"This challenge fostered a multitude of innovative ideas, and we could not be happier to support this endeavor. By addressing critical undernutrition at home and with women, the Solvers have played a vital role in the health of mothers, their children, and future generations." —Mehmood Khan, Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer, PepsiCo
A Global Talent Network
For over a decade, the Academy has worked with partners across industry, academia, and government, to identify talent and drive corporate innovation through science and technology challenges. These virtual competitions engage our network of innovators in applying their creativity, research skills, and technical expertise to solve clearly defined, real-world problems. Through their participation, early career scientists and engineers are connected to a worldwide community of innovators, and have the opportunity to showcase their talent to some of the world’s leading science and technology companies. Sponsoring organizations may opt to open their challenge up to global participation, or to focus on specific solver populations (e.g. undergraduates, graduate students, or PhD’s). In addition to growing visibility and awareness among qualified talent pools, sponsors gain valuable insights on emerging trends, and the opportunity to identify potential game-changing innovations in their field.
Open Innovation Challenges harness the creative problem-solving power of our worldwide community of scientists, engineers, and young researchers.
A Unique Virtual Platform
The Academy’s flexible technology platform, Launchpad, enables virtual collaboration and project-based activities between any configuration of participants. Spanning time zones, cultures, and disciplines, Launchpad enables teams of solvers to work together, share ideas, fine-tune designs, and ultimately harness the most effective concepts and put them to the test.
Visit our challenge page to see a full list of upcoming and past challenges.
"The challenge immediately grabbed my attention as it posed both human and technical problems: helping disadvantaged people, while, at the same time, improving an existing technology that impacts the environment. Given my experience in chemical engineering, biotechnology, food packaging and new, green, raw materials, I knew I had the ability to develop a sound proposal.”
– Challenge Winner
Find Out How Your Company Can Sponsor a Challenge
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Past & Current Innovation Challenges
How Does Your Company Foster Innovation and Spot Talent?
Innovation Challenges can help your organization identify game-changing business opportunities, and connect with a new generation of global talent. With a decade of experience in building and running challenges, the New York Academy of Sciences can work with your team to formulate the challenge question, identify and recruit talented solvers, and assemble an expert judging panel to evaluate solutions. Looking for a way to spur corporate innovation, identify up-and-coming talent, and raise your organization’s profile among next generation innovators? Innovation Challenges may be the key.
To learn how your company can sponsor an Innovation Challenge, contact us.
How It Works
Find Out How Your Company Can Sponsor a Challenge
Sponsorship Package
$150,000
As an Innovation Challenge Sponsor, your organization will benefit from:
- Customized Scoping: We’ll assemble a panel of experts to help identify and define a challenge topic of strategic importance to your company or organization.
- A Unique Virtual Collaboration Platform: Your challenge will be hosted on Launchpad, a flexible technology platform that enables virtual collaboration and project-based activities between any configuration of participants.
- Advice from Experienced Mentors: We’ll recruit a group of up to 25 experienced mentors to provide guidance and advice to your challenge participants.
- Opportunities for Employee Engagement: As the Challenge Sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to nominate mentors, judges and experts from within your own organization – a great way to build your employee’s coaching and leadership skills!
- Awareness & Engagement from Target Audiences: Based upon the demographics and expertise of the audiences you are seeking to reach, we will recruit a custom community of up to 1,000 Solvers to participate in your Challenge.