Registration has opened for the Conrad Challenge, the world’s most highly regarded global STEM innovation and entrepreneurship competition.
Embarking on its 19th year, the Conrad Challenge, presented by Space Center Houston, celebrates and convenes youth teams aged 13-18, where they present innovative solutions across four categories: Aerospace & Aviation, Cyber-Technology & Security, Energy & Environment, and Health & Nutrition. A special category for 2024-2025 is Currents of Change: The Water Challenge, daring students to help communities worldwide with water equity, purity, and efficiency.
“As a premier destination for science exploration and learning, we are excited to present the Conrad Challenge and host this dynamic competition,” said Daniel Newmyer, vice president of Education Research and Collections at Space Center Houston. “We look forward to engaging with students from around the world who will push the limits of innovation, using STEM principles and skills to shape the future.”
Teams competing in the year-long Challenge are teamed with subject matter experts and resources supporting the creation of a commercially viable innovation as they advance through four rounds of the competition.
The Challenge begins with the Activation & Lean Canvas Stages, where students transcend geographical boundaries to collaborate, devise solutions, and tackle global challenges. Students progress to the Innovation Stage where they learn entrepreneurial skills, create marketing materials, and present their innovations to a panel of expert judges.
Successful participants earn the title of Conrad Challenge Finalists and are invited to advance to the Power Pitch Stage held during the prestigious Conrad Challenge Innovation Summit & Expo at Space Center Houston. Finalist teams compete to earn scholarships, entrepreneurial support, and the Challenge’s top honor, the title of Pete Conrad Scholar. At the Summit, teams, judges, alumni, and other members of the Conrad community assemble for a four-day event featuring dynamic workshops, tours, community sessions, and the EXPO, all leading up to the much-anticipated awards dinner.
Created by Nancy Conrad, the wife of Pete Conrad (Apollo 12 astronaut and third man to walk on the moon), the Challenge aims to carry on his legacy after his untimely death in 1999. The Challenge provides opportunities for real-world, relevant learning that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship, allowing students to create impactful solutions and a sustainable society for generations to come.
“We are thrilled to welcome a new cohort of bright minds as they embark on this journey of discovery,” said William T. Harris, president and CEO of Space Center Houston. “The Conrad Challenge empowers young visionaries to transform bold ideas into reality, fueling a new generation of leaders ready to extend the limits of what’s possible.”
Since its inception, the Conrad Challenge has engaged over 1,000 schools worldwide, spanning all 50 U.S. states and 72 countries, reinforcing the Challenge’s commitment to diversity and global representation. The 2023-2024 competition marked record-breaking success with over 3,400 students participating.
Registration is open until Friday, November 1, 2024, at 11:59 P.M. EDT, by which time all registered teams must submit the necessary requirements for the Activation Stage. To register and for more information, visit www.conradchallenge.org.
About the Conrad Foundation
The Conrad Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting collaborative, student-centered, real-world, relevant learning that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship. Through its programs, the Foundation unleashes students’ potential to create impactful solutions and a sustainable society for generations to come. For more information about the Conrad Foundation, its Challenge, or the 2024-2025 competition.
About Space Center Houston
Space Center Houston’s shared purpose is to bring people and space closer together. Over 1.3 million visitors and more than 250,000 students and educators visit each year to connect with the significance of space exploration to pursue a path in STEM or follow along as incredible feats of human spaceflight continue to make new discoveries. Space Center Houston is owned by the Manned Space Flight Education 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and generates an annual $118M economic impact to the Greater Houston area. Space Center Houston is a Smithsonian Affiliate, the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center, and a Certified Autism Center.
SOURCE Space Center Houston
