Competition Roadmap

Your Challenge:

The global sustainability crisis is an opportunity for humanity to learn to flourish without compromising the natural systems upon which we depend. You will develop an innovative plan or solution that promotes one or more of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while taking account of other relevant SDGs. In doing so, you will address a particular sustainability problem or challenge which could be at a local, regional, national, or international level anywhere in the world. Your plan or solution could be a program for a government or private entity, proposal, product or service, system, business plan, event, social media platform, app, game, law, organization, educational initiative, or something else. Your plan or solution must be presented in the form of a fact sheet.

We welcome submissions from individuals and from teams.

How to Enter:

The first step is to  register your team (beginning August 23, 2021). As you research and develop your idea, you must seek the advice of a specialist to research and refine your concept. You will express your idea in a compelling fact sheet. Presentations by finalist teams will be evaluated by the finalist judges.

Application Cycle

MilestoneDeadline
RegisterSept. 20, 2021 | 10:00PM CST
Seek the Advice of a SpecialistOct. 15, 2021 | 10:00PM CST
Submit a Fact SheetNov. 22, 2021 | 10:00PM CST

Finalists Cycle

MilestoneDate
Finalists NotifiedNovember 26
Finalists record their Presentations November 29-30
Finalists Present live to World Sustainability Teach-in DayDecember 2 | 4:00PM
Awards Ceremony (at the Siebel Center for Design, or virtually)
December 4

Prizes:

  • Top Prize: $2000
  • Second prize: $1000
  • Third prize: $500
  • Based on sponsor support, other awards in the form of internships, among others, could be awarded.
  • Participants will improve their career prospects by interacting with sustainability professionals in industry, consulting firms, government, or academia.

Eligibility:

  • Everyone who enters the competition must review, acknowledge, and agree to the competition rules.

Judging Criteria:

All entries will be evaluated in terms of the five criteria below for a maximum overall score of 60 points:

Point ValueCriteriaDescription
0-20 Novelty An original (new, fresh, innovative, ground-breaking) idea or synthesis of existing ideas into a new strategy that creatively advances one or more of the SDGs. Winning submissions will have that elusive “wow factor,” eliciting feelings of excitement and admiration! (These are projects that the judges would like to recommend to Elon Musk for funding!)
0-10 Feasibility A convincing case is made for implementability. Implementation might rely on, say, existing or new technology; proven or new social organizations, markets, or science.
0-10 Scalability/ReplicabilityThe idea can be scaled up and widely replicated.
0-10 Connection to SDGsThe analysis takes account of all relevant SDGs, of the ways in which they are relevant, and of the relationships among them as they pertain to the chosen sustainability problem.
0-10 Compelling CommunicationThe submission is written with clarity, is visually engaging, and is easy to follow. The submission has a powerful and compelling narrative.