Wege Prize 2027
By Wege Prize
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Quick Answer
Global student design competition for circular-economy products and services. First prize is US$30,000 (about ₹28.5 lakh); the 2027 round has closed and 2028 opens in fall 2027.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Competition
- Provider
- Wege Prize
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Location
- International
Results & next round
Applications for this round closed on 4 October 2026. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.
Selections for this programme are announced by Wege Prize. Official links are listed under Sources below.
We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.
About this competition
Wege Prize 2027 is closed: the application phase ran from 3 August to 4 October 2026. The official page says team applications for Wege Prize 2028 will open in fall 2027, so there is time to build a team and an idea before the next round. This page explains the competition so a student team in India can prepare.
Wege Prize is part design competition and part global learning lab. It challenges teams of university students to tackle complex, "wicked" problems through the circular economy, an approach built on eliminating waste and pollution by design, keeping products and materials in use at their highest value, and regenerating nature. It is organised by the Wege Center for Sustainable Design at Ferris State University's Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with support from The Wege Foundation. The 2027 edition drew 90 accepted teams from 206 institutions in 51 countries.
What the program offers
Total prize money is US$65,000 (about ₹61.75 lakh): US$30,000 (about ₹28.5 lakh) for first place, US$20,000 (about ₹19 lakh) for second, US$10,000 (about ₹9.5 lakh) for third and two finalist awards of US$2,500 (about ₹2.4 lakh) each. Judges give direct, detailed feedback in every phase, and the stated aim is to coach teams, not only score them. Your team keeps ownership of its solution and everything that goes into it from the moment it submits; Wege Prize does not claim it. According to the competition's terms, each finalist team can also receive up to US$3,000 in travel reimbursement for the live event in Grand Rapids and hotel accommodation for the presenter and at least one other team member.
Who can apply
This is a team competition. A team has exactly five students, drawn from at least three academic disciplines (defined by each member's current major or programme name) and at least two institutions of higher education. Separate schools or colleges inside one university count as different institutions. Every member must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate degree programme anywhere in the world, and a team may mix levels. Members must stay full-time or equivalent students for the whole competition; anyone graduating before May 2027 must stay enrolled until at least 6 December 2026 (this applied to the 2027 edition).
For an Indian student, nothing limits entry by country. The practical challenge is assembling a mixed team of five across disciplines and institutions, which could be classmates from different departments plus students from another college or country. It does not suit solo applicants or a team made of a single discipline.
How to apply
Your solution must be a product or service that addresses a wicked problem, with circular design as its differentiator. New circular offerings and circular redesigns of existing products are both welcome. Teams apply during the Apply phase through the competition's website. There is no fee to enter, though you pay for any costs of creating and submitting your materials.
How applications are judged and what happens next
The competition runs about nine months in four phases. Dates below are those of the 2027 edition:
- Apply (3 August to 4 October): 90 teams are accepted.
- Design (19 October to 6 December): 30 teams advance.
- Refine (4 January to 21 February): 15 semifinalists.
- Present (15 March to 16 May): 5 finalists present for the top prizes.
Judges assess work against criteria that include circularity, innovation, viability, scope, desirability, collaboration and presentation, and give detailed feedback at each phase. At least one member of a winning team must attend the final presentation and awards event.
About Wege Prize
The Wege Center for Sustainable Design sits within Ferris State University's Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids. The competition says it works as a global learning lab, and the 2027 edition counted 209 academic disciplines among its participants.
Things to check before you apply
- Business entry: a team can enter as a business only if the business has a valid US tax ID (EIN). Otherwise the prize is split among the five members.
- Tax: US income tax is withheld from cash prizes paid to foreign citizens. Indian winners should take tax advice on how this interacts with their own filing.
- Travel: attendance at the final event is required to win, and travel reimbursement is limited to what the terms state.
- A practical tip: start recruiting your five members and agreeing roles well before the Apply phase opens, since every member must meet the study rules.
Eligibility
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Organizers
Prizes & Awards
What You Get
Teams compete for US$65,000 (about ₹61.75 lakh) in cash prizes: US$30,000 (about ₹28.5 lakh) for first place, US$20,000 (about ₹19 lakh) for second, US$10,000 (about ₹9.5 lakh) for third and two finalist awards of US$2,500 (about ₹2.4 lakh) each. A team entering as individuals has its prize split equally among the five members; a team entering as a business is paid one lump sum, but only if that business has a US tax ID (EIN). US income tax is withheld from prizes paid to foreign citizens. Judges coach teams with in-depth feedback at every phase.
- Disbursement
- Lump Sum
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Ninety teams are accepted, 30 advance after the Design phase, 15 become semifinalists and five finalists present for the top prizes. Judges give detailed feedback at every phase and assess lenses such as circularity, innovation, viability, scope, desirability, collaboration and presentation.
Application Process
- 1
Team application
Submit your five-person team's application.
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
Can Indian students take part in Wege Prize?
Yes. Each member must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate degree programme at a college or university anywhere in the world. Your team still has to meet the five-member, three-discipline and two-institution rules.
When does Wege Prize 2028 open?
The official page says team applications for Wege Prize 2028 will open in fall 2027. The 2027 application window ran from 3 August to 4 October 2026 and is closed.
Can I enter alone?
No. It is a team competition: exactly five members, from at least three academic disciplines and at least two institutions.
How much can a team win?
The total is US$65,000 (about ₹61.75 lakh). First place wins US$30,000 (about ₹28.5 lakh), second US$20,000, third US$10,000, and two finalist awards are US$2,500 each.
How is the prize paid?
Teams entering as individuals split the prize equally among the five members. A team entering as a business is paid as one sum, but only if the business has a valid US tax ID (EIN). US income tax is withheld from cash prizes paid to foreign citizens.
Is Wege Prize a grant or equity?
It is a prize competition. The competition states that your team keeps ownership of its solution and that Wege Prize does not claim it.
Do we have to travel to the final?
To win, at least one team member must attend the final presentation and awards event in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The terms say finalist teams can receive up to US$3,000 in travel reimbursement plus hotel accommodation for the presenter and at least one other member.
Is there an entry fee?
No. There is no fee to enter, though you pay for any costs of making and submitting your materials.
What happens in each phase?
Over about nine months the field narrows from 90 teams to 30, then 15 semifinalists and 5 finalists. Judges give in-depth feedback in every phase to help teams improve their solution.
What counts as a circular-economy solution?
It must be a product or service that addresses a complex problem with circular design as its differentiator. The circular economy is described as eliminating waste and pollution by design, keeping materials in use at their highest value and regenerating nature.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
