ITECH Ideathon – 2026

Instructions for Participants

1. Understanding the Problem-Statement Framework
Each problem statement is structured to guide you from conceptual design to a TRL-7 hardware
prototype. They follow this format:

1. SDG Header & Problem Title

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) context and concise problem title frame
the global challenge you’ll address.
2. Real-World Context
A brief scenario illustrates the practical setting—who is affected, where the need
exists, and why it matters.
3. TRL-7 Expectations
 Demonstration in Operational Environment: Your hardware must be
deployed and tested under real-world conditions, not just in the lab.
 Reliability & Robustness: Show sustained performance (e.g., uptime,
environmental tolerance, connectivity).
 User Feedback & Iteration: Gather data from actual users or environments
and incorporate improvements.
 Risk Mitigation & Documentation: Identify technical, operational, and
safety risks; document how you’ve addressed them.
4. Expected Outcome & Entrepreneurship Potential
 Deployable Hardware Product: By the end of the hackathon, teams
should deliver a working hardware prototype ready for field deployment.
 Business Viability: Explain how this prototype can be the foundation of a
student-led startup—including target customers, revenue model, and
scaling strategy.
2. Key Steps to Follow
1. Deep Dive into the SDG Context
Research the SDG you are addressing. Understand existing solutions and gaps in
hardware-based approaches.
2. Define Your Hardware Approach
  Specify sensors, embedded systems, power sources, communication
modules, and enclosure design.
 Ensure components are industry-grade and suitable for your target operating
environment.
3. Plan for Real-World Deployment
 Choose a pilot site or user group for immediate testing (e.g., a local
community center, campus lab, or field location).
 Outline logistics: power supply, network access, user training.
4. Implement & Validate at TRL-7
 Build your prototype and instrument metrics: reliability (mean time
between failures), performance (data accuracy, processing speed), and user
satisfaction.
 Conduct at least one multi-day field trial, capturing continuous operation
data and user feedback.
5. Document Risk Mitigation
 Identify technical risks (e.g., signal loss, component failure), operational
risks (e.g., user error, maintenance), and safety concerns.
 Describe engineering or procedural measures taken to reduce these risks.
6. Develop the Entrepreneurship Plan
 Define your value proposition, customer segments, and go-to-market
strategy.
 Project initial costs, pricing, and revenue streams. Highlight any pilot
agreements or letters of intent.
3. Deliverables
 Prototype Demonstration: Live demonstration of your hardware in a real-world setting,
showing functionality over a continuous period.
 Technical Report:
 SDG context and problem statement
 TRL-7 validation plan and results
 Risk analysis and mitigation strategies
  Business Pitch Deck:
 Market opportunity and customer insights
 Prototype capabilities and deployment roadmap
 Financial model and startup formation plan

4. Evaluation Criteria
 Technical Maturity (TRL-7 Readiness): Degree to which your hardware prototype is
field-tested, reliable, and robust.
 Impact Potential: Measurable benefit to the target community or environment.
 Entrepreneurial Viability: Clarity and realism of your startup plan and revenue model.
 Innovation & Scalability: Novelty of the solution and path to wider adoption.
Approach each stage methodically, document your progress rigorously, and focus on creating
hardware that not only works but can launch a sustainable venture. Good luck!
 PROBLEM STATEMENTS

Note: The given description and expectations are meant to serve as guidelines to help teams
understand the depth and scope of the problem. Teams are encouraged to explore
innovative approaches

SDG 1: No Poverty

Microfinance Platform for Financial Inclusion

A hardware-enabled microfinance solution enabling secure, stable loan transactions for rural
communities, eliminating the need for bank travel. Imagine a woman farmer applying for a loan
using her phone to buy seeds and fertilizers without long journeys to distant banks.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Demonstrate stable live transactions on dedicated hardware units deployed in rural areas.
 Collect and analyze real-world user feedback on usability and transaction security.
 Mitigate connectivity and processing risks through robust embedded system design.
 Document pilot results that support scaling and broad implementation.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Deploy a hardware microfinance terminal processing real transactions with full operational
documentation, enabling students to launch fintech startups focused on rural financial inclusion.

