Sponsoring Institution: Conrad Foundation

Type: Business challenge

Eligibility: Students who will be 13 to 18 years of age between August to May of any school year.
Teams must consist of 2-5 students and a coach/mentor, registered through the Conrad Portal,
Registration fee of $499 for teams progressing to the second (business plan) round

Application Deadline: August to November

Highlight: Are you a big picture thinker who wants to help solve issues throughout the world? Are you an innovative problem-solver with an eye for detail? Well the Conrad Challenge is perfect for you, giving you the opportunity to pick a problem from one of 5 categories ranging from aerospace and aviation to health and nutrition, with the 2021-2022 special category being Re-purposed Farmlands & Alternative uses of Tobacco. Split into three sections, the Conrad Challenge asks you alongside 2 to 5 other team members to create an investors pitch, where you will discuss how your solution is unique and solves your chosen problem. The second section asks you to create a business plan to submit by January detailing (through an 8 minute video) your innovation in more detail and outlining a strategy to launch your product/service . Your business plan will be judged and if successful you would be announced as a winner around mid-February to progress to round 3: The innovation summit. Through to the final round, you will have to present your innovations before an esteemed panel of expert judges at the NASA visitor complex in April (dependent on Covid restrictions). So why not start your problem solution today and be in for a chance to win a range of scholarship prizes, including multiple college tuition, science institute prizes and patent assistance, that could reduce the stress of your college expenses and give you the opportunity to fine-tune your innovation! It is said that “every thought we think is creating our future” so start thinking for the world’s future today and sign up for the Conrad business challenge!