Eligibility & Rules

• The Arctic Innovation Competition is open to anyone with an innovative idea.

• If your team has members that fall under multiple age divisions, enter the division that fits the oldest member of your group.

• Individuals or teams are welcome. Please create only one user account and submit it per team (or individual).

• Each JR or Cub competitor must provide contact information at the time of submission.

• You must disclose all presenting team members if you are entering as a team. While there is no limit to the number of team members, no more than four people may present at the final competition.

• Only residents from North America are eligible to submit entries.

• No prototype or business plan is necessary to enter. However, they are recommended.

• You will be able to edit your submission up until the final submission deadline.

• Multiple ideas may be submitted by an individual or team. However, the same idea CANNOT be submitted to multiple divisions. 

• If you previously submitted an idea and won a cash prize, you may not submit that same idea again.

• Ideas or projects presented in other venues are eligible for submission. For example, you may submit projects that have been presented in classes, science fairs, summer camps, or other competitions.

• If you have questions regarding the rules, please contact us at (907) 474-6518 or uaf-aic@alaska.edu.

• Submissions may include a new or an existing idea/business, but companies submitting to the UAF Arctic Innovation Competition are recommended to be less than five years old as of January 1, 2024.    

• As of January 1, 2024, existing businesses are recommended to be less than five years old, have gross sales less than $100,000, and have raised less than $50,000, including institutional funding from accelerator programs, angel investors, venture groups, VCs, pitch competitions, foundations, or grants. 

• For-profit, not-for-profit, and social impact businesses are all eligible. Not-for-profits are eligible but encouraged to have a revenue stream to address ongoing sustainability.

• The Main Division judges have the sole discretion to determine which individuals/teams are selected for the kicker prizes or if they will not be awarded to any individual or team. 

• No prototype or business plan is required to enter, though they are encouraged.

• You may edit your submission until the final deadline.

• You may submit multiple different ideas, but the same idea may not be entered in multiple divisions.

• If your idea previously won a cash prize, it cannot be resubmitted.

• Ideas  previously  presented  elsewhere  (e.g.,  classes,  science  fairs,  summer  camps,  or  other  competitions are eligible.

• Submissions may be new or existing ideas.

If you're submitting a business:

• It is recommended to be less than five years old as of January 1, 2024.

• Should have gross sales under $100,000.

• Should  have  raised  less  than  $50,000  in  outside  funding  (including  grants,  VCs,  accelerators,  or  pitch competitions).

• For-profit, nonprofit, and social impact ventures are all eligible.

Note: Nonprofits are encouraged to have a revenue stream for sustainability.

• All individuals or teams must disclose any funding received at the time of registration.

• Acceptable prior funding sources may include:

  • Personal or family contributions

  • Modest seed capital from outside investors

  • Small institutional or research grants

• It is recommended that ideas or ventures which have received more than $200,000 in total funding not be submitted.

• Please create only one user account per team or individual.

• You must disclose all presenting team members when registering.

• There is no limit on team size, but only four members may present at the final competition.