The Complete Guide to Winning the 2024-2025 Conrad Challenge
What is The Conrad Challenge?
The Conrad Challenge is a global event hosted by the Conrad Foundation. It is the world's first competition that combines the two major educational themes of "STEM" and "Business", providing an interdisciplinary evaluation platform. Its name comes from Charles Pete Conrad, who was the third astronaut in history to land on the moon. The Conrad Innovation Challenge has received strong support and sponsorship from many well-known scientific research institutions and technology companies including NASA, Kennedy Space Center and Dell Technologies, reflecting its important position and influence in the fields of science and technology and education.
Every year, the Conrad Innovation Challenge starts from several major hot issues of global concern, and sets competition topics around aviation, network, environment, and health. At the same time, the special topics set for the Chinese competition area are ocean and education and technology. Participants will choose a field from which to form their own team, start to conceive applicable products and services in that field, and start business plans.
In the Conrad Challenge, after the contestants have determined the topic, they need to find the direction and entry point of interest to create an innovative STEM product. This process requires the contestants to work together as a team to complete the steps of proposing ideas, market research, data analysis, conducting experiments, writing business plans, etc., and finally build their own innovative products.
The Conrad Challenge not only allows high school contestants to combine subject knowledge and participate in innovative business competitions, but also fully enhances the contestants' innovative thinking, teamwork, leadership and other soft skills in applications, trains students' interdisciplinary thinking, innovation ability, and entrepreneurial spirit, and can also use the knowledge they have learned to solve social problems.
Is the conrad challenge prestigious?
1. Official certification
The Conrad Innovation Challenge began in 2005 and was named after Charles Pete Conrad, the third American astronaut to land on the moon. The Conrad Innovation Challenge has a 19-year history of competition. The Conrad Entrepreneurship Challenge is an officially certified high school student entrepreneurship competition by NASA. NASA provides a large number of academic resources and patented technologies for the Conrad Global Competition, and also designs special awards for the best teams using NASA technologies. At the same time, well-known companies and public welfare organizations such as Dell Technologies, Kennedy Space Center and Amazon founder Bezos Family Foundation also provide a large number of information resources and technical support for the challenge.
2. Recognition by authoritative organizations
College Vine, an internationally authoritative career planning organization, selected the Conrad Entrepreneurship Challenge as "the three most effective extracurricular activities to help high school students improve their competitiveness in college applications." The MIT RSI Summer School, a top-level scientific research summer school, also listed the innovation challenge as one of the necessary conditions for selecting students for its summer school; it is listed as one of the twelve top international science and innovation competitions along with competitions such as the International Science and Engineering Fair, Google Science Fair and MIT THINK Scholars Program.
Characteristics of The Conrad Challenge
1. Interdisciplinary solutions
Encourage students to integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines, such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and even business and entrepreneurship, to solve real-world problems.
2. Real-world experience
Students will face various challenges from the real world, which greatly exceeds the traditional classroom learning experience.
3. Entrepreneurship
In addition to providing innovative solutions, students are also required to prepare business plans for their ideas, which helps to cultivate their entrepreneurial thinking and strategic planning capabilities.
4. Global participation
This is an international competition with students from all over the world, which helps to cultivate global vision and cross-cultural communication skills. And with the step-by-step guidance of the challenge and the support of industry experts, students' collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and communication skills will be expanded.
Conrad Challenge Eligibility
Competition language: English
Competition format: Group competition (2-5 members), cross-school teams are allowed
Grades 7-9 are junior high school groups (Junior)
Grades 10-12 are senior high school groups (Senior)
Note: The participating group is based on the oldest grade of the team members. Students need to form teams to participate, with 2-5 people per team (13-18 years old)
Submissions:
1. Business plan
2. Product presentation PPT
3. Product introduction video
Conrad Challenge Categories
Conrad has set up four Categories as innovation directions: aviation and aerospace, Internet technology and security, energy and environment, health and nutrition
1.Aerospace and Aviation
Examples include: avionics systems, engines, air traffic control, aircraft, aerodynamics, human factors/cockpit design and propulsion systems; aerospace systems, processes, international space station upgrades, long-distance space travel, space debris tracking and elimination, astronaut suit design and space habitats
2.Cyber-Technology and Security
Examples include: Artificial intelligence applications, cyber defense systems, government counterintelligence technologies, data-driven energy management technologies, smart security technologies, and database models for tracking, predicting, and classifying natural disasters.
