As the Mark Rober Jugaad Contest 2025 powers
through its midway point, social media feeds across India are overflowing with
ingenious, hilarious, and downright brilliant entries. What started as a simple
call-to-action from former NASA engineer and YouTube sensation Mark Rober has exploded into a
nationwide celebration of innovation — Indian-style. With over ₹50 lakh in total prize money on the
line and a chance to be personally recognized by Rober himself, creators are
going all out, using everything from cardboard and broken fans to discarded
plastic bottles and kitchen gadgets to solve real-world problems.
The contest — running
from April 30 to September 15, 2025
— invites participants aged 8 and above to design and post videos of their most
creative Jugaad inventions using
everyday household items. While the challenge is simple in its premise, the entries
flooding in are anything but ordinary.
One standout comes from
a 12-year-old boy in Jaipur, who designed an automatic plant watering system
using old IV drips, plastic bottles, and a discarded alarm clock. The setup
ensures plants are hydrated on a timer, without relying on expensive gardening
tools. Meanwhile, a duo of college students from Pune created a mini washing
machine for hostel dwellers using just a hand drill, a bucket, and a salvaged
fan motor — offering a lifeline for students managing laundry on a tight
budget.
From the rural
heartlands of Bihar to the urban rooftops of Delhi, the Jugaad spirit is thriving. A farmer from Madhya Pradesh submitted a
video of his cow dung-powered phone charger made using copper wiring and broken
torchlight parts — a practical and sustainable solution to electricity issues
in remote areas. His post not only impressed viewers but also gained traction
from tech influencers, sparking conversations around rural innovation.
In Bengaluru, a young
girl crafted an automated room-cooling device from old computer fans, ice
trays, and recycled cardboard. Her invention cools the room using basic
thermodynamic principles without needing an air conditioner — a major win for
eco-conscious innovation.
The key to these
successful entries lies not in expensive parts or polished presentation but in
the pure creativity behind them.
Mark Rober has emphasized that this contest is not about flashy editing or
perfect builds — it’s about original
ideas, clever problem-solving, and the ability to make something meaningful
out of almost nothing.
Every entry must be
posted on a public social media platform
(Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or X) with the hashtag #MarkRoberJugaad, and then submitted via the official contest
website: www.markroberjugaad.com. Without submitting the link through the site,
entries won’t be considered — a critical step that many still overlook. Also,
participants under 18 must ensure that their parent or legal guardian submits
the entry on their behalf.
The contest is part of
Rober’s broader effort to promote science and engineering in India through fun,
accessible formats. His visit to India includes collaborations with some of the
country's top creators like Curly Tales,
CarryMinati, Techburner, and even a special
feature with Hardik Pandya. At the heart of it all is his mission to tap
into India’s centuries-old Jugaad
culture — where necessity breeds innovation, and frugality doesn’t limit
genius.
Rober, whose YouTube
channel has garnered over 68 million
subscribers and more than 11 billion
views, is well-known for his viral science experiments — from squirrel
mazes and glitter bombs to building the world’s largest Nerf gun. But with this
contest, he’s handing the spotlight to Indian creators, many of whom are still
in school or working from villages with minimal resources.
Entries like a “fridge
without electricity” built using clay pots and an evaporative cooling system,
or a scooter-to-wheelchair converter built using scrap metal, show that the
competition is not just fun — it’s making a real difference. Participants are
solving local problems, making tools for the elderly, or building devices to
help their communities — all using the true essence of Jugaad.
With just under half the
contest duration remaining, the most impressive entries might still be in the
making. Participants are encouraged to take
their time, improve their builds, and tell a compelling story through their
videos. Mark Rober and the CrunchLabs team are watching closely, and with ₹5
lakh awarded to each of the ten winners,
the stakes have never been higher.
But win or not, the
impact of the Jugaad Contest is
already visible. It’s sparked classroom discussions, inspired family
collaborations, and above all, given kids and adults alike the confidence to
say, “I built that.”