Are you ready to take on the world’s most complex challenges with a team of visionary thinkers? The Wege Prize 2025, a prestigious global competition organized by Kendall College of Art and Design’s Wege Center for Sustainable Design, is now accepting applications. This is your opportunity to collaborate, innovate, and create game-changing solutions that could redefine our future. Supported by the Wege Foundation, this annual event challenges college and university students from around the globe to push the boundaries of traditional problem-solving by reimagining the way our economies work.
What is the Wege Prize?
The Wege Prize is not just another competition; it’s a transformative journey that spans nine months, during which interdisciplinary teams will work tirelessly to turn their ideas into actionable, real-world solutions. The challenge is immense: participants must identify a complex, “wicked” problem and develop a solution grounded in the principles of the circular economy. This means creating solutions that eliminate waste, keep products and materials in continuous use, and regenerate natural systems.
As teams progress through four distinct phases of the competition, they will receive invaluable feedback from a panel of expert judges. This mentorship is designed to strengthen their ideas, push the limits of possibility, and ultimately bring their innovative plans to life.
The Challenge: A Call for Bold and Creative Solutions
To succeed in the Wege Prize, teams must:
- Build a Diverse Team: Assemble a transdisciplinary group of five members, representing at least three different academic disciplines and at least two different institutions of higher education.
- Identify a Wicked Problem: Select a complex problem that defies easy solutions and requires innovative thinking.
- Develop a Circular Economy Solution: Your solution must adhere to the principles of the circular economy—eliminate waste, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems.
The solutions should be:
- Circular: Move beyond simple recycling and upcycling; aim to design out waste entirely.
- Innovative: Explore untapped potential and provide unique value.
- Viable: Demonstrate potential for marketability, profitability, and financial sustainability.
- Scalable: Contribute to expanding the circular economy on a global scale.
- Systemic: Consider how various parts of a system influence each other and work together as a whole.
- Human-Centered: Grounded in research, with careful consideration of the user and affected communities.
Why Participate?
The Wege Prize offers more than just the thrill of competition. It’s an opportunity to make a tangible impact on the world. Participants will contend for $65,000 USD in total cash prizes, but the real reward is the chance to showcase what the future of problem-solving looks like—and to be a part of shaping that future.
Who is Eligible?
To participate, teams must:
- Have exactly five members.
- Represent at least three different academic disciplines.
- Represent at least two different institutions of higher education.
Individual team members must:
- Be full-time students enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate program for the duration of the competition.
- Attend an institution of higher education anywhere in the world.
How to Apply
Ready to take on the challenge? Gather your team, ensure you meet the eligibility requirements, and submit a single application for your group. Be thorough and precise when entering your team members’ details, as accuracy is crucial.
For more information, be sure to check out the Design Brief.
The Future is in Your Hands
The Wege Prize 2025 is more than just a competition—it’s a call to action for the next generation of leaders, innovators, and change-makers. By participating, you’re not just competing for a prize; you’re contributing to a global movement towards a sustainable, circular economy. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this transformative experience. Apply today and start designing the future we all want to see!