3.Energy and Environment
Examples include: Energy storage, energy efficiency, renewable resources, sustainable land use, recycling solutions, environmental health, water resources, biodiversity, climate change, waste management, and clean technology innovations.
4.Health and Nutrition
Examples include: Prosthetics, nutritional sciences, sports sciences, medical technology, hunger solutions, mental health, assistive technology, health services, medical safety, biomedical engineering, and food safety.
2024-2025 Conrad Challenge Timeline
Conrad Challenge Global Station Student Guide
1.Activation Stage
Aug - November 1, 2024 | Gather Your Team
• Assemble teams of 2-5 students
• Select a coach
• Complete registration
2.Lean Canvas Stage
Deadline November 1, 2024 | Brainstorm and Select Innovation
• Brainstorm ideas
• Select Innovation and Category
• Prepare a Lean Canvas
3.Innovation Stage
Deadline January 10, 2025 | Develop Innovation and Business Plan
• Write an Innovation Brief
• Record an Innovation Video
• Create a website
4.Power Pitch Stage
April 22-25, 2025 | Present at the Innovation Summit
• Top teams are named Finalists and are invited to pitch at the Innovation Summit
• Participate in workshops, take tours, join community sessions and hear speakers
• Compete to earn scholarships, entrepreneurial support and the title of Pete Conrad Scholar
Conrad Challenge China Station Student Guide
Note: The latest 2024-25 China Station entry process has not yet been announced, and the announcement time is expected to be in September.
The following is the timeline of the Conrad Challenge 2023-2024 season in China
1. Registration Deadline
Early Bird Registration Deadline: November 15
Regular Registration Deadline: December 30
Form a team of 2-5 people, complete registration and payment, and complete registration on Conrad AwardsPlatform (AwardsPlatform is the official platform of Conrad. Your team information, all works, materials, etc. will be submitted to the platform, and the judges will also conduct reviews through the platform)
Early bird registration will enjoy the competition tips and webinar resources
2. Preliminary (online, material review)
Make an appointment for online communication with judges Open Office Hour: 2024/1/6 and 1/13
The evaluation content of Open Office Hour is not included in the preliminary review, and the number of places is limited, first come first served
Submit preliminary materials: 2024/1/15
Lean Canvas, Innovation Brief, Innovation Video, Product Website
Preliminary material review: 2024/1/16-1/28
Announcement of preliminary selection results: 2024/1/29
3. Final selection (offline, Shanghai)
Submit final selection materials: 2024/3/8
• Team Photo
• Product Introduction (within 200 words)
• Pitch Power Point
• (Optional) Innovation Product Model (optional)
• (Optional) Updated Innovation Brief (optional)
Final selection: 2024/3/15-3/17
Final selection award ceremony: 2024/3/17
4.Global Finals
The champion teams in four fields of China will go directly to the global final selection (Houston Space Center, USA)
Is the Conrad Challenge worth it?
1. An outstanding Passion Project
In the application of top American universities, one of the background materials that is highly valued is the "Passion Project". Top American universities want to see students who are not only excellent in academic performance, but more importantly, have their own unique perspectives and the ability to explore the unknown and realize themselves. A good Passion Project will make applicants stand out from the crowd of competitive applications, which is often overlooked by Chinese applicants.
2. A shortcut to higher education
Participating in the Conrad Challenge not only provides you with valuable practical experience, but also has the opportunity to win college credits and further enhance your college application materials. Winners also have the opportunity to receive generous scholarships ranging from US$5,000 to US$12,500. As an internationally renowned event that combines technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, the Conrad Challenge has been officially recognized by MIT-RSI. The Conrad Challenge has been rated as "one of the TOP11 academic competitions that can enhance your high school resume"
3. Meet young elites from around the world
The final of the Conrad Challenge is not only a competition, but also an international event. The unique medal and Pitt Conrad Scholar Certificate awarded by the Conrad Foundation. Here, you will have the opportunity to communicate with outstanding young people from all over the world, share experiences and collide ideas. This will not only build a strong network for your future career or entrepreneurial project, but also add many interesting stories and valuable friendships to your life journey.
