💰 £275 in prizes!
STEM Competition 2026
The Future of STEM: What problem will you try and solve?
The Future of STEM: What problem will you try and solve?
This 2026 Future of STEM Competition is a unique opportunity for students aged 14-19
to
showcase their research and problem-solving skills in addressing pressing global challenges.
Participants will chose a question, perform scientific research, and propose an innovative solution,
showcasing their findings through visual media. The competition is organised by the Scholarly
Service Society (SSS) London Chapter and supported by Leaf.
Back for its second year, this competition is running in Summer 2026 — check the timeline below for
key dates and sign up to take part. You can also revisit the 2025 results and winning submissions
further down the page.
The first step in a strong submission is choosing the right problem. Some problems are big and urgent, but already receive a lot of attention. Others might be solvable but don’t affect that many people. To help you think carefully, we encourage you to use the ITN framework:
Your submission should explain the problem you’ve chosen and why it matters, drawing on these ITN considerations. This will help judges see that you’ve thought about scale and impact, not just a familiar or comfortable issue. Below are some links for you to get inspiration about current issues:
Look into an area of STEM of your interest, and research something that can help solve the problem you selected. This can be, from any part of STEM you like, and you can get as techincal as you want.
Using your research, link back to your problem and propose a solution for it. This should bring together the future of STEM, innovation and most importantly, your problem. You should link your research into this, showing off your technical understanding and vision for the future.
Present your research and solution through a form of visual media, such as a poster, max 3-minute video, leaflet, or 10-slide slideshow. Ensure to include references in any recognisable format. Additionally, provide a 2000-character abstract summarising your research and proposed solution . For an example of a form of visual media, we have attached a research poster here. This poster, made by students in less time and with a different structure, can give you an idea of how you could present your research.
After you have submitted your research and the deadline has passed, your submission will be judged by multiple judges, all of which will have expertise either directly or indirectly linked to the area of STEM you have researched. All submissions will be scored based on a rubric, with scores then being compiled and put in order to get the final standings.
Details of prizes can be found in the prizes section of the website. Apart from cash prizes, the top 3 will get direct entry into Leaf's 2026 Finalist Cohort for their very competitive programme, and the top 10 will all directly get mentoring from someone with expertise in their field of interest.
In order to submit, you must sign up first, following which you will receive an email with further details and the link to submit.
£10 Prize
All of those who place in the top 10 will receive a free copy of the 80,000 Hours Book.
All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation. Addtionally, all entries will be considered for 4 extra, special awards: Best Presented, Best Researched, Most Innovative, and Most Technical.
Ready to take part in the 2026 STEM Competition?
Register your interest by completing our short sign-up form. Once you've signed up, you'll receive further information and submission details by email, and you can start working on your submission now!
Sign Up NowBelow you can see the judges that make up our judging team, covering a wide range of subjects and industrial disciplines within STEM.
Your submission will be judged on the following aspects:
The importance and relevance of your issue, as per the ITN framework, and your explanation of why it matters.
Engagement with high-quality, relevant sources, and how deep you go into it.
Originality and creativity of your solution.
How feasible your solution is, taking constraints into mind.
How scientifically sound your research is, along with how technical it is.
How clearly you have presented your research in a professional and engaging way.
Looking back at our first edition — here are the winners and standout submissions from the 2025 competition.
See the results powerpoint or watch the meeting:
View Results PowerPoint | Watch Recording of Results Meeting
For any questions, reach out to us at sss.londonchapter@gmail.com