investors and early customers actually want to see. Working hardware plus a clear demo wins. Total prize pool: ₹2,00,000.
Rules
- 01Teams of 2–4 members.
- 02Hardware must be physically present and demonstrated at the offline round.
- 03BOM and schematics must be submitted with the build.
- 04Reuse of existing commercial products as the core submission is not allowed.
- 05Judging is based on originality, build quality, feasibility and demo.
Submission
Video OR GitHub is mandatory — at least one must be submitted.
Video Rules
Maximum length: 5 minutes
- The problem the build solves
- Circuit / system architecture
- Live or recorded demo of hardware working
- BOM, cost and how it could scale
Online Submission — Guidelines & Deliverables
Deadline: 26 September 2026 (Submission deadline)
What to submit
- A demo video (max 5 minutes) — the problem, your circuit/system architecture, a live or recorded demo of the hardware working, and how it scales.
- A Bill of Materials (BOM) and circuit schematics as a PDF.
- A GitHub repository with firmware/embedded code and CAD files (optional if there is no code, but the BOM + schematics PDF is mandatory).
- A presentation deck (PDF, max 10 slides).
How to submit
- Complete your registration payment — project submission stays locked until payment is confirmed.
- Go to the Participant Dashboard at kaya.azmth.in/dashboard and sign in with your registered email (one-time code).
- Open your registration card for this event and fill the Project Submission form: project title, description (what you built and how it answers the brief), and the links below.
- Paste your GitHub / source URL, live demo URL and video / presentation URL into their fields. Put any deck or document link in the description if there is no dedicated field.
- Hit Submit. You can come back and edit any field until the deadline — the last saved version is what gets judged.
Format & naming
- All links must be public or unlisted and must stay live until results are announced — no login walls, no expiring links.
- Videos: MP4, 1080p or higher, within the max length for this event. Host on YouTube (unlisted) or Google Drive (anyone-with-link).
- Documents: PDF only. Name files as TeamID_Event_Deck.pdf (e.g. KT-2001_Hackathon_Deck.pdf).
- Google Drive links must have "Anyone with the link – Viewer" access. Test it in an incognito window before submitting.
What gets you disqualified
- Missing a mandatory deliverable at the deadline.
- Broken, private or expired links that cannot be accessed by judges.
- Work created before the event window, or plagiarised / AI-passed-off-as-original where the brief requires your own work.
- Exceeding the stated word or time limits.
Build Your Dream Team
Different skills make a stronger team. Here's who to bring:
A hardware/electronics person comfortable with circuits and sensors.
A firmware developer for embedded code and drivers.
A CAD/mechanical thinker for chassis and enclosures.
A storyteller who can demo the build and explain its value.
Timeline
Registration opens
26 August 2026
Registration deadline
26 September 2026
Online submissions open
29 August 2026
Submission deadline
26 September 2026
Online round result
TBD
Offline round
TBD
Venue
Panelists
To be revealed
To be revealed
To be revealed
To be revealed