About this competition
The Conrad Challenge is an entrepreneurship and innovation competition where teams of 2-5 students (ages 13-18) spend 8 months building a product to solve a real-world problem in one of five categories: aerospace & aviation, cyber technology & security, energy & environment, health & nutrition, or transformative ideas / Smoke & Mirrors.
The competition runs in three phases — Activation Stage (idea + market research), Innovation Stage (full business plan + prototype), and Innovation Summit (in-person finals at the Kennedy Space Center in April). Winning teams receive a Dell laptop, $20,000 in patent legal services, and connections to grant funding and accelerator programs.
Season & deadlines
Activation Stage opens August; Innovation Stage runs Nov-Feb; Innovation Summit at Kennedy Space Center in April.
Season window: August through April.
Cost
Free — Free to participate. Teams pay their own travel to Innovation Summit if invited.
Prizes & outcomes
Dell laptop + $20,000 patent legal services + grant funding connections + scholarship to Leangap summer entrepreneurship program.