How to win the conrad challenge?
1. In-depth research on innovative topics
When choosing a project topic, consider the actual problems and needs in real life, and conduct in-depth research in combination with current technological trends. The topic needs to be innovative and feasible while paying attention to its social impact and market potential. Team members can obtain inspiration and information by consulting literature, attending lectures and seminars in related fields, or communicating and discussing with professional teachers. You can view the Conrad Challenge resources here
2. Prototype design with technological innovation points
When designing a technical prototype, it is necessary to make it as functional as possible and highlight the innovation of the technology. Using open source hardware and software tools can reduce costs and increase the feasibility of the project. Implement each functional module in stages and ensure that the final prototype can run stably and achieve the expected results. In this process, the guidance of professional teachers is particularly important. They can provide technical advice and solutions to increase the success rate of the project.
3. Business plan and market analysis
The business plan is an important part of the success of a project and should include market analysis, competitor research, business model, marketing strategy and financial forecast. Through market research, understand the needs and preferences of target users, and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of competitors. Based on this information, develop a practical business model and marketing strategy to highlight the market value and competitiveness of the project. The financial forecast section requires a detailed cost and benefit analysis to demonstrate the economic feasibility and potential returns of the project. In this process, you can seek guidance from professional teachers to ensure the logical rigor and data accuracy of the business plan and improve the overall quality of the business plan.
4. Find Conrad Challenge mentor
Embark was founded in 2016 and is an educational institution focusing on customized scientific research training for teenagers. The core team members are all master's and doctoral graduates from prestigious American universities. They currently have graduates from Ivy League schools, MIT, California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and Caltech.There are more than 3,000 tutors from world-famous universities such as Mellon University.
The Embark Exploration Program customizes scientific research topics based on students' interests, helps them systematically cultivate scientific research skills, establish a correct scientific research thinking framework, connect scientific research with real-life applications, experience the charm of scientific research, improve problem-solving abilities, and assist with university applications. In addition, Embark Prestigious STEM Competitions tutors many students to participate in international competitions and helps them win awards in competitions.
The 2025 Conrad Challenge is the preparation period. Embark instructors have carefully designed the following Conrad Challenge topics based on judging and award-winning trends over the years:
1-Project : ⟪Soft UAV using inflatable frame to improve collision resistance⟫
Topic Overview: The soft drone with an inflatable frame is an innovative aerial robot design. By using inflatable sealed fabric as the arm and frame material, it achieves a design that is completely different from the traditional rigid drone. This design not only reduces the weight of the drone, but also significantly enhances its collision resistance and environmental adaptability. The inflatable frame can effectively absorb the impact force during a collision and prevent the drone from being damaged due to accidental impact. It combines the advantages of the inflatable structure and soft materials, showing unique performance and application potential. This feature allows the soft drone to Perform tasks in complex or dangerous environments, such as post-disaster search and rescue, forest monitoring, etc.
Team: 3 people
Mentor: Embark Science Engineering Academic Director and Team
- Individuals have won many national awards in physics/chemistry/biology competitions
- 8 years of experience in science and innovation teaching, good at analyzing award-winning works and review trends in top science and technology competitions
- Coach students to participate in the National Youth Science Competition, Talent Program, ISEF (and affiliated competitions in various countries), etc.
- Lead students to win more than 200 provincial/state/international honorary awards in domestic and foreign innovation competitions. He has set a record of breaking through the global finals of ISEF5 national affiliated competitions in a single season and helped students win awards from Harvard University, Princeton, and MIT. , admitted to prestigious schools such as Stanford University.
