World Series of Innovation
by Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)
Up to USD 1,500 prize per challenge
Free global competition for youth ages 13 to 24 to design innovation solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with prizes up to USD 1,500 per challenge.
Mode
Online
Eligibility
Grade 8 to 12
Fee
Free
Duration
Approximately 3 to 4 months per edition (September to December for submissions)
Format
Both
Time needed
Self-paced; design thinking process typically requires 10 to 20 hours to develop and refine a submission
Eligibility
- Grade level
- Grade 8 to 12
- Age range
- 13 to 24 years
- Location
- Specific locations
Prerequisites
- Internet access to submit via the online platform
- A solution idea aligned with the year's SDG-themed challenge
Additional requirements
- Open to participants worldwide; no country restrictions. Students from India are eligible to participate.
Open to young innovators aged 13 to 24 globally (Impact League). No school enrollment or teacher sponsorship required. Participants from India can register directly through the online platform. No registration fee.
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Rewards and recognition
Award
Up to USD 1,500 per challenge
Each Impact League challenge awards prizes to 1st place (USD 1,500), 2nd place (USD 600), 3rd place (USD 300), and a People's Choice Award (USD 500) per sponsored challenge.
Recognition
Global recognition in 47 countries
Skills your child builds
Key dates
- Registration opens
- 9 Sept 2026
- Competition
- 9 Sept 2026 to 13 Dec 2026
Online · WSI Awards Platform
How to apply
- 1Browse the active challenges at innovation.nfte.com and select a SDG-themed challenge of interest
- 2Use the design thinking framework to explore the problem, brainstorm ideas, and develop a solution
- 3Register and submit the entry online at wsi.awardsplatform.com before the challenge deadline
- 4Judges evaluate entries for creativity, impact, feasibility, and presentation
About this opportunity
The World Series of Innovation (WSI) is a free, online global competition organised by NFTE that challenges young innovators aged 5 to 24 to design bold solutions to real-world problems aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Impact League, open to participants aged 13 to 24, features multiple challenges each sponsored by a leading company, with each challenge aligned to a specific SDG theme such as climate action, responsible AI, financial inclusion, or public health.
Participants use a design thinking framework to explore a problem, brainstorm creative ideas, test solutions, and present their refined concepts. Submissions are made through an online platform. Each challenge has independent judging, and winners across first, second, third place, and a People's Choice Award are recognised per challenge. The competition has engaged nearly 4,000 young innovators from 47 countries in recent editions, with Indian student teams winning international recognition including the People's Choice Award.
WSI is designed to be accessible to students worldwide regardless of their school, income, or geography. Resources, entry forms, and guidance materials are available in multiple languages including Hindi. No teacher or school enrollment is required for individual student participation, making it an open platform for self-motivated young innovators from India to compete on a global stage.
Rounds & format
Round 1: Participants submit their innovation solution via the online platform by the challenge deadline. Round 2: Judges evaluate all submissions and select winners across 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, and People's Choice per challenge.
How entries are judged
Submissions are evaluated on creativity, impact potential, feasibility, and quality of presentation.
Selection process
Each challenge is independently judged by a panel associated with the sponsoring organisation. People's Choice Award is determined by public voting.
Academic details
Difficulty: Intermediate
Frequently asked questions
Can students from India participate in the World Series of Innovation?
Yes. WSI is a global competition open to participants from any country. Indian student teams have previously won international recognition, including the People's Choice Award in the 2025-2026 edition.
How do participants typically develop a strong WSI submission?
Successful submissions follow the design thinking process: clearly identifying the problem, researching root causes, generating creative and feasible solutions, and presenting the concept with evidence of impact potential and alignment with the SDG theme.
Does the school need to register, or can individual students enter?
Individual students and teams can register directly at wsi.awardsplatform.com without school enrollment. Teachers or parents can register on behalf of younger participants.
What is the value of the People's Choice Award compared to the Judges' Choice Awards?
The People's Choice Award of USD 500 is determined by public voting and recognises popular appeal alongside innovation quality. Judges' Choice Awards of USD 1,500, USD 600, and USD 300 are based on expert evaluation of creativity, impact, feasibility, and presentation.
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