University Innovation Challenge 2026
Now in its fourth year, the University Innovation Challenge invites student teams from across the Asia-Pacific to develop and pitch solutions to real challenges facing young communities. This year's competition is bigger, more accessible and more connected to industry than ever.
What can students gain from the University Innovation Challenge?
- Tackle real problems: Work on genuine challenges facing young people in Asia-Pacific — not case studies.
- Learn from industry: Finalists are paired with a practising actuary for a mentoring session before the live final.
- Pitch to the profession: Present your solution live to a panel of industry professionals at the final round.
- University coordinators and lecturers: share this page with your students. Last year, teams from nine universities across Asia-Pacific took part. We'd love to see your university represented in 2026.
Competition format
The challenge runs across three rounds, from a simple written pitch through to a live final.
| Round | Format | Details |
| Round 1 | 1-page idea pitch | Describe your idea and how you'd bring it to life — one page is all you need to get started. |
| Round 2 | Video presentation | Shortlisted teams record a video presentation developing their Round 1 idea further. |
| Final | Live panel presentation | The top six teams present live to a panel of industry judges — with mentor support beforehand. |
How does advancement work?
To keep things equitable, the number of teams advancing from Round 1 to Round 2 is based on how many teams participate from your university.
| Teams from your university | Teams advancing to Round 2 |
| 1–4 | 1 |
| 5–8 | 2 |
| More than 8 | 3 |
Key dates
| Date | Milestone |
| 26 June | Sign-ups close |
| 29 June | Round 1 virtual kick-off session — problem statement shared |
| 10 July | Round 1 submissions due |
| 27 July | Round 1 results announced |
| 29 July | Round 2 virtual kick-off session |
| 4 September | Round 2 submissions due |
| 28 September | Round 2 results and finalist mentoring begins |
| 14 October | Live final — top six teams present to industry judges |
Who can enter the University Innovation Challenge?
The competition is open to university students across Asia-Pacific. All team members must be signed up as university subscribers to the Actuaries Institute before participating — it's free and takes only a few minutes.
Submit your Round 1 pitch by email to [email protected]
Ready to enter?
Sign-ups close [DATE]. Register your team now and take your first step into the profession!