2-project:⟪ Secondary conversion technology of biomass waste based on bionic technology⟫
Topic Overview:Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant renewable resource. Its anaerobic fermentation to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAS) is a highly economical biomass resource utilization method. VFAS and its derivatives have a wide range of applications. application potential. The special organizational structure of lignocellulose makes hydrolysis a rate-limiting step in anaerobic fermentation, resulting in low lignocellulose conversion efficiency, high production costs, and difficulty in large-scale commercial production. The rumen digestive system of ruminants has the ability to efficiently degrade lignocellulose, in which rumen microorganisms play an important role. Therefore, rumen microorganisms are promising to efficiently degrade lignocellulosic biomass to produce VFAS. This project plans to artificially construct a high-efficiency tumor microbial anaerobic fermentation biomass waste production VFAS system and optimize its regulation.
Team : 4 people
Mentor: L.J, a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, and a PhD graduate from the School of Environment, Beijing Forestry University. The research direction is solid waste resource utilization, mainly focusing on the efficiency and mechanism of the anaerobic fermentation of lignocellulose by rumen microorganisms to produce volatile fatty acids. He published 13 SCI papers as the first author and participated in domestic and foreign academic conferences on behalf of the research group many times.
3- project:⟪ Implementing accurate detection of color nitrogen fertilizers and using plant sensors to address food safety⟫
Topic Overview: There is excessive application of chemical fertilizers in many areas of the world, especially in some developed agricultural areas and major food-producing countries. Traditional physical and chemical methods are not only expensive and inefficient, but also difficult to promote. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a fast, effective and simple method to monitor crop nutrients in real time. Our team hopes to provide a plant sensor based on the GFP reporter gene for real-time monitoring of crop nitrogen demand, solve the problem of targeted application of nitrogen fertilizer, and promote the development of sustainable agriculture.
Team : 4 people
Mentor: L.Y, Ph.D. in Vegetable Science from Northeast Agricultural University. Currently, he has published 2 SCI papers as the first author, participated in 2 National Natural Science Foundation of China projects, and participated in 1 National Natural Science Foundation of China key project. His tutoring style is vivid and vivid. He is witty, broad-minded, and good at guiding students to explore independently.
4-project: ⟪Application of injectable biomaterials in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis⟫
Topic Overview: This topic aims to conduct in-depth research on the biological applications of injectable materials and explore their potential application value in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery. Research goal: Explore its application potential in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, including tissue repair, organ regeneration and biomaterial repair. Study its effects in controlled release of drugs, local treatment and targeted delivery. Expected results: A deep understanding of the biological properties and application potential of injectable materials can be provided to provide theoretical and practical support for their further development and clinical application in the biomedical field. At the same time, it provides new biomaterials and treatment strategies for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and drug delivery in the biomedical field.
Team: 4 people
Mentor: with a cumulative impact factor of 40+; research directions: rheumatoid arthritis, nanomedicine research and development, bioimaging, etc. The coaching style is friendly, patient, detailed, innovative, and has clear and logical thinking.
5-Project: ⟪Hand rehabilitation exoskeleton based on AI intent recognition⟫
Topic Overview: This project focuses on the design and development of an exoskeleton device for hand rehabilitation, so that patients with hand injuries or paralysis can receive assistance and rehabilitation training in their daily lives to solve the current inconvenience and rehabilitation of hand joint patients. Because of difficult questions. First, we design the power-assisted exoskeleton device according to the external dimensions of the human hand and fingers, as well as motion simulation and structural optimization; secondly, we use the myoelectric signal AI algorithm to sense the human body's movement intention and then control the movement of the servo-driven exoskeleton mechanism; finally, we process and produce the principle The prototype was debugged and tested to find out the control parameters with the best wear-assisted effect, and quantitatively analyzed the assisting effect on hand joints.
Team: 4 people
Mentor: J.Y, Master and Ph.D. of Harbin Institute of Technology, senior robotics expert, more than ten years of experience in robot development; main research fields include bionic robots, artificial intelligence, and intelligent equipment; published more than ten academic papers, applied for more than 40 patents, participated Multiple natural science foundations and national 864 projects.
The 2024-2025 Conrad Innovation Challenge is in the prime preparation period! If you are interested in STEM and business, and have a heart that dares to innovate, then come and join Embark’s Conrad team and start this year’s journey with senior mentors and capable teammates!
