OLL × TechFest IIT Bombay · 2026-27Robotics Innovation Challenge — Ideate. Prototype. Pitch.
The Robotics Innovation Challenge at the OLL Robotics Championship 2026 — a two-round prototype + pitch track at Techfest, IIT Bombay. Spot a real-world problem, design a robotics / AI / automation prototype to solve it and defend it live before a judging panel. No regionals — top prototypes head straight to the Grand Finale on 17 Dec 2026.
Built for school teams who want to win on India's biggest robotics stage.
- Step out of head-to-head combat and compete on big thinking — judges look for ideas that could actually ship.
- No regional qualifier. Shortlisted teams fast-track directly to the Grand Finale at IIT Bombay — one submission, one pitch.
- Fully free entry, Certificate of Participation for every team and Certificate of Finalist Recognition for every finalist.
- Hardware freedom — unlike RoboSumo and RoboRacer there is no mandatory OLL kit. Build with whatever your team already has: Arduino, ESP32, Raspberry Pi, 3D-printed parts, LLMs, computer vision.
Competition rounds
Submit a 2-page concept note + a 90-second prototype video. Teams clearing the judging rubric are invited directly to the Grand Finale.
Live pitch defense in front of a judging panel at Techfest, IIT Bombay. Working prototype demonstration, Q&A, winners announced live.
Competition rules
- Problem must be real and specific — rooted in a user, community or industry pain point your team has observed first-hand.
- Solution must be an original robotics / AI / automation prototype designed by the team. No off-the-shelf resellable products.
- Hardware is open — Arduino, ESP32, Raspberry Pi, Jetson Nano, LEGO SPIKE, 3D-printed parts, LLM APIs, computer vision stacks are all allowed.
- Team size: 2–4 students + one school mentor.
- Round 1 submission must include a concept note (≤2 pages) and a prototype video (60–90 s).
- Round 2 finalists must bring the physical prototype and demo it live during the pitch at IIT Bombay.
- Judging panel decision on originality, feasibility and real-world impact is final.
Judging rubric
Prizes & recognition
Every participating team receives a Certificate of Participation. Grand Finale teams get a Certificate of Finalist Recognition. Prize-money payouts via NEFT by May 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Robotics Innovation Challenge at IIT Bombay Techfest 2026?
The Robotics Innovation Challenge is the open-ended track inside the OLL Robotics Championship 2026-27. Teams spot a real-world problem and design an original robotics, AI or automation prototype to solve it, then defend their build live at IIT Bombay. Unlike RoboSumo and RoboRacer there is no head-to-head arena match — judges score originality, technical rigour and real-world impact.
Is there a registration fee?
No. The Robotics Innovation Challenge is completely free across both rounds — online submission and the IIT Bombay Grand Finale.
Do I need the OLL kit to participate?
No. The Robotics Innovation Challenge is hardware-agnostic. Build with Arduino, ESP32, Raspberry Pi, Jetson, LEGO SPIKE, 3D-printed parts, LLM APIs, computer vision — anything your team can design around the problem.
Can I participate in Robo Sumo or Robo Race as well?
No. Each student can pick only one track — RoboSumo, RoboRacer or the Robotics Innovation Challenge. Choose the track that best matches your team's build strengths and interests.
What are the rounds for Robotics Innovation?
Two rounds. Round 1 is an online submission — a 2-page concept note plus a 60–90 second prototype video. Shortlisted teams head directly to the Grand Finale at IIT Bombay on 17 Dec 2026 for a live pitch + demo.
What are the prizes?
A prize pool of up to ₹1,50,000 is awarded across the top three teams — ₹75,000 Winner, ₹50,000 Runner-up, ₹25,000 Second Runner-up. Payouts are made via NEFT after winners submit their bank details on-site, with final payment by May 2027.
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Ready to compete at IIT Bombay?
Grab your official kit, register your team and start the build — the Grand Finale is waiting on Dec 17, 2026.