FAQs

You can apply if you are:

• A student pursuing full-time Undergraduate, Master, or PhD program at any recognized Indian educational institution.
• A student team of 2 – 4 members who will commit to a 5-month program including the (i) application phase (ii) 3 month-long period including coaching and mentorship program to develop a physical prototype and (iii) final stage of in-person presentation at IIT Hyderabad. (For the final presentation, 1 or 2 team members will need to travel).

Yes.

No. It is open to all students pursuing their undergraduate, masters, or Ph.D. degrees.

• Applications are submitted through the online form on the website.
• Application window will open soon

All judges’ decisions are final and we will not be entertaining any disputes/appeals.

No, applications submitted past the deadline (15thMay 2023) will not be considered for evaluation. There is no possibility for late entry into the competition.

It is advisable to not change the team once you have submitted the application form.

Please note that the Team Leaders cannot be changed under any circumstances.

Sorry! We do not entertain any modifications to be made to the application once it has been submitted. We suggest that you submit the form only and only after you are sure about the content being submitted.

One of the following documents can be submitted as proof for student status:

1. Photo of your ID Card – certified by any faculty member or officer of the Institution
2. Last semester’s grade sheet – certified by any faculty member or officer of the Institution

All entries received at the end of the application dates will go through a detailed screening process in four stages:

Stage 1: Application and shortlisting

• Submission of online application document from the applicant team
• Preliminary screening of entries
• Shortlisting 81 teams, 27 per track

Stage 2: Design Development and First Online Assessment

• Online Lectures by industry experts to refine problem statements and bring them in line with current industry requirements.
• Working on the initial prototype
• Submission of a video recording and a presentation of your work towards your prototype
• Online assessment by the jury

Stage 3: : Prototype Building and Second Assessment Online

• Announcement of Selected 54 teams, who will receive an initial Rs 5000 towards the consumables for developing their initial prototype
• Each team will be assigned a mentor for guidance and feedback.
• The teams will identify the need, research the problem, arrive at possible solutions and select the most promising solution. Following that they will model their prototype and start the production process towards a proof of concept (POC) working prototype.
• Once it’s ready, they will present their initial prototype to their mentors, selection committee members.

Stage 4: Final Stage and Third assessment online

• Announcement of Selected 36  teams who will receive  Rs 5000 towards the consumables for further developing their prototype.
• Teams work on their pitch presentation and demo with dedicated communication experts
• Once it’s ready, they will present their prototype to their mentors, selection committee members.

Stage 5: Demonstration & Awards: Onsite

• The top 18 finalists for all 18 tracks are announced
• Teams receive Rs. 10,000 to further refine their prototype.
• Teams work on their pitch presentation and demo with dedicated communication experts.
• Teams travel to IIT Hyderabad for the finals 10 days prior and opportunity to attend various workshops on entrepreneurship.
• In-person showcase of a working prototype by the 18 finalists to our panel of judges.
• Awards function and interaction with the press.

It is all yours to keep; once we have completed all photography and videography required for promoting the award and its students.

Once you are at IIT Hyderabad there may be a space made available for you to be used for the last-minute finishing to your existing prototype.

Yes, subject to: (i) showing relevance to the domain and also showing additional work done during the contest period (ii) Any work done during the post-graduation would not be considered during assessment (iii) P.G. Students will be judged separately from the under-grads

Yes, the final prototype is for you to retain. It is all yours!

INR 5,000 will be provided to work on the initial prototype to shortlisted teams.

Additional INR 15,000 each will be given to finalists teams to further work on the final prototype for onsite demonstration.

1. Best Invention: INR 100,000/- ( maximum of 3 awardees)
2. Summer Internship 2025: Innovation Fellows will be placed with an academic or industry research group for summer internship in 2025 summer.
3. Certification: All finalist teams will get Certificates and an additional 10,000/- from the Foundation. They may also request for Letters of Recommendation ( LOR) from mentors and selection committee members.
4. Residential Program at IIT Hyderabad: Students will get residential stay at IIT Hyderabad where they will learn things like Entrepreneurship etc.

Other Inclusions:

1. INR 5000 towards producing consumables for the initial prototype for the shortlisted teams.
2. Additional INR 15,000 for further development of the prototype for the finalist teams.
3. Travel support for up to 2 team members to location up to Rs 12,000 per team as well as stay and local hospitality.

Yes! Taxes are individual liability and will have to be paid by the receiver of the cheque.

18 lucky teams will compete for prizes, present to angel investors– all crucial steps in supporting their entrepreneurial journey into the real world. The selection will be based on the following:

• Relevance: Is the invention addressing a real problem?
• Effectiveness: Does the prototype work? Is it Cost-Effective?
• Clarity:Is the scientific and logic chain about the product, idea or innovation robust? What can be the pitfalls in the chain of reasoning?
• Uniqueness: How do the benefits compare to the solutions available in the market?
• Patentability: Are the solution and prototype patentable? (IP shall belong to team members)
• Commercial Viability: How does the cost compare to other things in the market?.
• Fact Check: What has been done in the past to address what you are addressing?
• Ease of use: Is the solution practical and easy to deploy? How will it be used by the user?

No! It is a rapid prototyping contest. Your solution should have a significant hardware component. However, we do understand, that a part of it may be a software application.

Teams must prepare a three-to-five-minute video prior to the competition that is concise and engaging.  The video should clearly communicate the technical approach,  highlight innovative or intensified elements of your process. The video should include elements such as competitive advantage, financing required to bring the technology to market, and the value proposition it adds to be the beneficiaries.

Cost of the travel will be covered by the sponsors of the award. While teams may use any mode of travel, we will reimburse up to 2^nd Class rail travel for 2 members of the team. Other team members may travel but their cost of travel needs to be borne by the team themselves.

• Faculty members from Institutions
• Industry Veterans
• Entrepreneurial Leaders

• Provide specific insights and information that enable the success of the idea being developed
• Provide feedback and advise
• Create effective goals—specific, achievable, relevant and time-based
• Help in staying focussed and on track

You may write to us at vishwakarma_awards@makerbhavanfoundation.org

Please write to vishwakarma_awards@makerbhavanfoundation.org