Food Systems Innovation Challenge

Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 11-12, 2023

Are you passionate about sustainability and the future of food systems? Join us to help create positive change in the world. Our 24-hour event will challenge you to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Get your team of 4-6 people together and register today. Your team members should have a variety of skills and interests. Experts will be there to provide guidance, and the event will conclude with a prize ceremony.

Cost: Free for all college students (includes meals, snacks and a Huskie Hack t-shirt). Registration will be available in the Spring of 2023

For all information regarding the event, please visit the Discord "Challenge Hub".

Individual Registration

Team Registration

Who Can Participate?

College students 18 and older can register. While it would be helpful to have some programming knowledge, you don’t have to be a programmer or computer science major. We welcome artists, makers, developers, project managers, historians, scientists and others with unique skill sets. Everyone will work together to create and present innovative solutions.

Though unable to participate, middle and high school students will have the opportunity to attend open houses and view the teams’ work.

For questions email us at innovation@niu.edu.

Schedule and Supplies

  • Check-in begins: Nov. 11, 11 a.m. You must arrange your own transportation. Parking on campus is free.
  • Submission deadline: Nov. 12, 9 a.m. Failure to upload projects by the deadline will result in disqualification. Begin your upload at least 15 minutes in advance. Late submissions due to timing or uploading issues will not be considered.
  • Challenge ends: Nov. 12, around noon (after awards are distributed).

Bring your:

  • Valid student ID and event registration form (required).
  • Laptop, phone, chargers and any other electronics you can’t live without.
  • Sleeping bag (optional).

Judging and Prizes

Our judges will award points to projects in the following categories:

  • Technical complexity (up to 20 points).
  • Innovation of design or idea/approach to problem (up to 40 points).
  • Polish/quality of execution (up to 20 points).
  • Presentation/idea pitch (up to 20 points)

Winning projects will receive exciting prizes.