Waterloo Tech Week || ROBOHAX: Robotics Hackathon Kickoff & Robotics Community Networking Night
Waterloo Tech Week || ROBOHAX: Robotics Hackathon Kickoff & Robotics Community Networking Night
We are official event hosts with Waterloo Tech Week 2026, a celebration of what’s been built here, and what’s still to come. We’re building something great together. September 12-17, 2026. waterlootechweek.ca
🦾 Robotics Community Networking, Game Reveal, Hardware Kit Drop, & The 5-Week Engineering Launch Begins
⚠️ NOTE: September 16th is NOT the competition day.
Just here for the vibes? Drop by to talk shop, connect with the local tech scene, and watch the live arena reveal.
📅 Kickoff Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
⏰ Kickoff Time: 5:00 PM EST
📍 Kickoff Location: 165 King St W, Kitchener, ON N2G 1A7
🎟️ Capacity: Strictly limited to 150 guests (Get your ticket before spots run out!)
🚨 CRITICAL PROTOCOL: Read Before Registering
⚠️ NOTE: September 16th is NOT the competition day. This is the Official Kickoff Night and Regional Community Gathering. You are showing up to network with the Waterloo tech ecosystem, grab your physical hardware stack, and get the classified mission parameters. You will then have roughly 5 weeks of custom build time before the final Arena Competition Day.
Priority venue access will be given to teams registered for the robotics hackathon because the physical game arena and official match rules will be unveiled live on-site.
💀 Welcome to ROBOHAX 2026
This is not a LEGO assembly line. There are no step-by-step instruction manuals here.
ROBOHAX is a robotics hackathon designed for builders, programmers, and fabricators.
Hosted as an official event of Waterloo Tech Week 2026, this event brings together the sharpest minds in the KW Region to push the absolute limits of robotics design, 3D printing, and programming.
🛠️ Who is this for?
Our target audience is simple: Anyone with the drive and grit to build, optimize, and ship a functional competition robot in roughly 5 weeks.
University Students: Bring your engineering, CS, and math core teams.
High School Innovators: Advanced builders looking to prove their skills in the big leagues.
Recent Graduates & Industry Rookies: Alumni who want to get their hands dirty with raw hardware again.
🎟️ Ticket Types & Team Protocols
To keep logistics running smoothly, please select the correct ticket type when registering. Space is strictly capped at 150 guests, and priority is given to competing teams!
ROBOHAX Team Registration (Hackathon Competitors)
Who it’s for: The Team Captain/Lead daring enough to enter the 5-week hardware sprint.
This includes ONE "General Event Ticket"!
Team Size: Teams of up to 5 participants are highly recommended to balance the workload of 3D design, custom assembly, and bare-metal programming.
General Event Ticket (Community Attendees & Team Members)
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants to attend the evening hang-out, network with the regional robotics ecosystem, and watch the live arena reveal.
⚠️ CRITICAL TICKETING NOTE FOR TEAMS (Read Carefully):
The ROBOHAX Team Registration ticket includes entry for ONLY ONE (1) person—the Team Captain/Lead who will physically receive and sign for the hardware kit.
If your other team members want to attend the kickoff night to help carry the gear, network, and watch the game rules drop live, the other 4 members MUST purchase their own "General Event Ticket". Do not let your squad get locked out at the door!
🔧 Hardware Manifest: What’s Inside the Kit?
Every team registering under the ROBOHAX Team Registration will receive ONE kit: an official hardware stack provided by LORD OF ROBOTS. This isn't off-the-shelf plastic, it’s the raw foundation for your robotic build.
Your hardware kit INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
1x LOR Core V3: Embedded robot controller and the main controller used for the Lord of Robots' MiniBot platform.
2x 18650 Lithium-Ion Batteries: High-current power cells to keep your system overclocked.
4x TT Gearmotor with driver, drivetrain: High-torque, upgraded components to drive your custom chassis design.
⚠️ Reminder: You are expected to hack, modify, and extend this baseline stack. Dust off your 3D printers and start drafting your custom actuators and end-effectors now.
📦 The Hardware Stack & The Challenge
At 5:00 PM, the arms race begins. Every registered team that was accepted will be handed a premium hardware stack provided by Lord of Robots, featuring their flagship MiniBots platform.
Check out the LoR website: https://lordofrobots.com/
Once the clock strikes 6:00 PM, we drop the blueprints for the 2026 game challenge.
The baseline kit is just your starting point!!!
To win, you will need to hack, iterate, and engineer custom actuators, 3D-printed grippers, and autonomous logic.
🕹️ Not Competing? No Problem! Join the Robotics Social!
Not sure if you can commit to a 5-week hardware sprint?
You are still absolutely welcome to attend!
This event doubles as a regional robotics community gathering. You do not need a team or a toolbox to enjoy the night. Come out, hang out with fellow tech & robotics enthusiasts, talk shop, and network with Waterloo’s top hardware minds.
🎁 Fair Warning: Once you see the raw hardware stacks unboxed, witness the live unveil of the physical game arena, and look at the prize pool locked down for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams... you might just experience some serious FOMO, form a team on the fly, and sign up for the 5-week sprint anyway.
⏱️ Kickoff Night Timeline (September 16)
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | The Robotics Mixer & Community Gathering
Network with the regional ecosystem and form last-minute teams.
6:00 PM – 6:30 PM | The Briefing & Arena Reveal
The physical game arena is unveiled. Match rules, regulations, and mission objectives are released live.
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Hardware Kit Distribution
Pick up your physical Lord of Robots hardware stack and inspect your components.
7:30 PM onwards | The 5-Week Build Phase Begins
Take your kits back to your labs, garages, or maker spaces. The countdown to combat begins.
🏆 Final Arena Competition Night
When: TBD (Expected around 1 week after Thanksgiving / Reading Week, October 2026)
Where: KW Region (Most likely the North end of the city—Exact venue TBA)
🎟️ Secure Your Spot for September 16!
Space at the kickoff is strictly limited to 150 guests.
See you on September 16 at The Builders Club!