Oct 18, 2025

NASA Space Apps Challenge 2025 – Surat Edition

The Computer Engineering Department of Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology (SCET), a constituent of Sarvajanik University, hosted the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2025 – Surat. The event brought together innovators, students, developers, designers, and enthusiasts from diverse regions to solve real-world challenges using NASA’s open data resources.

This year’s Surat Edition witnessed remarkable participation, with over 500 participants forming teams and submitting 81 innovative projects. Participants joined not only from Surat but also from across India and beyond, representing regions such as Spiti, Hyderabad, Aurangabad, Rajasthan, Amravati, Nashik, Nepal, Columbia, Germany, Los Angeles, and New York. This diversity underscored the event’s global reach and spirit of collaboration.

In preparation for the hackathon, the organizing committee at SCET conducted a series of orientation sessions and a comprehensive bootcamp, aimed at equipping participants with the skills and insights necessary to perform at their best.

The Bootcamp Series featured expert-led sessions on a variety of topics, including:
- “Space Stories: From Data to Public Understanding” by Mr. Shakoor Rather, CEO of ScienceMatters.
- “Vibe Coding” by Mr. Prashant Bhardwaj, Innovation Manager at CRIF.
- “Decentralizing Space” by Mr. Jason Michaud, CEO of StarDust Technologies.
- “Building Space Apps on the Web: Tools for the Next Generation” by Mr. Nishant Painter, Founder of Shivanttra.
- “Prototype to Pitch” by Ms. Rashmi Sheoran, ISRO Space Tutor.

These sessions inspired participants to think critically, innovate boldly, and prepare their projects for global recognition.

Following the successful completion of the event, 9 teams from the Surat Edition were selected as Global Nominees, earning the opportunity to compete at the international level. This prestigious recognition highlights the excellence, creativity, and technical competence demonstrated by participants from Surat on the global stage.

The theme for NASA Space Apps Challenge 2025 was “Learn, Launch, and Lead”, encouraging participants to learn collaboratively, launch innovative solutions, and lead change through technology and teamwork.

The Surat Edition was led by a dedicated organizing team comprising:
- Chairperson: Dr. Dipali Kasat, (Head, Computer Engineering Department, SCET)
- Faculty Lead: Prof. Dhatri Pandya (Professor, Computer Engineering Department, SCET)
- Event Lead: Parth Lathiya, (B.Tech IV, Computer Engineering Department, SCET)
- Event Co-Leads: Anika Mehta, Satyam Tiwari, Jit Prajapati and Jay Reshamwala

The successful organization of the hackathon reaffirmed SCET’s commitment to innovation, global engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration.