Program Guide
Pre-registration openAn annual competition to develop, implement, and showcase real-world sustainability solutions with expert guidance and a global student community. Here's how the 2026-27 season works.
Timeline
Sep 2026 - May 2027
Three phases guide teams, starting with first concept and ending at the Global Finale.
Prize Pool
US $35,000+
Recognition, visibility, and follow-on momentum for top teams.
Overview
The Global Sustainability Challenge brings together university students from around the world to design solutions to urgent sustainability problems, with support from a Stanford-led network of institutions, mentors, and partners.
What to expect
Open to interdisciplinary student teams around the world
Three phases: concept, build, and global showcase
Regional finals lead to the Global Finale in Hangzhou, China
Built-in mentorship, workshops, feedback, and global visibility
Global Reach
Teams build locally, advance through regional showcases, and connect on a truly international stage before the finale in Hangzhou.
Regional showcases
Challenge Themes
Theme 01
Solutions that expand clean generation, storage, access, and efficiency, including microgrids and emergency power for communities when the grid goes down.
Theme 02
For 2026–27, Adaptation & Resilience broadens beyond water into three focus areas. Teams pick one to anchor their solution.
Securing, managing, and sustaining safe water supplies for communities and ecosystems amid drought, flooding, and contamination.
The capacity of a food system to withstand, adapt to, and recover from aggravating climate shocks while continuously providing safe, nutritious, and accessible food to the population.
The capacity of individuals, communities, and infrastructure to prepare for, endure, and recover from the impacts of extreme heat. It involves minimizing health risks, reducing economic disruptions, and adapting physical environments to handle rising temperatures.
Eligibility & Teams
Who can participate
Interdisciplinary teams of 1-6 university students from anywhere in the world can participate. At least one team member must be 18 or older by January 1, 2027.
Any undergraduate, graduate, or PhD student
Teams of 1-6 members
All disciplines and multidisciplinary approaches welcome
Cross-functional collaboration strongly encouraged
What you will gain
Access guidance from sustainability leaders, practitioners, and academics as your project takes shape.
Strengthen research, prototyping, storytelling, and presentation skills across the season.
Build relationships with peers, partners, and potential supporters across the GSC network.
Challenge Phases
Phase 1 - Ignite
Sep - Nov 2026
Form your team, choose a theme, understand the problem, and shape a compelling solution concept.
Form a team and choose a theme
Understand the problem and context
Design your solution direction
Phase 01
Progress through each stage with structured feedback, guidance, and increasingly public showcase opportunities.
Phase 2 - Build
Dec 2026 - Feb 2027
Build and test your solution, gather feedback, and refine the work for regional finals.
Build and test your solution
Iterate and refine with feedback
Showcase at regional finals
Phase 02
Progress through each stage with structured feedback, guidance, and increasingly public showcase opportunities.
Phase 3 - Shine
Mar - May 2027
Improve the solution, sharpen the story, and take your work to the Global Finale.
Improve your solution
Sharpen your storytelling
Shine at the Global Finale
Phase 03
Progress through each stage with structured feedback, guidance, and increasingly public showcase opportunities.
Awards
Supported by Stanford and partners driving sustainability action worldwide, the challenge offers a total prize pool of more than US $35,000 plus visibility, mentorship, and global momentum.
Total Prize Pool
US $35,000+
Awards are distributed across the two challenge categories: Sustainable Energy and Adaptation & Resilience.
Global recognition and visibility
Networking with industry leaders and partners
Mentorship and support for implementation
Prize money terms apply. See team prize terms.
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