Solve for Tomorrow 2023




Solve for Tomorrow 2023

Inspiring Kiwi kids to change the world for good

Solve for Tomorrow is a nationwide competition challenging New Zealand’s next generation of innovators to unleash their creativity and use STEAM to help improve their communities.

Delivered in partnership with MOTAT, and open to Kiwi kids in Year 5-10, the finalists will share $20,000 in prizes, including prize money and Samsung technology for them and their school.
Terms and conditions apply.

Submit plan now

The Opportunity

The Solve for Tomorrow competition is designed to build interest and proficiency in STEAM (Science, Technology, English, Arts, or Math), and challenges Year 5-10 students to show how design thinking can be applied to help improve their communities.

Simply identify an issue your community is facing – check out our 2022 winners for great examples – then unleash your creativity and demonstrate how STEAM and design thinking can be applied to create an amazing new solution.

Solve for Tomorrow 2023 Solve for Tomorrow 2023

Prizes

Samsung is putting up a whole range of awesome tech for the winners. And, if tech isn’t your thing, that’s ok, because there are cash prizes too!

All cash prizes are in NZD. T&C's apply

First place

$12,000 prize pool

Including cash and Samsung tech for winners and their school

Second place

$8,000 prize pool

Including cash and Samsung tech for winners and their school

How to enter

Entry is simple – there’s just two steps to complete!

Step 1 (recommended)

  • Our VIP judges are here to help you make your inventions the best they can be! Complete and submit your Project Plan by the deadline (26thJune 2023) and receive feedback from our panel of expert judges to make your final entry even better. This step is optional, but taking the opportunity to receive and implement feedback will strengthen your entry and improve your chance of winning. We highly recommend this step!
  • Submit your Project Plan by 26 June 2023 and feedback will be provided by 21 July 2023. You’ll then have until 4 September 2023 to submit your final entry.

Step 2 (required)

  • Once you have ideated and tested your epic new solution, complete the online application form, and upload your entry using one of the approved entry formats. Regardless of whether you submit a project plan or not, you have until 4 September 2023 to get your entry in.
  • Tell us everything we need to know about you and your idea. What is the issue you’re addressing, what is your solution, who is it for, why is it different, and what inspired you?
  • Or, if you already have a solution ready to go from a previous competition/school project, you can enter it now.

All Year 5-10 students and their teachers(s) can enter Solve for Tomorrow. Entries are welcome from individuals or teams. There is no limit to the number of people in each team – it could be a group of 4-5 students or a whole class. Schools may enter as many individuals or teams as they like.

To find out more or if you are teacher, check out our great resources here and keep an eye out for new resources and webinars throughout the course of the competition.

Entries can be submitted in the following formats:

  • Written plan or essay
    (max 1,000 words)
  • Poster, diagram, model or artwork
    (submitted via PPT, PDF, video or jpg format)

  • Presentation PowerPoint
    (max 10 slides)
  • Video Presentation
    (max 5 minutes)

Criteria

Entries will be judged on:

Relevance (20%)
Identifying an issue that impacts your community or group of people

Feasibility (30%)
Feasibility of the solution with current technology and resources considered

Creativity (20%)
Creativity and originality of the idea

STEAM (20%)
Application of STEAM to help solve the problem or issue

Presentation (10%)
Quality and effectiveness of entry.

To review the full assessment criteria, see here.

Timeline

Entries open
8 May 2023

Project Plan deadline
26 June 2023

Project Plan feedback provided
21 July 2023

Entries close
4 September 2023

Judging period and winners announced
by 22 September 2023

Our judges

Dr Siouxsie Wiles

Associate Professor and Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Auckland University

A returning guest judge, Dr Siouxsie Wiles is an award-winning scientist and the 2021 New Zealander of the Year. She heads up the Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab at the University of Auckland where she and her team make bacteria glow in the dark to understand how infectious microbes make us sick and to find new antibiotics.

Siouxsie is also passionate about demystifying science and has won numerous prizes for her efforts, including the Prime Minister’s Science Media Communication Prize in 2013. In 2017 she published her first book, ‘Antibiotic resistance: the end of modern medicine?’ and in 2019 was appointed a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to microbiology and science communication.

During COVID-19 Siouxsie joined forces with Spinoff cartoonist Toby Morris to make the science of the pandemic clear and understandable. Releasing their work under a Creative Commons licence, their graphics have been seen by millions and even used by governments and organisations as part of their official pandemic communications.

Dr Siouxsie Wiles Dr Siouxsie Wiles

Julie Baker

Education Manager at Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT)

Julie Baker started her career as a mechanical engineer and moved into the education sector when having young children meant being at home during school holidays made sense.

She has taught physics, science and technology education in the secondary sector. She moved onto a lecturing role and put her Master of Management degree to work in management positions within the University of Auckland.

She has held a variety of roles in the commercial sector including account management and student management information systems.
Her current position as Education Manager at MOTAT is a happy blend of her previous roles in engineering, education and technology.

Julie Baker Julie Baker

Dr Joel Rindelaub

Researcher at University of Waikato


Dr Joel Rindelaub is a USA born NZ based Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Waikato. As a Ph.D. chemist, you’ll often find Joel with his safety goggles and white lab coat on, working to investigate current issues in air quality and environmental science.

Tagged by Stuff as a “cool nerd” cross science celeb, Joel is an advocate for 80s mullets and science education. He’s also an experienced writer, athlete, and actor in the TV/film industries, most recently starring in New Zealand reality show Celebrity Treasure Island.


Photo credit: Elise Manahan

Dr Joel Rindelaub Dr Joel Rindelaub

  • Who can enter?

    Year 5-10 students and their teacher(s) / home school supervisor(s). Solve for Tomorrow is open to individuals or teams. There is no limit to the number of people in the teams – it could be a group of 4-5 students or a whole class.

  • Yes, you can enter a project from a previous competition, including Science Fair. However, you’ll need to make sure your project meets the judging criteria↗

  • No. Solve for Tomorrow is free to enter and there is no purchase requirement.

  • Each individual or group may submit one application. Teachers / home school supervisors may submit on behalf of their students. There is no limit to the number of entries per school.

  • Entries will be judged against the five key criteria. The judging panel comprises individual judges from Samsung and MOTAT, alongside Dr Siouxsie Wiles.

  • You will be contacted via the contact details you provide in your application.

  • Yes! To enable teachers to incorporate Solve for Tomorrow within their teaching programme, the programme has been designed to align with New Zealand’s National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP). Core objectives addressed through Solve for Tomorrow include:
      • • Barrier free access: There are no bad ideas, or qualifications needed. We want students to feel free to express innovative and creative ideas as they work together as a team.
      • • Inclusive education: We want to empower students to think about their own communities and encourage curiosity about their world. Who is in it? What is great about it? And what can be improved on?
      • • Hands-on learning: Get hands-on to create something that could make a tangible difference within the community.
      • • Application of STEAM learning: We want to give students a taste of how STEAM can be used to make a difference.
      • • Leadership and group learning: Solve for Tomorrow is an opportunity for both teachers and students to work together as a group, learning to share their opinions and ideas and stepping up and leading others as the project progresses.

  • No. You will retain the rights to any intellectual property surrounding your idea.

  • See all T&Cs here.

  • Yes! While we highly recommend submitting project plans, this step is optional. So if you missed the deadline you still have until 4 September 2023 to submit your final entry, regardless of whether you submitted a project plan or not.

  • Please forward any enquiries to solvefortomorrownz@samsung.com

Contact Us

If you need to reach us, email solvefortomorrownz@samsung.com