Any Idea, Any Team,
Any Country
Young minds embark on a global journey to turn their passions into business or social venture concepts – competing for a $100K prize pool. Teams harness the Diamond Challenge curriculum, global network, and exclusive opportunities for an unforgettable experience!
Competition Timeline
Beginning in September, teams develop their concepts and leverage resources throughout three rounds culminating at the Summit in April.
Concept Development
September
SUBMISSION PORTAL OPENS
Pre-submission support events held through the Fall.
January
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
Teams submit Round 1 materials: written narrative and introductory video.
February
PITCH ROUND BEGINS
Qualifying teams advance competing in live pitch event or virtual pitch upload.
MARCH
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
Qualifying teams make necessary travel arrangements for Summit.
April
FINAL ROUND SUMMIT
Summit is a 3-day conference including the final pitch round.
UNLEASHING POTENTIAL
Each year teams with the most promising ideas are awarded prize funding to develop their venture or support higher education aspirations. Every participant has the opportunity to grow their network, gain valuable feedback, and discover potential future collaborations.
GRAND PRIZES
Awards are given to the top three teams in both business innovation and social innovation tracks to advance their entrepreneurial journeys.
1st Place: $12,000
2nd Place: $8,000
3rd Place: $4,500
TOPICAL PRIZES
Our topical prizes celebrate teams that exhibit expertise in specific areas. From sustainability to technological innovation, we recognize the unique and the specialized.
The Delaware Solid Waste Authority Waste & Recycling Innovation Prize
Awarded to the teams that develop an advancement in the waste or recycling industry that fosters sustainability within both the community and the environment.
The Gore Innovation
Excellence Prize
Awarded to the teams who best represent the application of technology to improving lives.
The Horn Equity Thru Entrepreneurship Prize
Awarded to the team with the greatest potential to advance social justice and equality of opportunity.
The Horn Entrepreneurship Global Prize
Awarded to the top global teams that demonstrate extraordinary entrepreneurship excellence and embody the true spirit of the Diamond Challenge.
Innovation Amplified
Diamond Challenge partners with highly engaged organizations committed to developing the entrepreneurial mindset in teens. Organizations in the following locations provide students the opportunity to pitch their ideas, both virtually and in-person, allowing their innovative concepts to take center stage. Explore your pitch site options:
2023 Grand Prize Winners
Business Innovation
First Place
Omnicore Technologies
For robot and medically-oriented companies that need effective wrist prosthetics, our product is a cornerstone innovation as it provides companies with the technology to improve joint functionality through revolutionary 3 degrees of freedom and 360-degree rotation movement capability.
Second Place
FutureX
Introducing TROVE ACRES, world’s first data-driven distributed local farming platform that transforms anyone with a piece of land into a successful backyard farmer, enabling local production and consumption at scale.
Thrid Place
The Bench Warmer
An innovative portable bench heating device for sports teams and supporters.
Social Innovation
First Place
el-sol
Autonomous, sustainable, and user-friendly solar panel cleaner, el-sol: Let’s make solar panels cleaner to make the world greener.
Second Place
Algae Air
Our concept is an AI-powered microalgae photobioreactor that improves indoor air quality in schools and combats climate change.
Thrid Place
Alzmirror
Virtual Augmented Reality device activates mirror neurons in elders to slow down pathological neurodegeneration.
2023 Topical Prize Winners
Algalrhythms
A new alternative to plastic packaging made fully out of algae.
The Anchor
The Anchor is used to solve the problem of diminishing seagrass meadows.
Medical Protective Systems
Oculo
Oculo is an inexpensive deep-learning optical diagnosis system utilized through a mobile device.
GenAlt
GenAlt is a browser extension that delivers descriptions for images on the web, enabling the blind and visually impaired (BVI) to have a more accessible internet experience.
Herewe
Herewe produces jellies and concentrate made from coffee residues, our products are elaborated with coffee pulp in three different flavors: vanilla, cocoa and original.
