Conrad Challenge
Formerly called the Conrad Spirit of Innovation, the Conrad Innovation Challenge is an entrepreneurship competition for high school students. Participants develop a unique business concept and present it to a panel of judges. The challenge encourages creative thinking and offers valuable lessons that go beyond what is taught in a traditional classroom.
Interested in the competition?
Competition Overview
13-18 years old and in high school (or officially homeschooled)
Eligibility
For stages 1 and 2, there is no entry fee. Starting at stage 3, Innovation Stage, entry fee is $499
Entry fee
Stage 1 Activation Stage due: November 1, 2024
Stage 2 Lean Canvas Stage due: November 1, 2024
Stage 3 Innovation Stage due: January 10, 2025
Stage 4 Power Pitch Stage (Summit) due: April 22 to April 25, 2025
Submission deadline
Competition Details
1. Competition Stages
Stage 1: Activation Stage
- Register your team of 2-5 members. Your team can consist of students from other schools or countries. Find a coach who’s an expert in the subject matter to help guide you along the way.
Stage 2: Lean Canvas Stage
- Ideate challenges and solutions, pick your name and category, and craft your Lean Canvas where you answer 12 questions in under 40 words on your innovation, market, and business model
Stage 3: Innovation Stage ($499 entry fee due)
- Write your Innovation Brief answering 10 essential questions that will tell your story, describe your innovation and its impact, detail your progress, explain your market, and propose your business model (max 3,000 words). Film your Innovation Video, a 3-5 minute demonstration of your innovation. Build your website.
Stage 4: Power Pitch Stage (Conrad Challenge Innovation Summit)
- Present your Power Pitch with an executive briefing deck to a judges’ panel and answer questions about your technology, your impact, your business model, and other topics.
2. Prizes
Conrad Innovation Challenge doesn’t offer cash prizes, and scholarship awards are only for a specific list of colleges.
Highest prize: Pete Conrad Scholar
Winners receive medallion, certificate, Dell Latitude Laptop, patent lawyer services valued at $20,000 to patent the idea, a New Product Market Feasibility Study valued at $1,500, exclusive connections to grant funding sources, $2,500 to attend summer entrepreneurship program Leangap, as well as access to other state of the art entrepreneurship programs such as The Western Union Foundation Fellowship and TKS.
Second highest prize: Finalist
- $25,000 per year to Menlo College
- $22,000 per year to Lewis & Clark College
- $15,000 per year to Clarkson University
- $10,000 per year to College of Charleston
- $2,500 per year to Florida Institute of Technology
- $1,000 to attend summer entrepreneurship program Leangap
Third highest prize: Conrad Innovator
- $20,000 per year to Menlo College
- $15,000 per year to Lewis & Clark College
- $12,000 per year to Clarkson University
- $10,000 per year to the College of Charleston
- $2,500 per year to Florida Institute of Technology
