Apply – Big Ideas Contest

How to Apply

How Does Big Ideas Work?

The contest has two rounds: a pre-proposal round in the fall and a full proposal round in the spring.

Round 1: Pre-proposal (First Round)

UC Berkeley students at the graduate and undergraduate level are invited to submit a 3-page pre-proposal by Wednesday, November 20th, 2024, at 1pm (PT) via the website. Approximately 30 teams will be selected to continue to the final round of the contest in the spring. All pre-proposal teams will receive detailed feedback from the judges, regardless of whether or not they are invited to participate in the final round. All applicants will be notified of their status in January.

Round 2: Full Proposal (Final Round)

Teams selected for the final round will submit a short application video (between 60 and 90 seconds) in addition to an 8-page written proposal by Friday, April 4, 2025 at 1pm (PT). In this round, teams will expand on the design of their social innovations and incorporate the judges’ feedback. Additionally, to help further these proposals, teams are paired with a Big Ideas mentor (an experienced professional matched to the team based on expertise and background). Award winners will be announced in May with prizes ranging from $2,000 to $20,000. Prizes will be awarded only for high-quality submissions. Decisions are final and not subject to appeal

Grand Prize Pitch Day & Awards Celebration

The Big Ideas community will gather for its annual Grand Prize Pitch & Awards Celebration to recognize the most outstanding innovations in the 2024-2025 contest (Tentative Date: Wednesday, May 7th, 2025). A select group of finalist teams will be invited to participate in the Grand Prize Pitch event for the opportunity to win up to an additional $10,000 for their project.

Who Can Participate in Big Ideas?

Currently matriculated UC Berkeley students with innovative “BIG” ideas, who meet all of the eligibility criteria listed below, are encouraged to apply.

Student-Led: Projects must be initiated and led by a currently matriculated undergraduate or graduate student (or students) from UC Berkeley. The project should not be an extension of faculty-guided research or led by a non-student established organization (i.e. non-profit or for-profit entity).
Early-Stage: Big Ideas supports early-stage projects. These can range from brand new ideas with a team just assembling, to projects that have formed recently (within 2 years).
Social Impact: Projects must have a clear social impact. The project should be centered around an innovation (technologies, services, programs) that produces a clear benefit with the potential for sustained improvement in the lives of groups or individuals.

“The Big Ideas process turned our idea into a plan. Big Ideas challenges participants to develop innovative yet feasible solutions to society's gnarliest issues. Big Ideas has opened doors to additional funding and growth opportunities. ”

“The Big Ideas Contest was an amazing adventure, which really helped me transform a somehow crazy idea into a promising social enterprise.“

“Big Ideas ends up being much more than an award, because it gives you that confidence to go forward. As soon as we got the news we had won, that was the first time we said, ‘Hey, let’s give up what we’re doing and follow our passion.’”

“Big Ideas has pushed our business forward in ways we could have never imagined. In just a few months, we went from a couple guys selling fish to a formal company ready for launch.”

“The entire Big Ideas process, from start to finish, led us to ask tough questions early on and hold ourselves accountable beyond the world of academia.”

Additional Information

Applicants may submit more than one application, but each submission must be unique. A student may participate in more than one project team, as long as each team submits a unique pre-proposal application.
Projects that have previously won a Big Ideas award are not eligible to submit a pre-proposal application for the same project.
The Team Lead (primary applicant) must be a matriculated student at UC Berkeley (graduate or undergraduate level) and will be the primary point of contact for all contest communications and have final authority for all decisions related to the contest. Additional team members may include students (from other universities) and/or non-students. Faculty, staff, and external partners may play an advisory role.