Rural Artisans Digital Marketplace

A integrated digital marketplace which connects rural artisans to global buyers, boosting incomes
and preserving traditional crafts. Picture a mountain weaver listing handwoven shawls and
shipping worldwide.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Pilot the marketplace hardware system in artisan clusters fulfilling real orders.
 Solve logistics and performance challenges with hardware communication modules.
 Collect engagement and economic impact data through deployed hardware devices.
 Document findings to support future scale-up efforts.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A deployable digital marketplace platform enabling artisan communities to sell globally, with
commercialization potential as a social enterprise startup.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

Smart Irrigation Sensor System
A sensor-driven smart irrigation system with nodes managing water use in drought-prone
agricultural fields, conserving water while maintaining crop health.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Install sensor hardware kits in active farms, demonstrating water usage optimization in
live crop cycles.
 Verify sensor reliability and environmental durability under field conditions.
 Collect farmer usability feedback directly via deployed hardware interfaces.
 Document risk reduction focused on engineering robustness.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A validated, commercial-ready irrigation hardware system proven to optimize water use,
supporting student-founded agritech ventures for sustainable farming.

AI Crop Disease Detection Device

A portable AI-powered hardware device detecting crop disease early, preserving yields by
alerting farmers to apply timely interventions.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Demonstrate real-time disease symptom detection in farm environments with hardware

units.
 Verify detection accuracy in collaboration with agronomists.
 Collect operational challenge data from field use.
 Document system maturity for reliable deployment.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A deployable AI diagnostic device with field validation, that enables startups focusing on
precision agriculture and crop health monitoring.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

AI-Powered Radiology Assistant

An AI-embedded radiology assistant hardware unit integrated with MRI systems to speed up
diagnosis and reduce errors in high-volume hospitals.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Achieve clinical testing with integration into MRI workflows.

 Measure algorithm accuracy and operational feedback.
  Analyze incident logs for iterative improvements.
 Document deployment readiness.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

An AI hardware product for radiology augmentation, validated clinically, with
commercialization potential in healthcare technology startups.

Medical Emergency Drones

Autonomous delivery drones transporting critical medical supplies, bypassing urban traffic for
life-saving interventions.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Conduct flight tests in urban environments validating delivery timing and reliability.
 Monitor drone hardware failures and operational risks.
 Generate comprehensive test and risk documentation.
 Record operational lessons for deployment.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

An operational medical delivery drone system proven in emergencies, providing a basis for
startups in healthcare logistics and drone technology.

SDG 4: Quality Education

Personalized Learning Platform

Adaptive learning platform providing content tailored to student abilities, improving engagement
in diverse classrooms.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Pilot deployment in classrooms with real-time engagement tracking.

 Collect feedback from teachers and students on hardware usability.
 Log system performance and content adaptation accuracy.
 Report measurable learning improvements.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A scalable learning technology platform validated in schools, enabling educational startups
centered on personalized education.

AI Accessibility Tool for Differently-Abled

AI-powered accessibility tools assisting students with disabilities, such as audio assistance for
visually impaired learners.
TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy and validate accessibility improvements in educational settings using hardware

devices.
 Conduct usability testing and satisfaction surveys.
 Gather performance data supporting iterative hardware upgrades.
 Document substantive educational outcomes.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

An assistive education hardware product promoting inclusion, fostering startups specializing in
accessible learning technologies.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

Smart Maternal Health Monitoring Kit

A portable health monitoring kit for pregnant women in remote areas, tracking vital signs and
providing early warnings for complications. Envision a village midwife using the device to
monitor multiple expectant mothers, receiving alerts about potential risks that require immediate
medical attention.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy monitoring kits in rural healthcare settings with pregnant women under medical
supervision.
 Validate accuracy of health parameter measurements against clinical standards.
 Test connectivity and data transmission reliability in remote locations with poor network
coverage.
 Document clinical outcomes and healthcare worker adoption rates.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A clinically validated maternal health monitoring system ready for healthcare markets, enabling
the formation of femtech startups focused on maternal care in underserved regions.

Women Entrepreneur Mentoring Platform Kit

Hardware-assisted live mentoring communication kits empowering women entrepreneurs in

remote or underserved areas.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Conduct live mentoring sessions via hardware kits measuring engagement and impact.
 Collect usability feedback via built-in interfaces.
  Identify improvement areas in hardware communication reliability.
 Document plans for scaling.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A mentoring hardware communication product supporting female entrepreneurship, forming a
foundation for mentoring platform startups.

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

IoT Water Quality Monitoring

Sensor-enabled IoT hardware detecting water contamination in real-time, deployed to safeguard

community health.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy calibrated sensors in live drinking water sources.

