What winners actually did — pattern recognition from SIH 2024
If you scan top winners across problem statements, a few habits repeat. Copy these—fast.
They nailed the problem, not the tech
Winning teams spent as much time refining what success looks like as building the prototype. They converted the problem statement into crisp acceptance criteria: a concrete metric the jury can test. That clarity beats flashy but vague solutions.
MVP first, polish later
They shipped a demoable MVP early — something that solves the core use case and is demonstrable in 5–10 minutes. Extra UI glitter came only after the core flow worked reliably offline.
They proved impact with numbers
Instead of saying “this improves efficiency,” winners showed percentages, latency reductions, accuracy numbers or TCO estimates. Judges reward measurable impact.
Backup everything
Winners carried fallbacks: recorded demo videos, data tables, a small dataset ready to run locally. That way Wi-Fi issues or device failure didn’t kill the pitch.
The Winning PPT — Slide-by-slide blueprint (and where to get the template)
Start with the official SIH Idea Presentation template — use it as the spine of your deck (SIH provides the PPT template on the official site). Always conform to the required format. Winners PPT Link
Slides (must be crisp)
-
Title + PS ID + Team — immediate context.
-
Problem in one paragraph — who suffers, how often, and what’s the cost.
-
One-line solution (elevator pitch) — the “so what.”
-
Value metrics — what you will improve and by how much.
-
Demo snapshot or hero screenshot — show the magic moment.
Slides (technical proof & demo)
-
Architecture diagram — show data flow, components, and integration points.
-
Key algorithms & tradeoffs — one slide each for performance/security/data.
-
Demo script + screenshots — replicate the jury experience.
-
Results — small experiments, user tests, and metrics.
-
Deployment & cost — how you’ll run it at scale (TCO).
Slides (appendix & proofs)
-
Data sources, code repo pointers, dataset samples.
-
Hardware BOM, power budgets, test logs (for hardware).
-
IP/partnership notes and any permissions obtained.
Pro tip: put recordings & scripts in the appendix and be ready to play them fast.
A practical preparation checklist (8–10 weeks to Grand Finale)
Phase 1 – Validate (Week 1–2)
-
Convert PS into 3 measurable acceptance criteria.
-
Lock minimal tech stack and create synthetic data if real data is missing.
Phase 2 – Build MVP (Week 3–5)
-
Build the hero flow until it’s demoable end-to-end.
-
Keep the architecture simple: one API, one UI, one demo dataset.
Phase 3 – Harden & Test (Week 6–7)
-
Run 10 recorded demos with different devices and network conditions.
-
Add logging, local fallbacks, and a recorded fallback demo.
Phase 4 – Polish + Pitch (Week 8)
-
Finalize slides per SIH template, rehearse 10-minute pitch + 10-minute Q&A.
-
Prepare appendix slides and one-sheeters for judges.
Data & legal checklist: confirm data sources, consent, and anonymization; document where your data came from and list synthetic vs real.
Tech and tooling winners actually used
Software teams (lightweight, proven)
-
Frontend: React / Flutter for quick UI.
-
Backend: FastAPI / Node / Spring Boot for simple REST microservice.
-
Data & ML: scikit-learn or PyTorch; export model inference via Flask/FastAPI.
-
DevOps: Docker + simple scripts; local mode must run without cloud.
Hardware teams (reliability first)
-
Boards: ESP32 / Raspberry Pi for field gateway.
-
Sensors: pick tested modules; avoid bleeding-edge components that can fail in the finale.
-
Power & enclosures: mock enclosures in 3D print or cardboard to show intent.
-
Test harness: small jig to stabilize demo sensors.
How winners handle jury Q&A (and how you should too)
-
Listen → repeat → answer: repeat the judge’s question to buy time and ensure you address the point.
-
Short answer + proof: give a crisp answer and point to a slide or appendix item with data.
-
If you don’t know, promise a test: “We don’t have that metric yet; we’ll run this exact test within 48 hours and share results.” That’s credible.
Where to find PPTs & winner writeups (example links & legal template)
-
Official winners list & results: view SIH 2024 Grand Finale results on the official SIH site. This is the authoritative winners list. Smart India Hackathon
-
Official Idea PPT template: download the SIH Idea Presentation Format PPT from the SIH guidelines page — use this template as-is when making your deck.
-
Public winning teams & PPTs (examples): team writeups and PPTs are sometimes posted by universities and teams. Example: a winner’s writeup (Solar Masters) with their methodology and PPT reference is published on a university blog — study these for flow and structure.
-
Slideshare / Scribd references: many SIH teams (and community members) upload sample PPTs on Slideshare and Scribd — use them as practice material, but always follow the official template.
Use the official SIH template first; then inspect published winning PPTs for storytelling cues and slide order.
Day-of strategy — final 90 minutes
-
Boot demo rig with all offline assets.
-
Verify local dataset and run a quick demo scenario.
-
Keep a 2-minute recorded demo ready.
-
Pitch: 4 minutes problem → 4 minutes demo → 2 minutes impact + ask.
-
Q&A: answer succinctly, point to appendix for deeper proofs.
Conclusion
Winning SIH isn’t magic — it’s disciplined translation of a problem statement into a demoable, measurable impact. Use the official SIH PPT template, build an MVP that proves the core outcome, pack backup evidence, rehearse the pitch and Q&A, and tell a simple story with numbers. Study 2024 winners and their public writeups for inspiration, but always conform to official guidelines and acceptance criteria. Follow this recipe and your chances to stand on that winners list go way up.
