Pune: A team of 11 engineering students, called Team Vegapod Hyperloop, has finished among the world’s top 10 teams at the European Hyperloop Week 2026 in the Netherlands.They secured the 7th position overall and 6th in Engineering Design, including the Emerging Engineering Talent Award competing with student teams from engineering institutions across the world in developing next-gen transportation technologies.Aqsa Momin, manager of the team said representing India and MIT-WPU at the competition was a dream come true. “Competing with some of the world’s best engineering teams challenged us to think beyond conventional solutions and strengthened our confidence.”Teams were evaluated on multiple metrics: engineering design, subsystem validation, technical presentation, safety assessment, and prototype demonstration, judged by an international panel of industry experts and researchers.Vegapod has developed engineering solutions aimed at improving performance, affordability and sustainability of Hyperloop systems. Among their innovations are a Flat Linear Motor Propulsion System made to improve energy efficient electromagnetic thrust, and a lightweight and low cost modular chassis made to improve structural efficiency while simplifying manufacturing and maintenance. Their research has granted them four Indian patents and one in Germany.Team captain Vaibhav Singh credited the importance of teamwork and persistence. “Every design review, prototype iteration and technical challenge prepared us for this moment. Bringing these accolades to India is a matter of immense pride.”D P Hujare, program director, said, “The students demonstrated we could compete globally through innovation, research and disciplined execution. The achievement reflected the university’s focus on experiential learning and an education driven by technology.Omkar Kulkarni, a faculty adviser, said ”This was an opportunity to test their technologies against international standards. It is the outcome of years of dedicated research, and relentless efforts of our students. This should encourage more youngsters to work on sustainable transportation.”.Rahul V Karad, executive president, MIT-WPU, said, “Competing successfully on a global platform demonstrates the ability of students to develop technologies addressing future mobility challenges.
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