Guidelines & Information

Everything you need to know about Nextech 1.0 2025

Complete guide for participation, rules and event information

Complete Guidelines
24hrs Hackathon
AI-Powered
VibeCoding Allowed

Registration Process

Free Registration - No Participation Fees

Team Requirements

  • Team Size: Minimum 2, Maximum 5 members
  • Cross-college teams are not allowed
  • All members must be current students

Required Information

  • Team Name
  • College Name
  • Team Leader Details (Name, Branch, Year, Contact)
  • All Member Details (Name, Branch, Year)
  • 10-slide Pitch Deck PDF

Rules, Regulations & Guidelines

General Rules

  • Teams must consist of 2-5 current college students
  • All team members must be present during the hackathon
  • Projects must be built during the hackathon period only
  • Use of pre-existing code libraries and frameworks is allowed
  • AI tools and VibeCoding are encouraged

Technical Guidelines

  • Solutions must address the defense theme
  • Code must be original work created during the event
  • Open source tools and APIs are permitted
  • Source code must be submitted via provided platform

Conduct & Ethics

  • Respect fellow participants and organizers
  • No plagiarism or copying from existing solutions
  • Maintain venue cleanliness and follow safety protocols
  • Adhere to scheduled timelines and deadlines
  • Report any issues to organizers immediately

Disqualification Criteria

  • Violation of any rules or guidelines
  • Inappropriate behavior or harassment
  • Submission of pre-built solutions
  • Missing mandatory presentations or deadlines
  • Providing false information during registration

Shortlisting Criteria

25

Innovation & Creativity

Uniqueness of approach and creative problem-solving

25

Technical Feasibility

Practicality and implementability of the solution

25

Theme Relevance

Alignment with defense and armed forces requirements

25

Real-world Impact

Potential for actual deployment and societal benefit

Total: 100 points (equally weighted)

Pitch Deck Guidelines

10Maximum Slides

Required Slides:

1. Problem Statement
2. Proposed AI Solution
3. Technical Architecture
4. Expected Impact
5. Scalability & Future Roadmap
6. Prototype Demo (Optional)

Example Pitch Deck

To help you structure your slides better, here's an example pitch deck you can use for reference

Final Evaluation Criteria

Solutions will be evaluated by a panel of defense experts, technology leaders and academic professionals based on the following criteria:

25%

Innovation & Creativity

Uniqueness of approach, creative problem-solving and novel use of technology

  • Original thinking and creative solutions
  • Novel application of existing technologies
  • Breakthrough innovations in defense technology
25%

Technical Feasibility

Practicality, implementability and technical soundness of the solution

  • Technical architecture and design quality
  • Scalability and performance considerations
  • Implementation complexity and resource requirements
25%

Defense Relevance

Alignment with armed forces requirements and defense applications

  • Understanding of defense challenges
  • Relevance to military operations
  • Potential for defense sector adoption
25%

Real-world Impact

Potential for actual deployment, societal benefit and long-term value

  • Practical applicability and deployment potential
  • Societal and national security benefits
  • Sustainability and long-term viability

Venue & Logistics

NM Institute of Engineering & Technology

Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Provided

  • High-speed Wi-Fi
  • Charging points per table
  • ID bands & welcome kits
  • Separate restrooms & rest areas

Bring Your Own

  • Laptop & charger
  • College ID card
  • Extension boards
  • Personal items & medications

Event Flow

DAY 01

19th September 2025

7:00 AM – 8:30 AMArrival & Check-In
9:00 AM – 9:30 AMRegistration Closes
10:00 AM – 10:45 AMOpening Briefing & Introductions
11:00 AMHackathon Officially Begins
1:30 PM – 2:30 PMLunch Break
3:00 PM – 4:00 PMInteractive Session
7:00 PM – 8:00 PMMid Evaluation
9:30 PMDinner Break
10:30 PMOvernight Hacking Begins
12:00 AM – 6:00 AMContinuous Hacking
DAY 02

20th September 2025

7:00 AM – 8:00 AMBreakfast
11:00 AMSubmission Deadline (24hrs Complete)
10:00 AM – 1:00 PMFinal Pitching & Judging
1:30 PM – 2:30 PMLunch Break
3:30 PM – 4:30 PMAwards Ceremony

Judging Notes

No marks for pure coding complexity
AI & VibeCoding use is encouraged
Focus on idea quality, feasibility and real-world impact

Prizes & Recognition

Recognition & Rewards

Winners will receive certificates, recognition, and exciting prizes. Details will be announced during the event.

Final Notes

This is a collaborative, innovative and learning-first hackathon
Respect the schedule, venue rules and fellow participants
Target audience: College students and young innovators