2023-2024 Challenge Prizes

All teams who enter the Conrad Challenge are competing to be recognized as Pete Conrad Scholars, the Challenge’s top honor. One team in each category will receive this recognition based on their scores during the final round at the Conrad Innovation Summit. Pending a student team’s status of Conrad Innovator, Finalist or Pete Conrad Scholar, the following prizes are available for both current and past participants (note - prizes from singular institutions may not be combined across participant classifications).

All Participating Students

  • FREE domain and website builder from GoDaddy Registry. You get a FREE .US domain for 1-year + a FREE website builder with easy-to-use tools. Showcase your challenge for everyone to see.

Conrad Innovators

  • $20,000 per year scholarship to Menlo College

  • $15,000 per year merit-based scholarship to Lewis & Clark College

  • $12,000 per year scholarship to Clarkson University  

  • $10,000 per year scholarship/partial abatement award to College of Charleston for a value of $40,000, if the student applied for admission to College of Charleston between July 1, 2024 and February 15, 2025 and has been accepted as a nonresident student  

  • $2,500 per year grant to Florida Institute of Technology, on top of any merit-based scholarships earned (range from $10,000 up to 50% of tuition), for a total of $10,000 over four years 

Finalists

  • $25,000 per year scholarship to Menlo College for a total value of $100,000 over four years.

  • $22,000 per year merit-based scholarship to Lewis & Clark College for a total value of $88,000 over four years.

  • $15,000 per year scholarship to Clarkson University, for a total value of $60,000 over four years. 

  • $10,000 per year scholarship/partial abatement award to College of Charleston, a total value of $40,000 over four years.

  • $2,500 per year grant to Florida Institute of Technology, on top of any merit-based scholarships earned (range from $10,000 up to 50% of tuition), for a total of $10,000 over four years.

  • Finalists will receive a scholarship of up to $1,000 USD to attend Leangap®, the leading entrepreneurship program for teenagers worldwide. Leangap® turns ambitious teenagers into startup founders in one summer. Turn your innovation into an impactful startup guided by mentors who are entrepreneurs themselves.

Pete Conrad Scholars

  • A distinctive medallion and a Pete Conrad Scholar certificate from Space Center Houston. 

  • One Pete Conrad Scholar Team will be selected to receive pro-bono services from Arent Fox to support the patent process, valued at $20,000.  

  • All members of the Pete Conrad Scholar Teams will receive a Dell Latitude Laptop from Dell Technologies.

  • All Pete Conrad Scholars are eligible to receive a New Product Market Feasibility Study on their innovation from the Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC) reporting on competitive landscape, market need, and trends, and valued $1,500.

  • All Pete Conrad Scholar Teams will be connected with 1517 Fund’s 1517 Medici Project to help support your innovations and possibly be selected to receive grant funding for your innovation.

  • One Pete Conrad Scholar Team will be selected, and each team member will receive a scholarship of up to $2,500 to attend Leangap®, the leading entrepreneurship program for teenagers worldwide. Leangap® turns ambitious teenagers into startup founders in one summer. Turn your innovation into an impactful startup guided by mentors who are entrepreneurs themselves.

  • The Western Union Foundation Fellowship is for next-generation entrepreneurs and community leaders from and working with highly marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced communities around the globe. This 16-week-long program is designed to equip these next-generation entrepreneurs and leaders with the skills and experience to increase access to economic opportunity, have the opportunity to earn seed funding, integrate into their communities, succeed in the evolving nature of work, and transform their communities. This program is offered with virtual and in-person components that allows fellows to take advantage of the global cohort while also focusing on creating local impact within their communities. Virtual programming includes Impact Series, workshops, and weekly check-ins. In-person programming includes local Fellow-led Basecamps and a Fellow-led meetup. $40,000 in seed funding will be distributed among the Western Union Foundation Fellows based on progress and impact throughout the Fellowship.

  • Four Pete Conrad Scholar Teams will receive full-ride scholarships to TKS, valued up to $7,000 each.

Power Pitch

  • A distinctive award and a Power Pitch certificate from Space Center Houston.

  • Power Pitch teams are also shared with the Foundations pro-bono service partners at Arent Fox as additional teams for advisement selection.