Codefest 2026: A 24-hour hackathon focused on student innovation and problem-solving

In recent years, interschool technology competitions have emerged as important platforms for encouraging innovation and applied learning among students. By combining coding, design thinking and collaborative problem-solving, such events help bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and real-world application.

These platforms typically bring together young learners from diverse academic environments, enabling them to exchange ideas, experiment with emerging technologies and develop practical solutions to contemporary challenges. The growing focus on interdisciplinary learning has further strengthened the role of such initiatives in nurturing future-ready skills.

With themes increasingly centred on areas such as digital wellbeing, sustainability, robotics and cybersecurity, student-led technology challenges are evolving beyond conventional competitions. They are becoming experiential learning environments that promote critical thinking, creativity and responsible innovation at an early stage.

Oakridge International School, known for offering the IB curriculum in Bengaluru, hosted the 9th edition of Oakridge Codefest 2026, bringing together over 160 student innovators from leading schools across the region. Rooted in the strength of its IB continuum, the event reflected Oakridge’s deep commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and meaningful experiential learning.

Oakridge Codefest is more than just a competition,it is a celebration of inquiry, critical thinking, and applied knowledge. Designed as a team-based interschool technology challenge, the event encouraged students to collaborate, problem-solve, and develop scalable solutions to real-world issues. This year’s themes included HealthTech and Digital Wellbeing, Environmental Monitoring and Climate Tech, Robotics and Embedded Systems, Digital Accessibility and Assistive Technology, and Cybersecurity, areas that demanded both technical mastery and social responsibility.

Participating schools included Greenwood High International School, The International School Bangalore (TISB), 10X International School, Ekya School, along with Oakridge International School.

Among the standout innovations were a manhole-cleaning robot designed to eliminate the dangers of manual sewer cleaning, an AR-glass assistive solution supporting dementia patients, a traffic safety alert system using computer vision and ultrasonic sensors, and a multimodal AI model capable of detecting AI-generated text, images, and audio through transfer learning with heat-map visualisation. These projects showcased how strong academic foundations translate into impactful, real-world solutions.

“Codefest challenged us to think beyond coding,” shared participating student Aishwarya Pagadalaa. “We had to consider users, sustainability, and real-world implementation. It truly felt like building something meaningful.”

Another student participant added, “The experience strengthened our research, analytical, and presentation skills. Competing at this level showed us what academic excellence looks like in action.”
Celebrating excellence
Oakridge International School secured:

• First and second position – Junior category
• Second position (tie) – Senior category

with total prize winnings of ₹55,000.

Winners from other international schools were also recognised across categories in both the categories.

The event was supported by Credila and graced by Chief Guest Abhishek Srivastava, Senior Engineering Manager at Uber. The distinguished judging panel included Ashish Nagpal, Baalateja Kataru, Shaunak Srivastava, and Nirvan Ashish, who evaluated projects on innovation, feasibility, scalability, and real-world relevance.

Arshdeep Kaur, Head of Design and Computer Science, reflected, “Experiences like Codefest demonstrate how academic excellence within the IB framework prepares students not just for examinations, but for leadership and impact.”

Kavita Sukhani, School Principal, remarked, “Oakridge Codefest exemplifies what academic excellence within the IB continuum truly means, students applying knowledge with confidence, creativity, and purpose. Platforms like this empower learners to think globally, act responsibly, and truly Create Your Future.”

As part of Nord Anglia Education, Oakridge International School continues to focus on combining structured academics with experiential learning opportunities aimed at preparing students for future academic and professional pathways.

Description: This article has been produced on behalf of Nord Anglia by Times Internet’s Spotlight team.
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