World Series of Innovation
by Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)
Prizes up to USD 1,500
A free online competition run by NFTE, a nonprofit, in which young people aged 5 to 24 design ideas that answer challenges tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Entrants from any country take part alone or in teams of up to four.
Mode
Online
Fee
Free
Participation format
Individual and team
Teams of 1 to 4
Duration
Entries from September to December; Impact League winners are announced in April
Time needed
Depends on the time taken to make the entry
Eligibility
Open to young people aged 5 to 24, from any country, alone or in teams of up to four. Ages 5 to 12 enter the Imagination League. The Impact League is for ages 13 to 24 on the entry deadline.
- Age range
- 5 to 24 years
- Regional eligibility criteria
- Open worldwide; entrants do not need to be US citizens
- For a team with anyone aged 12 or under, an adult registers and submits the entry
- For an entrant under 18, a parent or guardian accepts the participation agreement
See if your child qualifies.
Rewards and recognition
Award
First place: USD 1,500 per Impact challenge
In each Impact League challenge, first place wins USD 1,500, second USD 600 and third USD 300, and teams share the prize equally. A People's Choice prize of USD 500 goes to the top-voted innovation.
Recognition
Impact League winners: a live virtual celebration
Skills your child builds
Key dates
- Registration opened
- 9 Sept 2026
- Registration closes
- 13 Dec 2026
Impact League final round opens
Finalists send a one-minute video pitch.
Finalist videos due
By 11:59 PM US Eastern Time.
Impact League winners announced
The top three in each challenge.
Online · WSI Awards Platform
How to apply
- 1Pick a challenge on innovation.nfte.com
- 2Register on the WSI entry platform and click the link in the confirmation email; an adult registers for a team with anyone aged 12 or under
- 3Fill in the online entry form, saving as you go, and submit before the deadline
- 4Impact League finalists then send a one-minute video pitch
Rules and guidelines
- Ages 5 to 24; Impact League entrants must be 13 to 24 on the entry deadline
- Teams of one to four; one entry per team per challenge
- For a team with anyone aged 12 or under, an adult registers and submits the entry
- The idea must be the team's own, not entered in a previous contest or published before
- NFTE or the judges may deduct points or disqualify an entry if AI use is excessive, abusive or passed off as the student's own work
Technology requirements
- Basic internet access
- An email address to register (the adult's, for a team with anyone aged 12 or under)
About this opportunity
The World Series of Innovation (WSI) is a free online competition run by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a nonprofit. NFTE launches new challenges every fall, each tied to a UN Sustainable Development Goal. Entrants, alone or in a team, design an idea for a product, service or initiative that answers one challenge. It is an ideation competition: no working product or full business plan is needed.
There are two leagues. The Imagination League is for ages 5 to 12: an adult, such as a parent or teacher, registers with their own email and submits the entry, which the child can write, type, draw or record as a 30 to 60 second video. The Impact League is for ages 13 to 24: entrants fill in a five-part online entry form, and the top 10 entries in each challenge go to a final round with a one-minute video pitch.
Anyone aged 5 to 24 may enter, from any country, alone or in a team of up to four. Entrants do not need to be US citizens or to have taken an NFTE class, and there is no entry fee. Competitor materials are in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Arabic and Hindi, and entries are accepted in all five.
In each Impact League challenge, first place wins USD 1,500, second USD 600 and third USD 300, and teams share the prize equally. A People's Choice prize of USD 500 goes to the top-voted innovation. The top three teams in each Imagination League challenge get a sponsored Celebration of Innovation, and first place also wins a prize package.
In the 2025-26 Impact League, teams from India placed second in three of the six challenges, and a team from India won the People's Choice award.
Rounds and format
Round 1: judges score every entry, and Imagination League winners are decided in this round. Round 2, Impact League only: the top 10 entries in each challenge send a one-minute video pitch, and judges from the sponsoring organizations pick first, second and third place.
How entries are judged
Impact League judges score seven parts of the entry: Ideate (25%), Empathize and Define (20%), Marketing and Competitive Advantage (15%), and Innovation and Feasibility, Challenge and SDG Alignment, Implementation and Sustainability, and Reflect and Impact (10% each). Imagination League judges score creativity, a clear problem, and relevance to the challenge.
Selection process
Judges score each entry with a set rubric. In the Impact League, the top 10 in each challenge go to the final round, where judges from the sponsoring organizations score the entry and its video. The judges' decisions are final.
How to prepare
- Impact League Competitor Guide
- Impact League entry form and judging rubric
- Imagination League Parent and Educator Guide
- Design thinking activities and worksheets for ages 5 to 7 and 8 to 12
- Virtual office hours
Academic details
Frequently asked questions
Can my child enter from India?
Yes. WSI is open worldwide, and entrants do not need to be US citizens. Entries are accepted in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Arabic and Hindi.
Who can take part?
Young people aged 5 to 24, alone or in teams of up to four. Ages 5 to 12 enter the Imagination League and ages 13 to 24 the Impact League. Taking part is free.
Does a parent need to help?
For a team with anyone aged 12 or under, an adult registers with their own email and submits the entry. For an entrant under 18, a parent or guardian accepts the participation agreement.
What is the deadline?
11:59 PM US Eastern Time on 13 December 2026.
What can my child win?
In each Impact League challenge, USD 1,500 for first, USD 600 for second and USD 300 for third, shared equally within the team. The top-voted innovation wins a USD 500 People's Choice prize. The top three teams in each Imagination League challenge get a sponsored Celebration of Innovation, and first place also wins a prize package.
Can my child use AI?
Yes, to refine the child's own ideas. The organizer asks entrants to say how AI was used, and may deduct points or disqualify an entry if AI use is excessive, abusive or passed off as the student's own work.
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