Builder Resources

Sponsors will present their challenges live, giving you the opportunity to ask questions and understand each problem before committing.

After the presentations, challenges will be available on the website for you to browse and sign up.

Each challenge will include important information to help you decide:

• •Problem Statement: What the sponsor is trying to solve
• •Success Criteria: What a good solution looks like
• •Available Resources: Data, APIs, or materials provided
• •Sponsor Contact: Who to ask for clarification

Have questions about a challenge? You'll be able to ask sponsors directly through the Q&A feature on each challenge page after tonight's kickoff.

Important: Each builder or team can only sign up for one challenge.

After challenges are revealed tonight, here's how to select one:

1. Make sure you're registered as a builder
2. Navigate to the challenge you want
3. Click the "Sign Up for Challenge" button
4. If you have a team, make sure you're the captain or coordinate with your captain

You can also bring your own idea! Just select "Bring Your Own Challenge" during signup.

Ready to lead a team? Here's how to create one:

1. Go to your Team Dashboard
2. Click "Create a Team"
3. Enter your team name
4. You'll receive an 8-character invite code to share

Team invite codes are 8-character codes that let others join your team. Example: HX7F3BmK

• •Codes are case-sensitive
• •Share via text, email, or the built-in share button
• •Codes don't expire during the event

There are three ways to join a team:

Don't have a team yet? Use our Team Discovery page to find teams looking for members.

• •Filter by track (High School, Explorer, Veteran)
• •See what skills teams are looking for
• •Check team descriptions and available spots

Tip: The Kickoff event is also a great place to meet potential teammates in person!

As team captain, you have additional responsibilities:

• ✓Sign up for challenges on behalf of the team
• ✓Manage team settings and visibility
• ✓Share the invite code with potential members
• ✓Coordinate with your team during the build phase

If the captain leaves, leadership automatically transfers to the longest-standing member.

The Kickoff Event is where everything begins:

• 6:00 PM: Doors open, networking, refreshments
• 6:30 PM: Sponsor challenge presentations
• 7:30 PM: Q&A with sponsors, team formation
• 8:30 PM: Challenge selection opens

The two-week build phase is self-directed. Work from home, a coffee shop, or wherever you're most productive.

There's no formal submission process during the build phase. Your "submission" is your live demo at Demo Night.

Each team gets time to present their solution:

Suggested Structure:

1. Introduce your team (30 seconds)
2. Explain the problem you solved
3. Demo your solution
4. Share results or impact
5. Future plans (optional)

Make sure you're ready for a smooth demo:

• Bring your own laptop with your demo ready
• •Test connecting to HDMI/USB-C before your slot
• •Have a backup (video recording, screenshots)
• •Don't rely on live internet for critical features

WiFi will be available but may be congested. Plan accordingly.

Judges evaluate projects on multiple factors: