No. It is for students from all universities and institutes. Undergraduate or graduat, Business and Agriculture students are welcomed to apply.

Yes. We encourage both undergraduate and graduate students to apply. Graduate students have the opportunity to be participants or mentors. 

No! We want students from multiple colleges to apply because great solutions require different perspectives and skills. 

No. We want to challenge all levels of students to explore innovation, creativity, and teamwork. This is a very supportive and safe environment to challenge yourself to push boundaries. We encourage risk, expect failures, and cheer with you for your successes. 

A Need Statement is a problem that has been identified by an industry or agency partner that they want to be solved. These are open ended real world problems that you will be challenged to solve. Need Statements come to us without Intellectual Property restrictions – so the solution is yours. 

On first session of the first weekend, we will gather, have an introduction, and then form teams around the Need Statement. You will select your own team with a small bit of guidance. For instance, no teams larger than 6 and we want a mix of disciplines and levels. We call this “The Dance”. 

Lunch will be provided.

For students, there is no charge. Just bring your ideas, time, skills, and enthusiasm. 

Yes. During the final presentation, Techno Innovation Challenge teams will be judged by a panel of expert judges based on their solution to their need statement, presentation, and market appeal. The 1st place team will be awarded $1,000, second place will be awarded $750, and the third place team will be awarded $500.

No. You can apply individually. Students don’t start with pre-formed teams, they are formed at the event around common interests in solving a problem.

Techno Innovation Challenge applies an Intensive Design Experience (IDE), supported by Texas A&M College of Engineering. 

An IDE is not just another Hackathon because students don’t necessarily start with pre-formed teams, they are formed at the event around common interests in solving a problem. They are led through a structured design process that emulates participating in a high performance team when they take their first job and results in both hardware and software solutions - a complete product. Teams are required to pitch their solutions to a panel of judges.

An IDE promotes the creativity, innovation, entrepreneurial mindset, and great presentation skills that are valuable skills desired by industry. The trick is to get students to practice these skills in a way that they find to be fun, challenging, and will instill these skills.

Techno Innovation Challenge will challenge you to put your theory into practice solving real world problems with a team. You will need to manage time and divide up tasks. In addition to the weekends, you can work with your team between the weeks during the week days at any places. 

It is the time to apply your skills and what you have learnt into practice. You are required to build a prototype, not a real final problem. Challenge yourself to push boundaries. Bring your ideas, time, skills, commitment and enthusiasm.  

Last year, teams from the first Techno Innovation Challenge 2017 could do a very impressive job and build something very amazing! So you will also be alright! See 2017 past event!

Yes, more than 50% of your team members needs to show up and attend all 4 weekends. We suggested all team members to come to keep on the right track because it is a very short intensive period of time. Any team who was absent for 1 weekend without proper reasons are considered give up. For weekdays, you don't have to show up. You can work with your team during the week days at any places.