FINALIST Resources

Congratulations, Conrad Challenge Finalists! Please take a bow as we applaud your work this Challenge season… but, it’s not over just yet!

For Round 3: The Power Pitch Stage of the 2024-25 Conrad Challenge, we will celebrate 25 Finalist teams at the 2025 Space Center Houston Conrad Challenge Innovation Summit! We can’t wait to see all of our teams in action presenting their innovations, building a community with like-minded students and networking with industry experts from around the world.

Get excited… we sure are!

As you prepare for your time in the spotlight, all teams must complete the following steps:

STEP 1: Prepare for Summit!

You have already confirmed your spot with the Conrad Challenge. All team members, their legal guardians, and coaches/chaperones over the age of 21 must review all information around the 2025 Innovation Summit and complete all required forms and commitments to attend Summit. This includes the Frequently Asked Questions.

Tuesday - Saturday, April 22-25, 2025 

Finalists are required to attend all scheduled programing during the Innovation Summit. Click the button below to view the detailed event schedule. Here is an overview as you plan your trip:

April 22 | Travel Day, Registration, Opening Dinner Ceremony at Space Center Houston Rocket Park
April 23 | Student pitches, speakers and fun activities  
April 24 | EXPO & Student Preview Day, alumni and speaker sessions
April 25 | Morning tour of NASA Johnson Space Center & Evening Awards Ceremony
April 26 | Travel Day 

STEP 2: Register Online For Summit

When reserving your room, please list all guests in your room within the “Special Requirements” section. You must provide full names for each person staying in the room to receive the correct number of vouchers for breakfast each morning.

Space Center Houston will provide Airport transportation from William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to the Hilton Houston NASA Clear Lake on April 22.

For HOU, April 22, buses will depart at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. CDT.

For IAH, on April 22, buses will depart at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. CDT.

For HOU, on April 26, the pick-up times from Hilton Clear Lake will be 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. CDT.

For IAH, on April 26, the pick-up times from Hilton Clear Lake will be 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. CDT.

STEP 3: REVIEW THE SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Finalist teams are required to submit all materials through the Conrad Portal by March 28th, 2025 by 11:59 pm ET.

REMEMBER: All teams who do not submit by the deadline will receive point deductions on their Finalist score and risk being disqualified from the final round. Please reference the additional information below for specific requirements. All items are considered final once submitted, and no changes will be allowed after the deadline. Exceptions will not be made.

Executive Briefing Deck

Teams must prepare a 7-page slide deck in standard PPT size (8.5x11 ratio). The first slide must be a cover slide, followed by 5 content slides and 1 work cited page. This document will need to be exported as a PDF then uploaded to the Conrad Portal.

The Briefing Deck should describe your innovation in short form, including the business elements and any essential technology. The purpose of the Deck is to provide an overview of your innovation to the Judges prior to your Power Pitch. Don't forget to include important information like marketing, finances, the business potential and impact in this preview document to capture your team's work and enthusiasm. If you would like, you may include any of the content from your Power Pitch.

Summit judges will review and score this Briefing Deck prior to Summit to better understand your innovation and prepare their feedback following your Power Pitch. Please reference the Scoring Guide as you complete your Executive Briefing Deck to understand the scoring parameters.

PROOF OF PATENT APPLICATION

Each team is required to submit a completed patent application by the deadline. The application must be completed in your country of origin and include all team member names as co-inventors.

Your team does NOT have to submit the application to your country's patent office to participate in Summit. All we require is a copy of the completed application to demonstrate your knowledge of the process.

However, we do encourage you to submit your application, if you have the means to do so, in order to protect your idea!

The following links are helpful resources:

www.uspto.gov/patents-getting-started/patent-basics/types-patent-applications/provisional-application-patent
www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0016.pdf
www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/support-centers/inventors-assistance-center-iac

Pete Conrad Scholars will be awarded the opportunity to work with our sponsors to further their patent application. Please reference the prize page for more information.

POWER PITCH PRESENTATION SLIDES

Historically, teams create a Power Point presentation to utilize during the Power Pitch. However, you may supplement the slides with other methods of presenting or avoid using projected exhibits entirely, at your own discretion.

