From AI to Combat Robots – Inside the Technology Olympiad at IIID

At the Iran International Innovation District (IIID), the opening of the second Technology Olympiad brought detailed reports from section managers on competition formats, participation statistics, and the strategic goals of each field — from AI and programming challenges to hardware hacking, combat robots, IoT innovation, and drone technology.

Surge in AI and Programming Participation
Lotfi, AI programming contest manager, reported a doubling of participation compared to last year — rising from 4,600 to 9,200 competitors, including 966 foreign participants from 72 countries. Fields include AI data processing, image processing, text analysis (3,575 entrants), and programming tracks in algorithms, Python/Django, front-end, and Golang (5,613 entrants). The algorithm track, with 1,800 participants, was the most popular. Challenges are industry-oriented to ensure skill development relevant to the job market.

Hardware Hacking Debuts in Iran
Mehdi Mirsalmani, cybersecurity defense track manager, announced over 2,000 entrants from 83 countries in the preliminary stage, with 30 international teams advancing to the finals. Tomorrow will mark Iran’s first-ever hardware hacking CTF, alongside a lightning CTF with 128 top hackers in knockout format. Participation has tripled since last year (650 to 1,956 entrants), with over $13,000 in prizes.

83 Teams in Combat Robot Leagues
Kamil Yazdani, robot combat event manager, said this year’s contests include lightweight, heavyweight, and student leagues, with participation up 10% from last year. Out of 83 registered teams, 64 met technical standards. Finals for all leagues will take place on the last day of the Olympiad.

IoT Joins the Olympiad
Maryam Hosseini, IoT competition manager, introduced IoT as a new section, attracting 175 participants in 116 teams. Regional contests were held in Tehran, Shiraz, Kermanshah, and Mashhad, narrowing the field to 15 finalists. Two main categories assess cybersecurity in IoT and smart hardware development. Winners will be decided based on speed, accuracy, and quality.

Smart Group Flight as Drone Highlight
Mohammad Razavi Fard, drone section manager, said the four categories — smart group flight, flight simulation, demonstrative piloting, and drone combat — aim to merge aerospace innovation with business modeling. Over 1,200 participants registered, with 700 advancing to the business design stage and 100 finalists selected. The smart group flight segment requires teams to present their business model, simulate autonomous navigation, and execute physical flights.