Gandhinagar: ROBOFEST–Gujarat 5.0, India’s largest robotics competition, has emerged as a major platform for student-driven technological innovation, with 137 teams qualifying for the grand finale following a rigorous technical evaluation. In a landmark achievement, participating students have registered more than 229 patents, underscoring the growing emphasis on innovation and intellectual property creation among young technologists.

The Level–II (Proof of Concept) round of the competition was evaluated during a three-day meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), organized by the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (GUJCOST) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of Gujarat. The evaluation was held from December 28 to 30, 2025, at the International Automobile Centre of Excellence (iACE) in Gandhinagar.

As many as 229 teams, comprising nearly 1,200 students and mentors, presented functional robotic models across nine competitive categories. Live demonstrations included track running, air-speed challenges, maze-solving, navigation in difficult terrain and underwater robotics. These demonstrations were conducted at various locations across the iACE campus, as well as at the swimming pool facility at the Secretariat Gymkhana, highlighting the technical depth, complexity and real-world relevance of the solutions developed by the students.

The projects were assessed by a Technical Advisory Committee comprising experts from leading institutions across the country. Teams were judged on parameters such as technical robustness, innovation, efficiency, complexity and overall performance. Following the comprehensive evaluation, 137 teams were selected for the grand finale of ROBOFEST–Gujarat 5.0. Of these, 104 teams are from Gujarat, while 33 teams represent institutions from other states, including MNIT Jaipur, IIT Kanpur, BITS Pilani, NIT Rourkela, MANIT Bhopal, VIT Chennai, Chandigarh University and Lovely Professional University. The grand finale will be held at Gujarat Science City in Ahmedabad.

A standout feature of this edition has been the registration of over 229 patents by participating teams through the Patent Information Cell (PIC) operated by GUJCOST—an unprecedented achievement for a student robotics competition. The development reflects Gujarat’s strong focus on fostering basic innovation, promoting intellectual property creation and supporting innovation-led growth, in line with national priorities such as self-reliance and technological self-sufficiency.

ROBOFEST–Gujarat 5.0 is a flagship initiative under the state’s Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy, aimed at building a knowledge-based, research-oriented and technology-enabled economy. By promoting hands-on experiential learning and early-stage innovation, the competition creates a structured pathway from ideas to prototypes, patents, startups and entrepreneurship.

With a total prize pool of Rs. 5 crore, ROBOFEST–Gujarat 5.0 continues to incentivize young innovators to pursue technological excellence and research-driven entrepreneurship. Further details are available on the official website www.robofest.gujarat.gov.in. DeshGujarat
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