Rise to the Challenge: let’s build real solutions for today’s toughest problems.

What are OpenIDEO Challenges?

Challenges are guided idea accelerators that give people worldwide the design tools, connections, and support to build solutions for tough societal problems. This is a great place to start if you’re getting to know OpenIDEO.

Who can join Challenges?

Anyone! No matter what field you work in, what level of experience you have, or what country you’re from, if you're ready to work with others to tackle big issues, we'd love for you to join us. You may join as an individual, as a representative of an organization, or as part of a team. We believe that by sharing our diverse perspectives, talents and ideas with each other, we’ll be better equipped to tackle issues in innovative ways.

What do I have to do, and how long will it take?

We welcome you to share your ideas and help develop solutions with people around the world. The primary goal of Challenges is to invite people to create and advance ideas over the course of three to five months, ideally spending at least a couple hours a week building solutions. The more you put into the process, the more you can expect to get out of it. There are lots of ways to get involved depending on your skills and capacity, from sharing quick feedback to hosting events. Be sure to read the Brief for every Challenge, as each one may offer different opportunities to jump in as the Challenge progresses.

What are Challenge Phases, and how can I participate in each Phase?

What is a Top Idea?

Top Ideas are ideas that best answer the Challenge question and that we believe have the most potential for impact in the world, selected by our Challenge Sponsor and our team according to the evaluation criteria listed on every Challenge Brief. Top Ideas may be awarded funding and other implementation support by our Sponsors. Even if your idea isn’t ultimately selected, though, there’s still so much you can gain by participating in the Challenge.

Do I need to have an idea already?

No existing idea required. Each Challenge is different: some look for existing concepts backed by established organizations, while some seek brand new ideas to develop. If you would like your submission to be considered as a Top Idea contender, be sure to check that it satisfies the eligibility criteria found on the Challenge Brief. Regardless, you can add anything from back-of-the-napkin sketches to ready-to-scale projects to every Challenge, and no matter the stage of your idea you’ll gain helpful insights and tools going through our process.

Who will see my idea?

When you post your idea, it will be shared openly with the Challenge community. Why? We've seen that the best innovation comes from co-creation amongst people with varied skills and experiences—people like you and the thousands of talented individuals that make up the OpenIDEO community. We encourage you to welcome feedback, share your expertise, and build on each other’s ideas. We call this open innovation, and trust us: it works. If you have big concerns about intellectual property, read our General FAQ to learn how you may privately share sensitive information.

Who works on Challenges at OpenIDEO?

Each Challenge is created in partnership between the OpenIDEO team and a Sponsor organization working to drive social innovation. Together with the Sponsor, we’ll review and evaluate every submission, identifying Top Ideas for celebration and support. Interested in sponsorship? Learn More.

What if I have more questions about the Challenge platform or process?

If you’re looking for more details on using the Challenge platform or process, check out the Challenges FAQ. For questions about OpenIDEO in general, find answers here.