Terms and Conditions (National Innovation Challenge)

*Note: Terms and Conditions are subject to change. Last updated 11 March 2025. 

PLEASE NOTE: The competition is now closed. Thank you to all the students, schools, and colleges who submitted entries. We will contact shortlisted applicants soon.

• Download a PDF of the National Innovation Challenge Terms and Conditions

Terms

1. The “organiser” refers to Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC). Our address is: Park Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1NQ.

2. The “competition” refers to the National Innovation Challenge.

3. The “provider” refers to Schools, Colleges, Sixth Forms and Institutes of Technology (IoT).

4. Each provider will nominate the “Lead Coordinator” (LC) to liaise with the organiser throughout the competition process. They will disseminate competition details to internal students and ensure entries are submitted on time. They will also provide feedback and evaluation data to the organiser.

5. Each provider can submit a maximum of 5 entries. The “Information Pack” will provide further details of running the competition to identify the most suitable entries to submit.

6. The Terms and Conditions may be amended from time to time, and you should check this page for changes.

7. Please see the following link for a copy of these competition terms and conditions: https://www.hruc.ac.uk/mit-program/a-national-innovation-competition.html  

About the Competition

8. The competition is open to educational establishment providers in the UK. For the avoidance of doubt, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not considered to be part of the UK for the purposes of the competition.

9. The competition aims to develop innovative solutions to champion sustainability and promote Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG).

Who can take part?

10. Registered students at respective providers can enter the competition as follows:

• Individual (1 single entry)
• Pair (2 students working together as a pair)
• Group (maximum of 3 students working together)

Categories

11. Winner will be selected from the following 3 categories:

• Category A: Registered students in Year 10 or Year 11 studying GCSEs in Secondary schools. This includes University Technical Colleges (UTC), Grammar schools, Faith schools and Independent/Private schools.

• Category B: Registered students at General Further Education (GFE) Colleges, Sixth Forms and Institutes of Technology (IoT).

• Category C: Registered students at HRUC. This includes Harrow-on-the Hill, Harrow Weald, Richmond-upon-Thames, Uxbridge and Hayes Campus.

12. If a secondary School also has a Sixth Form, then the provider can submit 5 entries for Category A and 5 entries for Category B.

13. If a GFE College is also a member of an IoT, then the provider can submit 5 entries for the GFE and 5 for the IoT.

Competition Focus 

14. The theme of the competition is: Sustainable impact

15. Students are able to submit one of the following:

1. Concept

• Define your purpose and scope – What is the problem you are trying to solve?

• Who is your target market / stakeholders / users?

• What are your objectives for success?

• What are the key features and benefits?

2. Business Idea

• An initiative that can lead to services and/or products that generate income.

• Who is your target market / stakeholders / users?

• What are the challenges to consider with current services or products?

• Which industry are you looking to enter with your business idea?

3. Design Prototype

• A preliminary product or sample model that is created to test ideas/concepts, functionality, usability and feasibility.

• Your prototype could be on paper, a wireframe, an interactive model or animation.

• Early design concepts for mass production and/or scalability are welcome.

16. The competition entries will be judged by a panel of eight judges and their details are available on: https://www.hruc.ac.uk/mit-program/a-national-innovation-competition.html

Timeline and Process 

17. National Student Competition Launch: Thursday 24th October 2024.

18. Expressions of interest from Schools, FE colleges and Sixth Forms close: Friday 29th November 2024.

19. The LC will disseminate details of the competition within their respective provider and liaise with the organiser.

20. Information pack published in December 2024 to registered participants.

21. All competition entries must be submitted by Friday 14th March 2025.

22. The LC will receive details of submitting entries from their respective provider.

23. Shortlisting will be completed in March 2025 for all three categories to identify the Top 10 progressing towards the finals.

24. The Top 10 will receive feedback to work towards their final submission to the National Judging Panel (NJP).

25. The Top 10 will resubmit their final entries following feedback in June 2025 (dates will be circulated in April).

26. The Top 10 will be asked to provide the organisers a valid form of ID and/or proof of age or address.

27. Winners from all three categories will be announced at the National Innovation Competition Awards ceremony on Friday 11th July 2025. Venue and further details to be confirmed. Students and their guests will not be charged to attend.

The Prize 

28. Category A (Schools)

• The winner(s) and one additional member of staff from the winning provider will visit the MIT for one week (dates to be confirmed).

29. Category B and C (GFE/Sixth Forms and HRUC)

• The winner(s) and one additional member of staff from the winning provider will visit the MIT for two weeks (dates to be confirmed).

30. For the avoidance of doubt, the one additional member of staff stated in clauses 28 and 29 shall not be deemed to be winners. They are only included in these terms for safeguarding and supervision purposes as set out in clause 51.

31. The organiser will cover the associated transport, accommodation, meals, refreshments, insurance and reasonable subsistence costs for the visit in the USA.

32. If the winners are unable to attend the visit during the agreed dates, they will not receive a cash alternative and/or experience. They are unable to transfer this opportunity to anyone else and need to make suitable arrangements with their respective educational provider or employer to enable attendance to take place.

33. Winners have the responsibility to ensure they hold valid passports and have the right to apply for entry to enter the USA by completing the necessary visa arrangements. The Organisers do not take responsibility for decisions by the USA embassy.

