Smart-Agri Innovation Challenge 2026

Objective: Design and prototype a low-cost, scalable IoT device to optimize water or energy usage in urban farming.

This global competition challenges makers, engineering students, and hobbyists to build upon foundational electronics (like automated watering systems) to create production-ready agricultural tech. The goal is to identify and publicly champion the most innovative, cost-effective solutions. Entry Requirements

To successfully complete the submission process, all registered teams must provide:

Demonstration Video: A maximum 3-minute pitch and functional demonstration of the prototype in a real-world environment.

Technical Documentation: A complete wiring diagram (Fritzing or schematic) and commented source code hosted on a public GitHub repository.

Bill of Materials (BOM): An itemized list of all hardware components used, which must total less than $50 USD.

Impact Statement: A 500-word summary explaining how the device reduces resource consumption compared to traditional methods.

Judging Criteria

A panel of industry engineers and agricultural experts will evaluate the submissions based on:

Hardware Efficiency: Optimal use of sensors and power management (e.g., deep sleep modes for ESP8266/ESP32).

Code Quality: Clean, well-documented, and modular code.

Real-World Viability: How easily the prototype can be replicated and deployed by a standard consumer.

Innovation: Creative use of standard components to solve a specific agricultural problem.

The Public Showcase

Following the judging phase, the platform transforms from a submission portal into a digital gallery. The Top 10 Finalist Projects are displayed on the main landing page. Each showcased project features:

An embedded player of the team's demonstration video.

An interactive 3D render or high-resolution photo gallery of the hardware enclosure.

A "Replicate This" button linking directly to their open-source code and BOM.

Creator profiles linking to the team members' professional portfolios.