 Monitor alert accuracy and sensor data reliability.
 Evaluate environmental robustness and community impact.
 Document comprehensive usage feedback.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Scalable water quality monitoring hardware with real-world validation, leading to startups
focused on environmental health IoT.

Solar-Powered Water Purification System

A standalone solar-powered water purification unit combining UV sterilization and multi-stage

filtration for remote communities. Imagine a village where families can access clean drinking
water from a communal solar purifier that operates independently without grid electricity or
external maintenance.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy purification units in off-grid communities providing daily clean water to real
families.
 Monitor water quality output against WHO standards and system reliability over
extended periods.
 Test performance under varying weather conditions and seasonal water source changes.
 Collect community feedback on usability, maintenance requirements, and health impact.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A commercially viable solar water purification system with field validation in rural settings,
enabling students to launch clean water tech startups targeting underserved communities
globally.
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Portable Wind–Solar Hybrid Charging Station

A mobile renewable energy station that combines wind and solar generation to provide sustainable
power for outdoor and off-grid applications such as construction sites, rural areas, field research
stations, and community events.
Imagine teams powering their tools, communication devices, or equipment entirely through a
compact, portable hybrid system designed for continuous, eco-friendly operation in diverse
environments.

TRL-7 Expectations

• Deploy hybrid charging stations in rural communities, outdoor work sites, and mobile
operations
• Test power generation reliability under varying weather and terrain conditions.
• Validate ease of transport, quick setup, and low maintenance in normal field use.
• Document operational performance and user feedback in collaboration with field workers,
researchers, and local organizations.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential

A field-tested, portable renewable power system optimized for off-grid and mobile applications,
supporting sustainable energy access and enabling cleantech startups focused on green
infrastructure, remote power solutions, and eco-mobility

AI Predictive Maintenance for Renewable Plants

Integrating AI sensors in renewable energy plants for early detection of equipment faults
reducing downtime.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Integrate hardware sensors in operational renewable plants.

 Validate AI-generated alerts and minimize false alarms.
 Monitor resilience and hardware system reliability.
 Produce comprehensive refinement reports.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A predictive maintenance hardware solution for renewables, enabling startups in clean energy
infrastructure support.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Autonomous Stock-Checking Robots

Robotic hardware systems automating warehouse inventory scanning, increasing efficiency and
accuracy.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy robots with navigation and scanning capabilities in warehouses.

 Evaluate uptime, scan accuracy, and fault logging.
 Collect operator feedback for system optimization.
 Prepare operational improvement reports.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Deployable autonomous stock-checking robots providing logistics solutions, supporting robotics
startups in warehouse automation.

Smart Logistics Platform

Hardware-embedded logistics managers optimizing delivery routes in real time to reduce costs
and improve delivery speeds.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Manage active supply chains using log hardware and routing devices.
 Validate decision algorithms and their hardware implementation.
 Document system robustness and efficiency gains.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Operational hardware platform for logistics optimization, catalyzing startups in smart city and
supply chain tech.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Smart Grid Operational Awareness and Fault Prediction

Hardware and machine learning systems for smart grid fault detection, predictive analytics, and
power stability maintenance.

TRL-7 Expectations:
  Train ML models on real-time grid hardware data.
 Validate accuracy under load fluctuations and outages.
 Propose hardware improvements for resilience.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A hardware-software product for smart grid monitoring, forming the basis for energy tech
startups.

Intelligent Traffic Management System

Sensor networks managing traffic in smart cities integrating autonomous, electric, and
conventional vehicles.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Collect and process data through deployed hardware sensors.

 Simulate traffic scenarios and emergency rerouting.
 Assess hardware latency and decision accuracy.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Real-time traffic management hardware platform validated in city environments, fostering
startups in urban mobility tech.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequality

Financial Inclusion Platform

Hardware embedded financial transaction systems enabling digital payments for unbanked users
in rural settings.A significant portion of rural populations remains unbanked or underbanked,
limiting access to financial services and digital payments. There is a need for secure, easy-to-use,
hardware-embedded payment systems that allow digital transactions without requiring
smartphones or bank accounts, ensuring financial inclusion, transparency, and economic
empowerment in rural communities.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Pilot hardware-enabled transactions in rural shops.

