Global Finale 2027
Zhejiang University
Hangzhou, China
May 20–21, 2027
A Stanford University initiative
Global Sustainability Challenge
The Global Sustainability Challenge is an annual challenge where university students design, build, and showcase real-world sustainability solutions, supported by a Stanford-led collective of leading institutions and experts worldwide.
A global collaboration of leading institutions
The 2026–27 Season
One Challenge. A World in Motion.
Season 1 made history when 3,000+ students from 90+ countries designed, built, and showcased real-world sustainability solutions on a global stage. That momentum carries into the 2026–27 season, now with broader focus areas and five regional finals leading to one Global Finale.
Pre-register
Open now
Phase 1 · Ignite
Sep – Nov 2026
Phase 2 · Build
Dec 2026 – Feb 2027
Regional Finals
Feb – Mar 2027
Global Finale
May 20–21, 2027
Zhejiang University
Pacific Asia + Australasia
HKUST, Hong Kong · March 2027
South Asia
IIT, India · March 2027
Europe & Africa
Munich, Germany · February 2027
Americas
Stanford University, USA · March 5, 2027
How the Challenge Works
Ignite, build, shine: the path to the global stage
Teams start with concept development, move through testing and feedback, and finish with a live presentation, with support built in at every step.
Ignite
Form your team, define the problem, and shape a strong concept.
Build
Prototype, test, refine, and strengthen the solution with feedback.
Shine
Present the work, learn from judges, and carry it to bigger stages.
What You'll Work On
Two themes. Expanded focus areas.
For 2026–27, Adaptation & Resilience expands beyond water while Sustainable Energy continues to span the systems that power everyday life.
Theme 01
Sustainable Energy
Clean generation, storage, access, and efficiency, including microgrids and grid resilience for communities living with unreliable power.
GenerationUsage and EfficiencyIndustrial EnergyResource ScarcityLarge-Scale TransitionTransmission, Distribution, and Storage
Theme 02
Adaptation & Resilience
Adaptation & Resilience now spans three focus areas that help communities withstand, adapt to, and recover from climate shocks.
WaterFood resilienceNewHeat resilienceNew
New this year
Food resilience: Keeping food systems safe, nutritious, and accessible through climate shocks.
Heat resilience: Helping communities and infrastructure prepare for and recover from extreme heat.
Built-In Support
Guidance, feedback, and community
Teams do not build alone. Mentors, judges, ambassadors, and the wider GSC network help sharpen the work and sustain momentum.
Mentorship
Access experienced guidance as ideas become real projects.
Judging & Feedback
Get structured review at multiple stages as the work evolves.
Regional Ambassadors
Tap into local outreach, coordination, and community building.
Awards and Beyond the Challenge
Cash awards, partner-backed opportunities, and momentum beyond the season
Strong teams are recognized with prize money, visibility, connections, and follow-on opportunities. Support can include funding from partner organizations and companies, continued mentorship, and pathways to keep developing promising solutions after the challenge ends.
A Season to Remember
Season 1, by the numbers
The 2025–26 season reached students across six continents and 90+ countries. It's the foundation we're building on.
3,000+
Students
90+
Countries
6
Continents
40
Global Finalists
Season 1 Highlights
Highlights from the inaugural season
A compact archive of the people, projects, and learning resources that shaped Season 1.
Season 1 Winners
Meet the Winners
Six student teams across two themes built solutions for the communities that needed them most.
View winners
Global Finalists
Meet the Finalists
Explore the 40 finalist teams from five regions and the projects they brought to the global stage.
Explore finalists
Team Journeys
Student Stories
Read first-hand reflections from teams who built, pitched, and collaborated across continents.
Read stories
Mentor Network
Meet the Mentors
Browse the experts who supported teams across research, industry, policy, and entrepreneurship.
View mentors
Build & Learn
Resource Library
Dive into the guides, tools, readings, and templates that supported teams throughout the season.
Browse resources
Video Library
Talks & Recordings
Watch finale recordings, expert sessions, and fireside conversations from the inaugural season.
Watch sessions
Moments from the Global Finale
TUM Garching, Germany · April 2026
Learn Sustainability
Explore Learning Resources
Curated readings, practical tools, and implementation guides to help you build core skills and turn ideas into working solutions.
Knowledge Resources
Research papers, case studies, and foundational materials to deepen your understanding of sustainability.
ResearchWeb Resources
Skill Development
Practical tools, guides, and templates to build the technical and soft skills needed for your projects.
ToolsTemplates
Implementation
How-to guides, standardized templates, and best practices to help you implement and scale your sustainability solutions.
GuidesHow-To's
SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe for Updates
Join the GSC newsletter to be first in line for challenge updates, application announcements, team formation opportunities, and exclusive insights. You'll also receive our newsletter with community highlights and special events.
About Us
Stanford University is bringing together a consortium of mission-aligned universities and youth-serving institutions to educate, inspire, and mobilize youth worldwide to take on the sustainability challenge.
Meeting the scale, urgency, and complexity of that challenge means we need to be bold and reimagine education, and no single university can do it alone.
Sharing knowledge, growing curiosity, and training future leaders is what universities exist to do. That is our social contract for the 21st century.
Founding partners include:
Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | Imperial College London | Zhejiang University | Technical University of Munich | Young Global Impact | MakerGhat
Knowledge Partners
Our knowledge partners bring essential expertise to the Global Sustainability Challenge, offering technical guidance and knowledge support to the community.
Community Partners
Our community partners amplify the Global Sustainability Challenge through their technology platforms, networks, and global reach.
