BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:IEEE vTools.Events//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Africa/Johannesburg BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:19440319T010000 TZOFFSETFROM:+0300 TZOFFSETTO:+0200 TZNAME:SAST END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260324T102940Z UID:78993143-D6ED-49E6-8B5E-450E70B68DD6 DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Johannesburg:20260919T080000 DTEND;TZID=Africa/Johannesburg:20260919T170000 DESCRIPTION:INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE in 3rd Edition Cars4Mars 2026 - Afric an Rover Challenge\nShort name of the competition: Cars4Mars Full name of the competition: Cars4Mars African Rover Challenge Website: www.cars4mars. co.za Contact: Basia Nasiorowska: basia@cars4mars.co.za\nLaunch Stage Fina l ONLINE Winners Cars4Mars 2025\nMARS Stage Final IN-PERSON Winners Cars4M ars 2025 Johannesburg South Africa\nCars4Mars is a robotics competition to design and build a Mars Rover Prototype. Our mission is to inspire Africa n Youth to be part of the Robotics\, Space Technologies\, and AI rush to c onquer the world and outer space. It is a voluntary initiative to bridge t he gap between high school and university education in robotics\, AI and a utomation technologies. We aim to mentor and help young people to access t he know-how of robotics and cultivate entrepreneurial spirit by creating a platform of collaboration between academia and businesses. This challenge is addressed to students in universities\, high schools or colleges to co mpete as a team. Participants are welcome from different fields of studies . It promotes participation from South Africa and other African countries. \nRegistration now on website: www.cars4mars.co.za Registration closes on 30 April 2026 Key Dates – Cars4Mars 2026\n• Registration closes on 30 April 2026\n• Competition starts - 1 May 2026\n• 1st Webinar ONLINE - 9 May 2026\n• Launch Stage Final ONLINE - 22 August 2026 on all African teams\n• Mars Stage Final IN-PERSON - 19 September 2026 In Johannesburg South Africa\nPlease see on www.cars4mars.co.za the Rulebook from 2025 to give you an idea what will happen in 2026 -\nThe new Rulebook for 2026 wil l be available in February 2026. Contact Basia Nasiorowska for all enquiri es you might have basia@cars4mars.co.za\nSPONSORS OF PRIZES FOR 2026\nSpon sored Training on Simulation Tools: To cover the basics of how to design a nd build a functional rover with the focus on how to effectively utilise S imulation Tools to test\, validate\, and iterate on different design conce pts for performance improvement. SIMTEQ Awards Sponsorship: design and man ufacture of 14 custom trophies (7 for the Launch Stage Virtual category an d 7 for the Mars Stage Physical category)\, featuring tiered designs for t op placements.\nSMD Technologies Sponsorship of the top quality Creality 3 D Printers for the future winners of 1st\, 2nd and 3rd Prizes in the 2026 Cars4Mars edition.\n1ST Prize - K1C fully enclosed core X-Y Printer\n2nd & 3rd Prize - Ender 3v3 KE\nAbout SIMTEQ Engineering Simteq Engineering spe cializes in providing the technology\, training and knowledge transfer con sulting services using Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) solutions. With ma ny years of experience in these specialized areas of Finite Element Analys is and Multi-Body Dynamics\, we are in the best position to advice and sup port our customers on which technologies to use and how to solve the probl ems they have. Manufacturing areas included are Forming\, Welding\, Additi ve Manufacturing (3D printing) both metals and plastics. In-service areas include part strength analysis\, vibration\, noise\, thermal and fatigue\, as well as full system analysis including moving parts\, control systems\ , hydraulics and electrical systems. Simteq Engineering’s Managing Direc tor Mr PAUL NAUDÉ together with Mr Mpiana Gael Mutombo\, Mechanical Engin eer\, has expressed their company’s full commitment to the success of th e Cars4Mars Challenge 2026 and they are looking forward to fostering the n ext generation of engineers by providing them with the necessary tools and knowledge to excel. Contact Mr MPIANA GAEL MUTOMBO Gael@Simteq.co.za\nAbo ut SMD Technologies SMD Technologies is a leading brand originator and dis tributor\, supplying trusted technology and lifestyle products across Sout h Africa and beyond. With a strong track record in sourcing\, developing a nd distributing quality brand at scale \,they focus on delivering reliable products \, consistent stock availability and dependable support to their customers and partners.\nMr Michael Labuschagne the Technical Lead (Creal ity) expressed full commitment to support Cars4Mars African Rover Challeng e participants in 2026 and commented: “ As an authorised distributor of Creality\, we’re excited to sponsor the Creality K1C and Ender 3 V3 KE 3 D printers - supporting innovation\, creativity and the next generation of makers through powerful\, accessible 3D printing”. Contact Michael Labu schagne on michaell@SMDTechnologies.com\nSUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS\n\nCo-sp onsored by: Cars4Mars\n\nJohannesburg\, Gauteng\, South Africa LOCATION:Johannesburg\, Gauteng\, South Africa ORGANIZER:stopforth@ukzn.ac.za SEQUENCE:0 SUMMARY:Cars4Mars URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/550483 X-ALT-DESC:Description: <br /><p>INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE in 3rd Edition C ars4Mars 2026 - African Rover Challenge<br>Short name of the competition: Cars4Mars Full name of the competition: Cars4Mars African Rover Challenge Website: www.cars4mars.co.za Contact: Basia Nasiorowska: basia@cars4mars.c o.za<br>Launch Stage Final ONLINE Winners Cars4Mars 2025<br>MARS Stage Fin al IN-PERSON Winners Cars4Mars 2025 Johannesburg South Africa<br>Cars4Mars is a robotics competition to design and build a Mars Rover Prototype. Our mission is to inspire African Youth to be part of the Robotics\, Space Te chnologies\, and AI rush to conquer the world and outer space. It is a vol untary initiative to bridge the gap between high school and university edu cation in robotics\, AI and automation technologies. We aim to mentor and help young people to access the know-how of robotics and cultivate entrepr eneurial spirit by creating a platform of collaboration between academia a nd businesses. This challenge is addressed to students in universities\, h igh schools or colleges to compete as a team. Participants are welcome fro m different fields of studies. It promotes participation from South Africa and other African countries.<br>Registration now on website: www.cars4mar s.co.za Registration closes on 30 April 2026 Key Dates &ndash\; Cars4Mars 2026<br>&bull\; Registration closes on 30 April 2026<br>&bull\; Competitio n starts - 1 May 2026<br>&bull\; 1st Webinar ONLINE - 9 May 2026<br>&bull\ ; Launch Stage Final ONLINE - 22 August 2026 on all African teams<br>&bull \; Mars Stage Final IN-PERSON - 19 September 2026 In Johannesburg South Af rica<br>Please see on www.cars4mars.co.za the Rulebook from 2025 to give y ou an idea what will happen in 2026 -<br>The new Rulebook for 2026 will be available in February 2026. Contact Basia Nasiorowska for all enquiries y ou might have basia@cars4mars.co.za<br>SPONSORS OF PRIZES FOR 2026<br>Spon sored Training on Simulation Tools: To cover the basics of how to design a nd build a functional rover with the focus on how to effectively utilise S imulation Tools to test\, validate\, and iterate on different design conce pts for performance improvement. SIMTEQ Awards Sponsorship: design and man ufacture of 14 custom trophies (7 for the Launch Stage Virtual category an d 7 for the Mars Stage Physical category)\, featuring tiered designs for t op placements.<br>SMD Technologies Sponsorship of the top quality Creality 3D Printers for the future winners of 1st\, 2nd and 3rd Prizes in the 202 6 Cars4Mars edition.<br>1ST Prize - K1C fully enclosed core X-Y Printer<br >2nd &amp\; 3rd Prize - Ender 3v3 KE<br>About SIMTEQ Engineering Simteq En gineering specializes in providing the technology\, training and knowledge transfer consulting services using Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) solut ions. With many years of experience in these specialized areas of Finite E lement Analysis and Multi-Body Dynamics\, we are in the best position to a dvice and support our customers on which technologies to use and how to so lve the problems they have. Manufacturing areas included are Forming\, Wel ding\, Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) both metals and plastics. In-s ervice areas include part strength analysis\, vibration\, noise\, thermal and fatigue\, as well as full system analysis including moving parts\, con trol systems\, hydraulics and electrical systems. Simteq Engineering&rsquo \;s Managing Director Mr PAUL NAUD&Eacute\; together with Mr Mpiana Gael M utombo\, Mechanical Engineer\, has expressed their company&rsquo\;s full c ommitment to the success of the Cars4Mars Challenge 2026 and they are look ing forward to fostering the next generation of engineers by providing the m with the necessary tools and knowledge to excel. Contact Mr MPIANA GAEL MUTOMBO Gael@Simteq.co.za<br>About SMD Technologies SMD Technologies is a leading brand originator and distributor\, supplying trusted technology an d lifestyle products across South Africa and beyond. With a strong track r ecord in sourcing\, developing and distributing quality brand at scale \,t hey focus on delivering reliable products \, consistent stock availability and dependable support to their customers and partners.<br>Mr Michael Lab uschagne the Technical Lead (Creality) expressed full commitment to suppor t Cars4Mars African Rover Challenge participants in 2026 and commented: &l dquo\; As an authorised distributor of Creality\, we&rsquo\;re excited to sponsor the Creality K1C and Ender 3 V3 KE 3D printers - supporting innova tion\, creativity and the next generation of makers through powerful\, acc essible 3D printing&rdquo\;. Contact Michael Labuschagne on michaell@SMDTe chnologies.com<br>SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS</p> END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR