IIT Bombay Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
FOSSEE Education Pyramid Spoken Tutorial


Build Open Source Hardware for a Sustainable & Inclusive Future

16 February – 16 March 2026

Submission Form

Global Hackathon | Open Source Hardware

An initiative by FOSSEE Project, IIT Bombay

Join to design, build, and innovate with Open Source Hardware!

OPEN SOURCE • REAL HARDWARE • REAL IMPACT

The FOSSEE OSHW Hackathon 2026 invites students from across the world to design, build, and document open-source hardware solutions addressing real societal challenges, with a strong focus on India’s sustainability priorities and global development goals.

This is a month-long innovation journey—from problem understanding to working hardware prototypes.

HACKATHON THEMES & SDG ALIGNMENT

Healthcare and assistive devices

Healthcare & Assistive Devices

Affordable • Accessible • Inclusive

  • Low-cost diagnostics for primary healthcare
  • Wearables for community health monitoring
  • Assistive devices for elderly & persons with disabilities
  • Rural & remote healthcare tools

Aligned SDGs

  • SDG 3 – Good Health & Well-Being
  • SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
Energy and sustainability

Energy & Sustainability

Efficient • Clean • Resilient

  • Renewable energy integration & monitoring
  • Energy audit systems & smart meters
  • Power quality & efficient energy usage solutions

Aligned SDGs

  • SDG 7 – Affordable & Clean Energy
  • SDG 13 – Climate Action
Smart campus and smart city

Smart Campus / Smart City

Safe • Sustainable • People-Centric

  • Air Quality (AQI) & environmental monitoring
  • Energy management for campuses & public buildings
  • Safety systems with privacy-first design
  • Accessibility tools for inclusive infrastructure

Aligned SDGs

  • SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities
  • SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure

INDIA & GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS


The hackathon supports:

  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  • Climate Action & Adaptation
  • Digital Public Infrastructure
  • Affordable & Open Innovation

Participants are encouraged to build deploy-able, scalable, and reproducible solutions suitable for real-world conditions.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

  • Undergraduate & Postgraduate students
  • Polytechnic & technical institute students
  • Makers, innovation clubs & interdisciplinary teams
  • Global participation welcome
  • Participants can register individually, or As a group/team
  • Maximum 5 participants per team

What You Will Do

Prototype
Prototype Real Hardware
Schematics
Open Source Code & Schematics
Open source
Document & Share
Demo
Demo Your Solution

BUILD FOR SOCIETY. BUILD IT OPEN.

Think Global. Build Open. Innovate for Sustainability.

Why Participate?

🛠️
Build Real Prototypes
🔓
100% Open Source
👨‍🏫
Expert Mentors
🌍
Global Recognition

Project Submission

All registered participants are required to submit their project work within the prescribed hackathon timeline using the official Project Submission Google Form:

Submission Form

📂 Mandatory Documents to be uploaded (Google Drive)

Participants must upload the following documents in a single Google Drive folder and share the link in the submission form:

  • Project Report (PDF format)
  • Source Code / Code Files
  • Project Demo Video (clearly explaining the problem statement, implementation, and results) )

*Note: that all the above mentioned data is compulsory to evaluate the project submission.

⚠️ Important Instructions

  • Ensure Google Drive folder access is set to “Anyone with the link”.
  • Submissions with restricted or inaccessible Drive links will not be considered for evaluation..

Informative Video & Important Updates

An informative video has been uploaded to guide participants through the hackathon process. The video covers:

  • Hackathon timelines and key milestones
  • Themes and expected outcomes
  • Study materials and reference resources
  • Mandatory submission guidelines and requirements

Participants are strongly encouraged to watch the video carefully to ensure compliance with all hackathon guidelines.

▶ Watch Video

Participant Support & Query Resolution

To support participants throughout the hackathon, the FOSSEE Open Source Hardware Team will provide continuous guidance and assistance through the following channels:

🔹 Live Online Consultation Sessions

These live sessions are intended to address participant queries related to:

  • Hackathon guidelines and rules
  • Submission formats and deadlines

Days: Every Wednesday and Friday

Time: 3:00 PM onwards

Mode: Online

Platform: Google Meet

🔗 Join Meeting

🔹 One-to-One Project Guidance (via Email)

Participants seeking guidance on:

  • Project ideas and feasibility
  • Theme selection
  • Project architecture and implementation
  • Project report structure

Please contact the team via the official email ID:

✉️ contact-oshw@fossee.in

This ensures confidentiality of your project ideas and prevents unintentional sharing with other participating teams.

Rules and Regulations

  • The decision of the review committee and organizers in declaring the results will be final. No queries in this regard will be entertained.
  • The same person can not participate in more than one team.
  • If a person is found participating in more than one team, both teams will be disqualified from the Hackathon.
  • The accepted submissions shall be released and published under open source license in the public domain. The copyright should be transferred to the FOSSEE project.
  • The team lead will be only one point of contact with the organizers.
  • Any participant found to be indulging in any form of malpractice will be immediately disqualified.

FAQ

  1. What are the themes of the hackathon? ▼
    • Healthcare & Assistive Devices
    • Energy & Sustainability
    • Smart Campus / Smart City

    Each participant or team may register under only one theme.

  2. What type of projects are expected? ▼

    Participants are expected to work on open-source hardware-based projects that are practical, innovative, and socially relevant. Projects should be designed with reproducibility and real-world applicability in mind.

  3. Is the use of open-source tools mandatory? ▼

    Yes. All projects must use Open Source Hardware platforms and Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) tools wherever applicable. Proper attribution must be provided for any third-party open-source components used.

  4. Is there any specific hardware that must be used for the hackathon? ▼

    No. There is no restriction on the choice of hardware. Participants are free to use any hardware platform of their choice, provided it aligns with the selected theme and follows open-source principles. All submissions must include complete documentation such as circuit schematics, Bill of Materials (if applicable), and working firmware/software code. All documentation and code must be released under the Creative Commons Attribution–ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license.

  5. Is there any registration fee? ▼

    No. Participation in the FOSSEE OSHW Hackathon 2026 is free of cost.

  6. How do participants register? ▼

    Participants must register through the official registration form available on the FOSSEE website. All communication will be sent to the registered email address.

  7. How will the projects be evaluated? ▼

    Projects will be evaluated by a panel appointed by the organizers based on relevance to the selected theme, technical correctness, innovation and societal impact, quality of documentation, and adherence to open-source principles. The decision of the evaluation panel will be final.

  8. Will participants receive certificates? ▼

    Yes. Certificates of participation will be issued to participants who successfully register and submit a valid project as per the guidelines. Additional recognition may be provided for selected projects.

  9. Will mentoring or guidance be provided? ▼

    Details regarding orientation sessions, mentoring, or guidance (if any) will be communicated to registered participants through official channels.

  10. Who should be contacted for queries? ▼

    Participants are advised to refer to the official contact details provided on the FOSSEE website for any queries related to registration or participation. Email ID - contact-oshw@fossee.in

  11. Will FOSSEE or IIT Bombay provide financial support for hardware or project expenses? ▼

    No. Participants are required to bear all expenses related to their project development, including the cost of hardware components, sensors, modules, tools, fabrication, internet access, or any other resources used during the hackathon. FOSSEE, IIT Bombay will not provide any financial reimbursement or funding for project materials or associated costs. Participants are advised to plan their projects accordingly.

Contact Us

Please write to us in case of any queries regarding the Hackathon at:

Email: contact-oshw@fossee.in