JOIN A CHALLENGE TODAY!
CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
Kimeley Horn Challenge
- Problem Framing: January 22nd | 3:00 PM | McNeil 213
- Solution Pitches: February 12th | 3:00 PM | McNeil 213
Energy TechUP Challenge (Hosted by DoE)
- This is a business plan competition, open to ALL mines students
- Registration Deadline: February 3rd
- Regional Competition: March 6th
- National Competition: April 2025
- Get started by visiting HeroX.com/EnergyTechUp
- Details are outlined in this recorded webinar
Have any Questions? Please reach out!
WHY COMPETE IN A CHALLENGE?
First of all — what are they?
Our challenges are on-campus competitions that require attendance on two occasions: Problem Framing, where you learn the scope of an industry problem faced by a company, and Solution Pitching, where you (and your team) present your well-developed solution to a live audience.
Companies bring crucial business problems to us, and we support students and their collaboration in crafting inventive ideas and systems to address these problems. Together, our efforts produce dynamic, effective solutions that bring incredible opportunities.
We are committed to empowering challenge participants as they develop technical and financial problem-solving, professional communication, and teamwork. These challenges are not limited to a single industry, and you can expect at least three challenges to take place each semester, each offering a varying amount of prize money to the winning teams.
Benefits to competing
Challenges give you the chance to immerse yourself in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment of like-minded individials.
They serve to inspire, and can help advance, existing ideas. You could even have the opportuntiy to join an existing startup and help accelerate its progress!
Challenges create exposure to unqiue job and internship opportunities and allow you to network in your desired industry.
No boring lectures! During challenges, you will work hands-on with others and gain valuable skills and experience that prepare you for the real-world.
How do they work?
The first step is to register for a specific challenge. Registering does not obligate you to compete, but is required to allow us to plan accordingly.
During problem framing, a presentation will be given outlining the scope and details of the problem (or problems) to be solved. These vary from challenge to challenge as we partner with many different companies throughout the year. You will have the chance to form teams of 2-5 people during problem framing, and must have team established within a week of the event. Though not recommended, you are allowed to compete individually.
Should you decide to participate, you will be added to a Canvas page that will provide additional support and resources as you develop your solution. This will include a complete timeline, details from problem framing, mentoring, and opportunities to meet with the specific companies to gain further insight and feedback.
Challenges last 2-4 weeks, and typically require preliminary deliverables prior to solution pitching. At the end of a challenge, teams will pitch their specific solutions to a judge panel. The winning team (or teams) will receive a cash prize.
On several occasions, there is a potential follow up between the winning team(s) and the companies we partner with. This can involve anything from implementing the solution to job and/or internship opportunities.
