Toycathon 2026

Toycathon 2026: National-Level STEM Toy Hackathon A three-stage national-level hackathon focused on designing market-ready STEM educational toys Emphasis on real, sellable products rather than conceptual ideas Participants experience the full product lifecycle: Ideation, Prototyping, Packaging, and Pitching Focus on creativity, collaboration, and real-world innovation Event Overview: Engineering teams design and build impactful STEM toys Industry mentors guide participants throughout the journey Learning transformed into play through innovation and design Important Information: WhatsApp group available for updates and coordination PPT template prescribed for Stage 1 and Stage 2 submissions Additional details available through official event information channels Event Structure: Stage 1: Ideation & Online Screening: Duration: 15–20 February 2026 Mode: Online Participants develop and submit an innovative STEM toy idea Submission includes a mandatory PPT using the prescribed template Optional Word report submission Submission must include problem, concept, learning outcomes, design, feasibility, and outcome Shortlisted teams advance to Stage 2 Stage 2: Concept Validation (Offline Pitch): Duration: 27–28 February 2026 Venue: MMCOE Campus, Pune Offline PPT presentation before an expert panel Evaluation based on innovation, technical strength, educational value, feasibility, and clarity Top 25 teams qualify for the final hackathon Stage 3: 24-Hour Final Hackathon: Duration: 13–14 March 2026 Venue: MMCOE Campus Top 25 teams build working STEM toy prototypes Focus on functionality, learning value, safety, and packaging Judged by STEM industry experts Prizes awarded to top three teams and two runner-ups Total prize pool of ₹25,000 Complete Timeline: Team registration from 22 January to 14 February 2026 Stage 1 PPT submission from 15 to 20 February 2026 Shortlist announcement on 25 February 2026 Stage 2 offline pitch on 27–28 February 2026 Final hackathon on 13–14 March 2026 Team Rules: Teams must consist of 2 to 5 members from the same college Inter-department and inter-year teams are allowed One team leader is designated as the single point of contact Participants cannot be part of multiple teams Prototype Eligibility: Both hardware and software prototypes are allowed STEM Toy Domains: Physics Chemistry Mathematics Electronics Coding and Robotics Mechanical Civil Architecture Paper Engineering Software Games Agentic AI Medical and Healthcare Additional Notes: Full rules and evaluation details are available in the official Toycathon 2026 rulebook