All presentations must be created in Microsoft PowerPoint and any videos included must be embedded properly. Please review the Finalist Guide in detail for specific technical requirements of the systems utilized at Space Center Houston.

Power Pitches will be held in one of three theaters at Space Center Houston. Both spaces are auditorium-style rooms with a stage, large projection screen and tiered seating for 300 guests.

Power Pitch Format:

• You will be given 8 minutes on stage for your Power Pitch.

• Following your pitch, you will participate in a 20-minute Judge Q&A Session.

• All teams will be given 2 hand-held mics and a “clicker” to control your slides.

• If you have a prototype (optional) or demonstration item (optional), there will be a small stand on the stage for you to utilize.

Power Pitch Scoring Guide

Review the Scoring Guide to better understand how the judges will score your team at the Innovation Summit.

Conrad Challenge EXPO

The EXPO is your opportunity to promote personalized marketing materials, such as flyers, brochures, banner stands, prototypes, business cards and promotional items. The EXPO will be open to the public guests visiting Space Center Houston, judges, sponsors and VIPs of the event. We encourage you to make the most of this experience in presenting your innovation to others and meeting new people.

• All EXPO materials will be carried to Space Center Houston by the teams, stored in the designated EXPO area during the day, and removed at the end of the session. Larger items may be stored in specific areas with advance permission from Conrad staff. Please keep this in mind as you prepare.

• All materials for your EXPO booth must comply with Space Center Houston safety requirements for items allowed into the facilities.

• Conrad staff is not responsible for any materials brought to Space Center Houston by student teams, so please use your best judgment when selecting items to bring to your EXPO booth.

• Teams will have just 30 minutes to set-up an EXPO booth. Conrad staff and the Alumni Leadership Council will be present to ensure that every team follows instructions and time limits. Once the EXPO session is over, teams will have 30 minutes to clear out the EXPO booth.

• Watch your email closely, The Conrad Challenge team will be sending an EXPO survey to all teams in advance to ensure we have accommodations prepared for your teams experience.

OTHER REQUIRED PAPERWORK

All participants registered in the 2024-25 Conrad Challenge agreed to the Rules & Regulations of the Conrad Challenge. These rules remain in place and are expected of all participants during their event participation. Please review again to help us create a fun, safe environment at the Innovation Summit.

Medical Release Forms:

Each Finalist student must submit an individual Medical Release Form by email to info@conradchallenge.org. We recommend that each student also share their completed form with the Coach/Chaperone traveling with the team.

Media Release Consent:

The Manned Space Flight Education Foundation (a nonprofit education foundation), DBA Space Center Houston, will use material from interviews, center events and educational programs for educational, promotional, evaluative, and internal purposes. All guests attending Innovation Summit must accept the Media Release Consent within the Summit Registration form.

Code of Conduct:

All Finalists, coaches and chaperone must read and agree to follow the Code of Conduct. If these rules are violated, the Conrad Team may choose to contact the team chaperone or student’s legal guardian. The Conrad Team may take other actions, including notifying the school, Space Center Houston or other authorities. Guests including Finalists, coaches and chaperone may be disqualified from the Challenge and removed from participation in the Innovation Summit, at the sole discretion of the Conrad Team and Space Center Houston.

ADA Accommodations:

As part of Space Center Houston’s ongoing commitment to diversity and disability inclusion, we prioritize events that are fully accessible to attendees and presenters with disabilities. If you identify as a person with a disability or have additional requests for specific accommodation, please email us at info@conradchallenge.org.

STEP 4: PREPARE, PRACTICE, AND GET EXCITED

After you’ve completed all of the steps outlined below and successfully submitted all of your Finalist materials on the Conrad Portal, take advantage of the time before Summit to prepare for a great trip, practice your pitch and get excited about everything that is planned for your trip. Before you take off for Houston, you will receive an email from the Conrad Team confirming all of your materials have been received and that you are ready to go.

If you have any questions between now and Summit, please email us at info@conradchallenge.org.

See you soon in Space City!