📌About the Event

Meshmerize is an autonomous robotics competition organised by Techfest, IIT Bombay, where participants build a line-following robot capable of navigating a maze, learning its route, and completing the shortest path in the fastest possible time. The competition tests robotics, embedded systems, sensor integration, path-finding algorithms, and real-time decision-making skills.

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ℹ️ Event Details

• Mode of Conduct: Offline
• Competition Format: Regional Zonal Rounds followed by the Grand Finale at IIT Bombay
• Zonal Round: Conducted at designated cities across India, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Kolkata.
• Grand Finale: Conducted offline at the IIT Bombay campus during Techfest.
• Team Size: 1–4 members
• Challenge: Build an autonomous bot that can explore a maze, map the route and retrace the shortest path.
• Dry Run: The bot explores the maze and determines the optimal route.

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📅 Important Dates

• Registration Deadline: 30 September 2026, 12:00 AM IST
• Zonal Round Dates: Vary by zonal city; participants should check the official Techfest schedule after registration.

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🎯 Eligibility & Rules

• Eligibilty:
• Open to all participants.
• Teams can consist of 1 to 4 members.
• The robot must fit within 220 mm × 220 mm × 220 mm.
• The bot must use an onboard power supply.
• Maximum potential difference allowed is 24V DC.
• The robot must operate completely autonomously.
• Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, laptops or other wireless communication cannot be used near the arena during a run.
• The bot must have a visible red LED that lights up when it reaches the end zone.
• Readymade LEGO kits are not permitted.
• Readymade gear assemblies are permitted.

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🏆 Benefits for the Participants

• Prize Money: ₹80,000 prize money has been promoted for Meshmerize in recent Techfest material; participants should verify the final 2026 prize breakup with the organisers.
• Finale Opportunity: Top teams from the zonal rounds get the opportunity to compete at the IIT Bombay Grand Finale.
• Recognition: Participants and qualifying teams can gain recognition through a national-level robotics competition conducted by Techfest, IIT Bombay.
• Learning Exposure: The competition provides hands-on experience in autonomous robotics, maze-solving, sensors, embedded systems and path optimisation.