 Identify usability barriers and hardware security risks.
 Document analytics and performance.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Deployable financial hardware facilitating digital inclusion, underpinning fintech entrepreneurial
ventures.
AI Language Translation Hardware

AI-enhanced translation devices breaking language barriers for marginalized users in government
services. AI-powered translation devices embed real-time speech recognition and neural
translation on low-power hardware, enabling instant, accurate spoken or text translations in
multiple local languages—even offline. Designed for government service kiosks and mobile units,
they let marginalized users understand legal notices, healthcare advice, and welfare guidelines
without intermediaries, ensuring privacy and cultural sensitivity through secure authentication and
context-aware language models.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy hardware translators; monitor accuracy and feedback.

 Gather user experiences and performance analytics.
 Compile reports on marginal user trust.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Portable AI translators for public services, enabling hardware startups in inclusive technology
markets.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Flood-Prone Identification Hardware System

Satellite data systems predicting urban flood zones to aid city planning and disaster response.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Demonstrate prediction hardware modules with city planners.

 Assess device integration and feedback.
 Document system recommendations.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Validated flood risk hardware aiding sustainable urban development, enabling environmental
tech startups.

Waste Collection Optimization System

Sensor-based monitoring waste levels and optimizing collection routes for cleaner cities. Cities
struggle with inefficient waste collection that leads to overflowing bins, unsanitary conditions, and
high operational costs. Embedding ultrasonic and weight sensors in segregated waste containers
organic, recyclable, and non-recyclable enables continuous monitoring of fill levels,
contamination rates, and bin usage patterns. Edge gateways aggregate this data and run real-time
route-optimization algorithms that dispatch collection vehicles only when specific bins require
emptying, ensuring timely servicing of full or contaminated containers while bypassing under-
utilized ones. Integrating segregation metrics drives targeted educational campaigns and
enforcement, improving recycling rates and reducing landfill load.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Implement sensor hardware in bins; test data accuracy.

 Evaluate algorithm precision under variable waste rates.
 Document environmental and economic impact.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A sensor-integrated waste management product proven in urban settings, supporting clean city
startups.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Visual Inspection System for Quality Control

Embedded hardware system automatically detecting defects on manufacturing lines, reducing

waste and recalls.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Embed inspection hardware in production lines.

 Monitor defect detection rates and operator feedback.
 Implement continuous improvement plans.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Industrial-quality control hardware validated in production, enabling startups in manufacturing
automation.

Product Lifecycle Tracking Hardware

Sensor-based tracking devices enabling circular economy practices through real-time product
status monitoring. Manufactured products often follow a “take-make-dispose” model that
generates excessive waste and depletes finite resources. By embedding low-power sensors and
communication modules into items or their packaging, stakeholders can continuously monitor each
product’s location, usage patterns, and physical stresses throughout its lifecycle. This real-time
visibility enables automated alerts when a product nears its end-of-first-life triggering targeted
maintenance, refurbishment, or recycling processes—thereby extending useful life, recovering
valuable materials, and preventing premature disposal

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Pilot tracking hardware with industries.

 Assess reliability and user satisfaction.
 Document scaling feasibility.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Deployable lifecycle tracking kit forming a foundation for circular economy hardware startups.

SDG 13: Climate Action

Wildfire Prediction AI System

AI-driven sensors predicting wildfire outbreaks for early firefighting interventions.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Test AI wildfire detection using real sensor data.

 Monitor false alarm rates and system limits.
 Document improvement assessments.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Operational wildfire prediction hardware supporting startups in environmental risk management.

Household Energy Dashboard

Residential energy monitoring promoting reduced consumption and emissions through daily
usage tracking.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy energy dashboard hardware; track usage patterns.

 Collect responsiveness and engagement data.
 Report pilot outcomes.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Field-tested domestic energy monitoring kits enabling startups in home energy management.
SDG 14: Life below Water

Aquaponic Food Production System with Integrated Monitoring

Combined aquaculture-hydroponics hardware system where fish waste provides nutrients for
vegetable production while plants filter water for fish, creating a symbiotic food production cycle.
Picture a community farm producing both fresh fish and vegetables using the same water system
with integrated monitoring for optimal plant and fish health.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy aquaponic systems in community or commercial settings producing marketable

fish and vegetables.
 Validate nutrient cycling efficiency and system balance between fish and plant production.
 Test scalability, profitability, and consumer acceptance of aquaponically-grown products.
 Document food security impact and resource efficiency compared to separate fish and
vegetable production.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential

A proven aquaponic production system with market validation, enabling agritech startups
focused on integrated food production and urban farming solutions.

