Sopra Steria Student Challenge 2026-27
By Sopra Steria
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Quick Answer
Sopra Steria's student team contest for responsible digital-tech projects, open in India and eight European countries. First prize €10,000 (about ₹10.9 lakh). Apply by 6 December 2026.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Competition
- Provider
- Sopra Steria
- Application deadline
- 29d — 6 Dec 2026
- Location
- International
About this competition
The Sopra Steria International Student Challenge 2026-2027 is a free team contest run by Sopra Steria, a French digital services and consulting group, on the Agorize platform. It is for students only: you must be a student of legal age enrolled at a higher education school or university in one of nine countries, which include India, and you must enter as a team of three to five students. It is not a funding round for a company. First prize is €10,000 (about ₹10.9 lakh), and project files are due by midnight on 6 December 2026.
The theme is critical thinking and a responsible relationship with digital technology. Projects should be ethical, inclusive and sustainable.
What the program offers
The main prizes are €10,000 (about ₹10.9 lakh) for first place, €5,000 for second and €2,500 for third, shared among the members of each team and paid by bank transfer to each winning member in the days after the ceremony. A separate CSR Award of €10,000 goes to the project with the strongest social impact, and half of it must go to a charity chosen by the team, subject to the organiser's approval and based in the team's country. The organiser pays that charity directly.
All nine national winners get a free remote training session from the Sopra Steria Academy. The top three international teams also get a one-year tech magazine subscription for one team member. Prizes cannot be swapped for cash or other items. The prizes are rewards, not an investment, and participants keep the rights to their own projects.
Who can apply
You must be a student of legal age, regularly enrolled and able to prove student status, studying engineering, IT, data and AI, mathematics, science or business. Your school or university must be in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Poland, Norway or India, and you must live in one of those countries during the contest. Teams must have three to five members, and individuals cannot apply alone. Employees and representatives of Sopra Steria and Agorize, jury members and mentors are excluded.
If you are a founder who is no longer a student, this contest is not for you.
How to apply
Register on the Agorize challenge page with a valid email, then create a team or join one and name a team leader. Each member fills in a form with name, date of birth, contact details, country of residence, school and field and level of study. Write a short description of the project in English, and upload the full project file (PDF, PowerPoint, Canva or Word, up to 50 MB) before midnight on 6 December 2026. The file can be in English or the language of your country, and should cover the idea and what is new about it, the link to the theme, the technology, a business plan (timeline, budget, promotion and target market) and the expected social impact. A practical tip: keep the file readable on its own, because the first check is about completeness and clarity.
How applications are judged and what happens next
National project managers first check that each file is complete and eligible. Each country then picks three to six teams for pre-selection, and each selected team gets one two-hour mentoring workshop between 11 January and 7 March 2027. National finals take place between 8 and 19 March 2027, where teams present to a jury and one national winner is chosen per country. The nine national winners present in English to an international jury at the final in Hamburg, Germany on 22 April 2027, which names three ranked winners and the CSR Award winner.
Projects are scored out of 100 points: 60 for technical skills (fit with the theme, innovation, technical quality, impact and feasibility) and 40 for general skills (presentation, teamwork across disciplines and ethical and sustainable thinking).
About Sopra Steria
Sopra Steria Group is a French company that operates in the nine participating countries. The rules say the contest is also meant to raise awareness of the company and its employer brand among students.
Things to check before you apply
- Travel to national finals is paid for finalist teams, but accommodation is not. For the international final, the organiser pays travel and two hotel nights in Hamburg for national winners. Insurance and other expenses are your own.
- Winners need a bank account in their own name and a valid passport or ID, and are responsible for declaring prizes to their own tax authorities.
- Entrants agree to Sopra Steria using their image, voice and name for contest and promotional purposes for three years.
- Contest rules are governed by French law unless a participant's local law applies.
Eligibility
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Organizers
Prizes & Awards
What You Get
The three winning teams at the international final receive €10,000 (about ₹10.9 lakh), €5,000 and €2,500, shared between team members and paid by bank transfer in the days after the 22 April 2027 ceremony. A CSR Award of €10,000 goes to the project with the most relevant social impact; half of it must be donated to a charity chosen by the winning team. Shortlisted teams get a mentoring workshop with Sopra Steria experts, and every national winning team gets a free online training session from the Sopra Steria Academy. Sopra Steria pays travel to the national final for shortlisted teams, and travel, meals and two hotel nights in Hamburg for national winners. Winners must declare the prize to the tax authorities where they live.
- Disbursement
- Lump Sum
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
National project managers check each file for completeness and eligibility. Each country then shortlists three to six teams, scored out of 100 on fit with the theme, innovation, technical quality, impact, feasibility, presentation, teamwork and ethics. Each country holds a national final between 8 and 19 March 2027 and names one winner. The nine winners pitch at the international final in Hamburg on 22 April 2027.
Application Process
- 1
Register a team
Register on Agorize as a team of three to five students.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
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
Who can take part in the Sopra Steria International Student Challenge?
Students of legal age who are enrolled at a higher education school or university in one of nine countries, studying engineering, IT, data and AI, mathematics, science or business. You must enter as a team of three to five students. Staff of Sopra Steria and Agorize, jury members and mentors cannot take part.
Can students in India take part in the Sopra Steria Student Challenge?
Yes. India is one of the nine participating countries, alongside France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Poland and Norway. Your school or university must be in one of them and you must live there during the contest.
How much can a team win?
First place wins €10,000 (about ₹10.9 lakh), second place €5,000 and third place €2,500, shared among team members. A separate CSR Award of €10,000 goes to the project with the most social impact, and half of it is donated to a charity the team picks.
How are the Sopra Steria prizes paid?
Main prizes are paid by bank transfer to each winning member's account in the days after the ceremony. Winners need a bank account in their own name and must send bank details and ID when asked. They are responsible for declaring prizes to the tax authorities in their country.
What is the deadline for the Sopra Steria Student Challenge, and what if it has passed?
Files close at midnight on 6 December 2026, and late files are not accepted. The source describes this as the 2nd edition for 2026-27 and does not promise a later one.
Is the Sopra Steria Student Challenge a grant or equity?
It is a prize contest, not an investment, and the source describes no equity being taken. Participants keep the intellectual property rights to their projects and only allow the organiser to use files for contest purposes.
What do we have to submit?
A short project description in English and a full project file in PDF, PowerPoint, Canva or Word of up to 50 MB. The file covers the idea and its innovation, the link to the theme, the technology, a business plan with timeline, budget, promotion and target market, and the expected social impact.
Do we have to travel for the Sopra Steria Student Challenge?
Shortlisted teams present at a national final at a Sopra Steria office in their country in March 2027, and the organiser pays travel but not accommodation. National winners go to the international final in Hamburg on 22 April 2027, with travel and two hotel nights paid. Insurance and other costs are yours.
Is it free to enter the Sopra Steria Student Challenge?
Yes. The rules say the contest is free to enter and no purchase is required.
When are the Sopra Steria Student Challenge results announced?
National finalists are chosen between December 2026 and March 2027, national finals run from 8 to 19 March 2027, and the international winners are named at the final in Hamburg on 22 April 2027.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
