IndustrySolve Idea-Thon & Product-a-Thon 2026

What is This Event? IndustrySolve 2025 is a Two-phase Innovation Competition where you'll solve actual problems that real companies face every day. Phase 1: Come up with Brilliant Ideas during our Idea-Thon (One Full-Day Event). Problem statements will be live soon! Phase 2: Build your Idea into a Working Product during our Product-a-Thon (one-month development with Mentorship & Support). Think of it like this: we give you Real Problems that Companies need solved. You propose Solutions. Then you actually build those Solutions and compete for Cash Prizes and Funding Opportunities! Why Should You Join? Real Industry Problems: Work on challenges inspired by actual industrial needs. Build Real Products: Move beyond ideas and create functional prototypes. Expert Evaluation: Pitch and demonstrate your solution in front of an expert jury. Hands-on Experience: Gain practical experience in ideation, prototyping, testing, and deployment. Prototype Support: Finalist teams receive financial support for hardware, cloud credits, and other prototype-related expenses. Build Your Portfolio: Create something tangible that you can showcase to future employers, mentors, and collaborators. Industry Exposure: Get the opportunity to present your solution directly to industry professionals. Startup Opportunities: Get direct access to Incubators and Funding  Cash prizes and vouchers to get mentorship under IIITD professors Complete Event Timeline: Phase 1: Idea-Thon (Offline Event) Date: September, 2026 (to be announced) Time: 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM Location: IIIT-Delhi Campus What You'll Do: Choose one Problem from our List of Real Industry Problems. Brainstorm your Solution Idea, prior to the Event. Work with Mentors who will guide you to refine your idea on the Event day. Create a Presentation and a Short Video explaining your proposed Solution. What You Need to Submit: Presentation (PPT) — Explaining your Solution. Video (2-3 minutes) — Pitching your Idea. Your presentation should cover: What Problem are you solving, and why does it matter?  Your Proposed Solution and what makes it Special How you plan to build it (Technical Details). Why companies would want this Solution (Market relevance) Your step-by-step plan to create a working Prototype Result: Top 25 teams move to Phase 2 Phase 2: Product-a-Thon (Offline Showcase): Date: October,2026 (to be announced) Time: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Location: IIIT-Delhi Campus Participants: Top 25 teams What You'll Do: Present your working Prototype or Proof-of-Concept Demonstrate how your solution actually works Compete for the top 3 positions What You Need to Submit: Working Prototype (Something that actually works!) Updated Presentation (Showing how you built your Idea) Technical Documentation (Code, Design Files, Component List, Circuit Diagrams) Demo Video showing your Prototype in Action Sample Problem Statement: Here's an example of the type of problems you'll work on: How might we design an IoT-enabled smart water monitoring solution that not only tracks consumption (leaks, usage patterns, supply consistency) but also measures water quality (TDS, turbidity, contamination), and then transforms this data into actionable insights for households, water utilities, and suppliers (e.g., RO service providers, bottled water brands), enabling better operational alerts, tactical planning, and strategic decision-making? This means you could build a smart device that tells families when their water quality is bad, alerts water companies about leaks, or helps service providers know when to visit customers. Prizes and Rewards: Cash Prizes (Total ₹80,000) 1st Place: ₹40,000 2nd Place: ₹25,000 3rd Place: ₹15,000 Educational Vouchers: Top 10 teams (40 students) get ₹25,000 vouchers each, for IIIT Delhi's Professional Development Program, where you can spend an immersive semester at IIITD in the iPD-CP program - an intensive program designed and delivered largely by industry professionals to take your idea to an industry-ready prototype.  Startup Opportunities: Promising teams get direct access to funding and business support through: IIIT-Delhi Innovation & Incubation Centre Electropreneur Park (Government of India) IHFC, IIT Delhi iHub Anubhuti, IIIT-Delhi This means if your idea is really good, these organisations might help you turn it into a real business! Who Can Participate? Team Requirements Team Size: 2 to 4 members Student Status: Only current students can participate (college ID required) Team members can be from the same or different colleges/universities (cross-college teams allowed). What You Need to Know: Basic understanding of Technology (NO need to be an Expert!) Willingness to Learn and Work Hard Interest in solving Real-world Problems Ability to attend all Offline events and Online review meetings Rules and Guidelines: What's Allowed Using Online Resources for Research Getting help from Mentors during the Event Using AI tools for Writing Presentations or Documentation (but you must mention this) Working with your Team members to Develop Ideas What's NOT Allowed Copying someone else's Idea or Solution Using AI to generate your Main Idea or Product Design Having someone outside your team do the Work for you Missing Review Meetings (automatic disqualification) Submitting Late (automatic disqualification) Important Requirements: Your solution must combine Hardware (physical components), Software (apps/programs), and Product design (how it looks and works) All work must be Original and created by your team You must attend ALL review meetings All submissions must be on time What We Provide: During Idea-Thon Problem statements from Real industry Partners Expert mentors to guide you Workshop Space and Basic Materials Wi-Fi and Refreshments Guidance on Presentation and Video Creation During the Development Phase Online mentoring sessions Technical support through review meetings Resource recommendations Feedback on your progress During Product-a-Thon Showcase space for demonstrations Technical equipment for presentations Panel of expert judges Networking opportunities Prototyping Grant: Each finalist team will receive a dedicated reimbursement of ₹1,500–₹2,000 to support prototype preparation. This can be used towards: Hardware components Electronic components Cloud credits Other eligible prototype-related costs Reimbursements will be disbursed on-site after verification. Evaluation Criteria: Innovation and Originality (25%): Creativity and uniqueness of the proposed solution. Technical Feasibility (25%): Realistic implementation plan and technical soundness. Industry Relevance and Impact (20%): Direct applicability to real-world challenges. Prototype Development (20%): Quality of demonstration and proof-of-concept execution. Presentation Clarity (10%): Effectiveness of communication and documentation. Important Terms and Conditions: Intellectual Property: Teams retain full ownership of their intellectual property. Organisers request non-exclusive rights for promotional and academic showcase purposes only. Artificial Intelligence Usage: AI assistance is permitted for documentation and coding support, provided such use is fully disclosed. Completely AI-generated solutions or presentations are prohibited and will be treated as academic misconduct.