Smart Inland Aquaculture Water Quality Management System

IoT-enabled water quality monitoring and management hardware for inland fish farms,
maintaining optimal conditions for sustainable fish production while preventing environmental
contamination. Picture a freshwater fish farm where automated sensors continuously monitor pH,
oxygen levels, and nutrient content, alerting farmers to potential issues before fish mortality
occurs.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy monitoring systems in operational inland fish farms managing real aquaculture
production cycles.
 Validate sensor accuracy and automated response systems for water parameter control.
 Test integration with existing farm infrastructure including pumps, aerators, and feeding
systems.
 Document fish health improvements, yield increases, and environmental impact
reduction.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A commercially viable aquaculture management system with proven fish farm performance,
enabling students to launch aquatech startups focused on sustainable inland fish production and
water resource protection
SDG 15: Life on Land

Forest Landslide Early Detection Network

A distributed array of rugged field sensors (inclinometers, soil moisture probes, and ground-
penetrating radar modules) installed on slopes in landslide-prone hill stations to detect early
warning signs of slope failure.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy sensor clusters on test slopes, collecting continuous multi-parameter data through
a low-power wireless mesh network.
 Validate the system’s ability to detect precursory ground shifts and moisture thresholds
by correlating sensor alerts with controlled test slides.
 Demonstrate fail-safe data buffering and synchronized transmission over LoRaWAN or
GSM in remote terrain.
 Document detection accuracy, false-alarm rates, power consumption, and maintenance
procedures under seasonal weather cycles.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A field-proven landslide early warning hardware platform with validated alert protocols,
enabling startups in geohazard monitoring and disaster-risk reduction services.

Soil Health Monitoring Tool

Soil sensors allowing farmers to monitor erosion and fertility, adjusting practices for sustainable
yields.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy and validate soil nutrient sensor hardware.

 Collect usability feedback from farmers.
 Prepare deployment documentation.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Validated soil monitoring supporting agritech startups focused on sustainability.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Digital Platform for Legal Aid

Hardware-assisted digital legal aid platform improving access to real-time court status for
marginalized citizens. A hardware-assisted digital legal aid platform empowers marginalized
citizens by delivering real-time court status updates and plain-language explanations of court
orders eliminating dependence on lawyers for initial case comprehension.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Demonstrate integrated hardware services for case tracking.

 Collect engagement metrics and response reliability data.
 Address privacy and operational risks.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A proven legal aid platform enabling justice technology startups.

Anonymous Human Rights Reporting AI System

Secure AI-enabled hardware allowing anonymous human rights violation reporting in conflict
zones. An Anonymous Human Rights Reporting AI System is a secure, standalone hardware
solution enabling individuals in high-risk or conflict zones to report human rights abuses without
revealing their identities. It combines encrypted data capture, on-device AI filtering, and covert
communication channels to ensure both anonymity and actionable intelligence for human rights
organizations

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy hardware with validating organizations.

 Monitor system trust, uptime, and response times.
 Document operational readiness.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

Operational hardware supporting human rights reporting startups focused on secure
communication.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Collaborative SDG Progress Tracking Platform

Multi-organization data integration hardware platform enabling real-time SDG progress tracking
and coordinated action. A multi-organization data integration hardware platform unites disparate
stakeholders governments, NGOs, private enterprises, and research institutions around a shared
system of sensors, edge devices, and secure data links. It continuously collects, validates, and
aggregates Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators, enabling real-time visibility into
progress and automated coordination of interventions.
TRL-7 Expectations:

 Demonstrate live collaboration using data integration hardware.

 Gather user and system performance metrics.
 Identify and mitigate risks.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A cooperative data platform supporting startups addressing SDG collaboration technologies.

Blockchain-Based Funding and Resource Allocation System

Secure blockchain hardware systems tracking donor funds in real time, ensuring transparency and
accountability. Secure blockchain hardware systems combine dedicated edge devices with
cryptographic modules and distributed ledger technology to ensure transparent, tamper-proof
tracking of charitable donations from source to end use.

TRL-7 Expectations:

 Deploy blockchain-enabled fund tracking hardware.

 Validate system security and adoption rates.
 Provide effectiveness and operational reports.

Expected Outcome and Entrepreneurship Potential:

A blockchain based fund tracking product laying groundwork for fintech and governance
startups.