Championship guide · Innovation · Ages 13–18
Conrad Challenge
An international innovation and entrepreneurship competition for students aged 13 to 18. Teams design a product or solution for a real-world problem and build a business case around it, with finalists invited to an Innovation Summit at Space Center Houston.
- Teams of 2–5 with a coach
- Five innovation categories
- Summit in Houston, April 2027
At a glance
- Innovation competition for ages 13–18
- Teams of 2–5 with a coach
- Lean Canvas, brief, video and website
- Finalists go to Houston
About the championship
What students actually do
Teams choose a category (Aerospace and Aviation, Cyber-Technology and Security, Energy and Environment, Health and Nutrition, or this year’s featured Water Challenge) and develop an innovation step by step, from a Lean Canvas to a full Innovation Brief, video and website.
Finalists present at the Innovation Summit in Houston, Texas, with pitches, a public expo and tours. The top honour is the title of Pete Conrad Scholar.
Key facts
The 2026–27 competition at a glance
The Activation Stage closed on 29 October 2026. The Innovation Stage closes on 7 January 2027.
Sources: Conrad Challenge, Conrad Challenge 2026–27 Student Guide. Checked 6 November 2026. Always confirm dates and rules on the official site.
Preparation with IFA
How we help students get ready
Live coaching from finance professionals who have been there and done it, built around what this competition rewards.
A real problem
Finding a problem worth solving and the people who have it, with evidence rather than guesses.
The business model
Customers, pricing, costs and simple projections that hold up to a judge’s questions.
The deck and the story
A clear structure, clean slides and a story judges remember.
Pitching and Q&A
Timed practice pitches and mock judging, with honest feedback after each run.
Not sure this is the right competition?
In a free 30-minute Readiness Assessment, a founder meets your child and you, and sends a written plan within 24 hours. If another competition, or none yet, is a better fit, we will say so.
Questions
What parents ask
Is it too late to join for 2027?
Does it cost anything?
Does my child need a science background?
Is IFA connected to the organisers?
International Finance Academy is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the Conrad Challenge, Space Center Houston or NASA. Competition names are used only to describe the events we help students prepare for.