THE INVENTFUTURE.GLOBAL INNOVATION CHALLENGE (IFGIC) is an annual challenge designed to provide students ages 5 to 19 from around the world a place to share, compete, and be celebrated for their brilliant innovations, inventions, and design programs that solve problems are regularly held in countries across the globe and InventFuture.Global now offers students an amazing opportunity! Share your creativity beyond your country’s borders … the international community is waiting to see what you have achieved.

The InventFuture.Global Innovation Challenge is a two-round, virtual challenge.

  • Round 1
    All participants are included in Round 1 of the challenge. During this round, a panel of international judges independently reviewed the 1-minute project pitch video, logbook/journal, and 6-slide presentation and recommended entries to advance to Round 2 of the challenge.
  • Round 2
    Projects selected to advance to Round 2 of the challenge will be invited to present live, via the online Global Innovation Field Trip event to a panel of judges, peer innovators, a moderator and a global audience. For more information see Top Tips for Your Live Presentation.

Join the top student innovators from all over the world and present your ideas and solutions to a global audience

View IF.GIC 2025 | IF.GIC 2024 | GIC 2023 | GIC 2022 | GIC 2021

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

5-19

Participant must age 5 to 19

1-3

Register as an individual or team of up to three

1

Participant register to represent one and only one innovation

IF.GO

Invited or selected by an IF.G member organization

WHAT IS INNOVATION

The Oxford Dictionary defines “innovation” as a new method, idea, product.

We expand the definition to also include significantly improved methods, ideas or products. Meaning you could create an enhancement, change or addition to a current innovation that significantly improves the innovation or performs the same function in a different way. For example, a plain pencil is used to write, but a pencil with an eraser on it can both write and erase. While a pen performs basically the same function but in a different way. These are all innovations.

Further, you could also combine existing products to come up with a unique innovation. For example a fork combined with a spoon to make a Spork.

Some examples of innovations:

prototype, App, idea, social good program, service, process, AI agent, or yours could be different from these and we encourage you to apply.

MATERIALS FOR REGISTRATION

Image of Individual or Team

JPEG or PNG image of yourself or your team.

Image of Innovation

JPEG or PNG image of your innovation.

60-Second Pitch Video

The promotion video of your innovation, mp4, mov or avi format. The purpose is to get people interested in learning more about your innovation.

The Story of Your Innovation

The logbook, journal or diary needs to document every aspect of the student’s journey. Each step in the innovation process needs to be clearly identified.

Presentation Slides

The content of a presentation not longer than 6 slides using Powerpoint, Keynote, or Google Slides and saved as .PDF or .PPTX.

SCHEDULE

15 MARCH 2026

Student Registration Starts

18 SEPTEMBER 2026

Student Materials Upload Deadline

7 OCTOBER 2026

Finalists Announcement after Round 1 Review by International IFGIC Judges

17/18 OCTOBER 2026

Finalists Live On-Line Presentations at GIFT

25 OCTOBER 2026

Awards and Honors Celebration

STEPS TO 2026 IF.GIC

PRIOR TO REGISTERING FOR THE IFGIC

  • Review the IFG Innovation Challenge Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy to ensure compliance.
  • Create a Presentation Document of no more than 6 pages or slides detailing your innovative process.
  • Be ready to attach diary, logbook, journal documenting your innovation process.
  • Create a 60-Second (or less) pitch video.
  • Include a picture of yourself or the team.
  • Take a picture and create an image of your innovation.

REGISTER FOR THE IFGIC

  • Secure your Access Code from your InventFuture.Global Organization.
  • Click on the “Registration” button at: https://inventfuture.global/ifgic/.
  • Only one registration form detailing participant information for all members of the team.
  • Participant’s information – includes full name, gender, age, city, state/region, country, parent name(s), and contact email for each member of the team.
  • Project information – includes the name of your innovation, a description, the problem it solves and a summary of how it works.
  • Upload your logbook, journal or diary.
  • Upload your Pitch Video (No longer than 60 seconds).
  • Upload a picture of yourself or team.
  • Upload the image of your innovation, screenshot of a portion of the code, a partial diagram, or high-level outline of the idea.
  • Presentation document – a presentation not longer than 6 slides or pages, saved as PDF or .pptx

AFTER REGISTRATION FOR THE IFGIC

  • CONFIRMATION: After filling in the registration information and uploading the required files BEFORE Friday, 25 September you will receive an on-screen confirmation that your registration was complete. If you do NOT see the on-screen message, then something was not completed. Look for the error and fix it. You will NOT be able to leave the registration site with a partially completed form and then return later. You will also receive an email confirming the completed registration. Check your SPAM folder for this email.
    Your registration will be reviewed by the IFGIC Team, and any questions, concerns or omissions will be forwarded to you via email.
  • OFF-LINE JUDGING: The first round of judging occurs off-line, and you will receive an email by Wednesday, 7 October notifying you if you have been selected as a Finalist for the second round of judging. This second round occurs live at the Global Innovation Field Trip (GIFT) on Saturday/Sunday 17/18 October. If you are a Finalist, you will be asked to choose your presentation time at GIFT.
  • GIFT SESSION CHOICES: If you are a Finalist, by Monday 12 October you will need to have submitted your choices for a GIFT presentation session time.
  • GIFT SESSION NOTIFICATION: By Thursday, 15 October, you will be told which GIFT IFGIC session you will be presenting at.
  • GIFT PRESENTATIONS: At GIFT Saturday/Sunday, 17/18 October, you will be giving your Final Presentation live to judges and the world watching GIFT.
  • INVENTFUTURE.GLOBAL INNOVATION CHALLENGE AWARDS CEREMONY: On Sunday, 25 October, the IFGIC awards ceremony will be held live on Zoom & YouTube.
Frequently Asked Questions

Our Success Is Measured by the Students’ Success

In How They Innovate and Create the Future

For Themselves

For Their Countries

For the Entire World