Create the Future Design Contest 2026
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Quick Answer
Free yearly product-design contest from Tech Briefs, open worldwide, with a US$25,000 (about ₹23.75 lakh) grand prize. The 2026 entry window closed on 1 July 2026.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Competition
- Provider
- SAE Media Group
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Location
- International
Results & next round
Applications for this round closed on 2 July 2026. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.
Selections for this programme are announced by SAE Media Group. Official links are listed under Sources below.
We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.
About this competition
The 2026 entry window for the Create the Future Design Contest is closed. It ran from 2 March to 11:59 pm EDT on 1 July 2026 (9:29 am IST on 2 July). The official pages describe 2026 as the current contest and say nothing about a 2027 edition, so check the contest site for a new opening date.
Create the Future was launched by Tech Briefs magazine in 2002 and is owned and produced by SAE Media Group. The 2026 primary sponsors were COMSOL, Mouser Electronics and SAE Media Group. It rewards new product ideas from engineers, students and entrepreneurs. More than 16,000 ideas from over 100 countries have been submitted, and 2026 drew over 600 entries from 67 countries. It is an open worldwide contest, so Indian inventors can enter. The finalist round is live and in person in New York, and the 2026 finalists pitch there on 6 November 2026. This page helps you prepare for the next edition.
What the contest offers
The Grand Prize is US$25,000 (about ₹23.75 lakh), provided by COMSOL and Mouser Electronics. Seven category winners each receive a laptop or an equally valued prize. The top ten most popular entries, chosen by public vote, receive a contest cap, and the 100 highest-scoring entries get certificates of achievement. Prizes can change and may be replaced by prizes of equal or greater value. Any prize won by a team goes to the team leader, and winners are responsible for their own taxes. This is a prize, not equity: the rules say the entrant or the entrant's company keeps ownership of the design.
Who can apply
Anyone aged 18 or over can enter, alone or as a team. For a team, only the team leader needs to be 18. The contest is open worldwide except where national or local law prohibits it. Employees and immediate families of the primary sponsors, their parent companies, subsidiaries and agencies cannot enter. You can send several entries, but each must be a substantially different design idea.
It suits engineers, students and early hardware or deep-tech founders with a clear invention. It is not a good fit for a business-model pitch with no technical design behind it.
How to apply
You complete the official entry form and choose one of seven categories: Aerospace & Defense; Automotive/Transportation; Electronics; Energy, Power & Propulsion; Manufacturing & Materials; Medical; and Robotics & Automation. You write a technical abstract of up to 500 words in English covering how the idea works, what is new, how it would be produced and where it would be used. You upload at least one and at most three illustrations as a single-page PDF, GIF, JPEG or PNG, each under 2MB. Entries without an illustration are disqualified. A video of up to three minutes, hosted on YouTube or Vimeo, is optional. A prototype is not required, but you can say whether one exists.
How entries are judged and what happens next
Scores are weighted: innovation 50%, feasibility and manufacturability 25%, and marketability 25%. A panel of at least 24 judges, recruited from SAE Media Group's editorial board of readers, picks the Top 100 and one finalist per category. Finalists were announced in September 2026. Each category finalist presents live to an independent panel in New York, and the Grand Prize and category winners are announced afterwards. Finalists must attend to be considered for the Grand Prize and category prizes. Public voting decides only the Most Popular prizes and has no effect on the Top 100, category winners or Grand Prize.
About SAE Media Group
SAE Media Group is the owner and producer of the contest and is an affiliate of SAE International. It publishes Tech Briefs, the engineering magazine that started the contest in 2002.
Things to check before you apply
- Travel. Sponsors cover airfare and hotel for finalists, and for a team they cover one member. Visa and any other costs are not described on the rules page.
- Publicity. Entrants can hide their entry from public view, but winners and honorable mentions are made public when announced, and winners consent to use of their name and likeness for publicity.
- Own your materials. Images, music and video in the entry must be yours or licensed to you.
- A practical tip: the organisers suggest answering what problem you solve, how it works, how it is new, where it would be applied and how it would be made at what cost.
- Dates move. The 2026 dates will not repeat exactly; confirm the next opening on the contest site.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Organizers
Prizes & Awards
What You Get
The Grand Prize is US$25,000 (about ₹23.75 lakh), provided by COMSOL and Mouser Electronics. Seven category winners each get a laptop or a prize of equal value, the ten most popular entries get a contest cap, and the top 100 entries get certificates. Sponsors cover airfare and hotel for finalists (one person per team) to pitch in New York.
- Disbursement
- Lump Sum
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Judges score entries on innovation (50%), feasibility and manufacturability (25%) and marketability (25%). A panel of at least 24 judges chooses the Top 100 and one finalist per category, and the finalists pitch live in New York where the Grand Prize and category winners are chosen. Public voting decides only the Most Popular prizes.
Application Process
- 1
Submit entry
Fill the online entry form with a description and illustrations.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 2
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enter the Create the Future contest from India?
Yes. The rules say the contest is open worldwide, except where national or local law prohibits or restricts it. Entrants must be 18 or older.
Does it cost anything to enter?
No. The rules say no purchase is necessary and there is no cost to enter.
How much is the grand prize and how is it paid?
The Grand Prize is US$25,000 (about ₹23.75 lakh), provided by COMSOL and Mouser Electronics. The rules say prizes won by a team go to the team leader. The pages reviewed do not say how or when the money is paid.
Do I need a working prototype?
No. The rules say a prototype is not required, though you can say whether one exists and include an illustration of it.
Is this a grant or equity?
It is a design contest with prizes, not a grant or an investment. The rules say the entrant or the entrant's company keeps ownership of the submitted design.
What do I have to submit?
A technical description of up to 500 words in English and one to three illustrations. A video of up to three minutes is optional. Entries without an illustration are disqualified.
Do I have to travel if I am a finalist?
Yes. Finalists must pitch live in New York to be considered for the Grand Prize and category prizes. Sponsors cover airfare and hotel, and for a team they cover one member.
Is the contest open now, and what if the deadline has passed?
No. The 2026 entry window closed at 11:59 pm EDT on 1 July 2026. The pages do not announce a next edition, so watch the contest site.
When are the results announced?
Finalists were announced in September 2026 and the 2026 finalists pitch in New York on 6 November 2026. The Grand Prize and category winners are announced after those presentations.
How are entries judged?
Innovation counts for 50%, feasibility and manufacturability for 25% and marketability for 25%. A panel of at least 24 judges chooses the Top 100 and the finalists.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
