Wege Prize 2027 is an annual competition for college/university students globally to develop circular economy solutions to complex problems. Teams of five members, representing at least three academic disciplines and two institutions, will compete for a total prize of $65,000 USD.
Wege Prize 2027 is an annual competition that aims to inspire college and university students worldwide to collaborate across institutional, disciplinary, and cultural boundaries. The competition challenges transdisciplinary teams to redesign economic systems by developing game-changing solutions for the future. It functions as both a design competition and a global learning lab, focusing on real-world problems. The core challenge of Wege Prize is to design circular solutions. A circular economy fundamentally transforms traditional linear systems, where materials are discarded, into a system where resources are continuously reused and regenerated. This approach seeks to eliminate waste and replenish natural resources, creating an economy that thrives on resilience rather than consumption. Participating teams are tasked with utilizing circular design principles to create products and services. These solutions must generate unique value, address existing real-world problems, and deliver benefits to people, businesses, and the environment. The competition encourages innovative thinking to foster sustainable practices. Teams must consist of exactly five members, representing at least three academic disciplines and two or more institutions of higher education. Individuals must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate degree program anywhere in the world and must be enrolled full-time for the majority of the competition.
Teams are challenged to use circular design to develop products and services that create unique value, solve real-world problems, and benefit people, businesses, and the environment. The solutions should transform current linear economic systems into ones where materials never become waste and activities replenish the natural world.
Teams must consist of exactly five (5) members. Teams must represent three (3) or more academic disciplines, based on current program of study (previously completed degree programs are not considered). Teams must represent two (2) or more institutions of higher education (schools within a larger university are considered different institutions). Individuals must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate degree program anywhere in the world. Teams can be composed of a mix of undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students. Individuals must be enrolled full-time for the majority of the competition. If an individual is graduating before May 2027, they must be enrolled as a student through at least December 6, 2026.