April 7-11, 2026
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What is Innovate GC?
Are you passionate about solving social justice issues, and do you want to collaborate with other students who share your passion? Come to Innovate GC to learn, build, and share a prototype that can help alleviate a social justice issue. Innovate GC offers networking opportunities, mentors to help you focus your solution, and cool prizes for the top three teams!
Innovate GC 2025 is an innovation and pitch challenge sponsored by Grinnell College’s Wilson Center for Innovation and Leadership. Participating teams of 3-5 students will be tackling one of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Coaching opportunities provide feedback and advice from an excellent line-up of experts. Teams will develop a prototype which addresses the goal and pitch their idea to a panel of judges for a chance to win cash prizes.
What is a prototype? Your prototype should show the basic design elements for how your product solves the problem you are addressing. Your prototype can be for a product or an organization. Your prototype doesn’t have to be fully functioning.
2026 Themes
One or more of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals will be chosen by event organizers for each year’s Innovate GC themes, and prototypes must address one of the chosen goals to be considered for Innovate GC prizes.
Who can participate?
Innovate GC is open to Grinnell College students, any major and any year, who want to work in a team to solve a problem.
Why participate?
- Flex your creativity to improve society
- Build your network
- Learn from professionals
- Practice new skills
- Explore entrepreneurship
Cash Prizes
- 1st place team: $500 per member
- 2nd place team: $300 per member
- 3rd place team: $150 per member
Organizers and sponsors
Innovate GC is sponsored by Grinnell College’s Wilson Center for Innovation and Leadership.
2026 Event Organizers are Dayana Garcia [garciada], Arabelle Rohs [rohsarab] and Stephanie Peterson [petersos].