Submission of Entries 

34. There is no charge to enter into the competition. 

35. We recommend students use their regular timetabled hours (e.g. Tutorial, Personal 1:1) with their independent learning to develop their submission.

36. Students need to submit a presentation consisting of the following:

• Maximum of 10 slides (e.g. PowerPoint, Google Slides).

• The presentation can include images, text and video to showcase their entry.

• If students decide to create a video to support their entry, this needs to be embedded within the presentation and no longer than 2 minutes in duration.

• If students would like to submit a physical product or item as part of their entry, they can post this directly to the organiser who will manage this process with the LC.

• The organisers are not responsible for the safe transportation of design prototypes and/or physical submissions of entries.

37. All presentations must be received by the organiser at Uxbridge College, Park Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1NQ OR emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by no later than 18.00 on 14th March 2025. All entries received after the Closing Date are automatically disqualified.

Format of Entries 

38. Students need to clearly demonstrate the following areas:

• Innovation – What is the issue they are trying to resolve and how innovative is the proposed solution? This can include a totally new development or enhancing a current process.

• Solution – what are the features and benefits of your proposal? Will this solve the existing/future issue and how will you demonstrate achieving the desired outcome?

• Impact – what impact will this have? For example, you may consider financial, environmental or social factors for consideration. Furthermore, students may develop a local solution with the opportunity to scale on a national level.

• Potential – what is the future potential of the proposal? Can this be scaled within other industries or expanded on a global scale?

39. The LC will receive further details from the organisers to submit their entries to a secure platform.

Other 

40. By submitting a competition entry, you (or your parent/guardian as appropriate) are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.

41. The competition is open to registered students at each provider at the time of application.

42. One entry is allowed per student.

43. To maintain fairness, anyone employed by HRUC, including freelancers and contractors, their families (i.e. parents, children, siblings, spouse and life partners) and professionally connected to this promotion are not allowed to enter.

44. Staff members on payroll within each provider are not allowed to enter the competition.

45. All members of the judging panel and organisers of the competition will be requested to disclose any conflict of interest at regular intervals to maintain impartiality.

46. Due to the volume of entries, we will not be able to provide feedback to all providers.

47. Only those selected for the Top 10 will receive feedback to submit to the National Judging Panel.

48. The judges’ decision (acting reasonably) is final and there are no grounds of appeal.

49. The organiser has the right to withdraw entries if details emerge of improper conduct. This may include inappropriate use of social media, bringing the competition into disrepute or other factors deemed to be of a serious nature.

50. The organiser may publish and publicise the name, image, social media handle, and/or profile picture of the provider and winners (subject to any rights entrants may have under applicable data protection law).

51. HRUC safeguarding policies and procedures, and the relevant statutory guidance for safeguarding in schools and colleges will be followed during the entire process including visits to the USA. Details can be accessed on the following link:  https://www.hruc.ac.uk/policies-and-reports/policies.html

52. Winners are required to disclose all medical conditions as may be relevant to the prize, including allergies, to ensure mental and physical safeguarding.

53. Applications from students with additional support needs consisting of SEND and/or High Needs are welcomed. The ability to cater for reasonable adjustments and/or costs associated with student support will be reviewed on an individual basis.

54. By entering the competition, the entrant and provider are giving their permission to promote the competition as part of the overall marketing strategy. Where entrants are under the age of 18, such permission will be obtained directly from the entrants’ parent / guardian. Such permission can be withdrawn at any time. Promotions can take the form of social media, interviews and other related activity to promote the competition, and entrants retain the right to object to these publications at any time.

55. Subject to any rights they may have under applicable data protection law, winners and accompanying member(s) of staff understand that the organiser may interview, film, photograph and/or record them in connection with the competition, and understand that any such content can be used for the organiser’s publicity and PR purposes (whether in relation to the competition or more generally).

56. If you are under the age of 18 and are shortlisted as one of the “Top 10” entries, parental or guardian permission is required for your submission to progress.

57. The organiser must either publish or make available information that indicates that a valid award took place. To comply with this obligation the organiser will publish the surname and county of major prize winners. HRUC will publish the name of the winners on its website, and, OR send the surname and county of major prize winners and, if applicable copies of their winning entries, to anyone who emails This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or writes to: Uxbridge College, Park Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1NQ (enclosing a self-addressed envelope) within one month after the Closing Date of the competition.

58. If you object to any or all of your surname, county and winning entry being published or made available, please contact the organiser on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. In such circumstances, the organiser must still provide the information and winning entry to the Advertising Standards Authority on request.

59. The organiser will only process your personal information as set out in the PRIVACY POLICY. Details can be accessed on the following link: https://www.hruc.ac.uk/policies-and-reports/policies.html

60. We cannot guarantee and accept no responsibility for entries which haven’t reached us. This includes network incompatibility, technical faults or for any other reason.

61. Occasionally, circumstances beyond our reasonable control might affect the schedule. For example, weather, travel or political conditions may enforce unforeseen circumstances to alter plans.

62. References within the Terms and Conditions are not exhaustive and do not limit those terms in any way

63. In some cases, you might become aware of confidential information relating to a competition. If you do become aware of any confidential information relating to the competition, including (without limitation) any information that has not yet been made public broadcast and/or information we ask you to keep confidential indefinitely, you must keep this information confidential until we confirm in writing (for example, by email) that it is no longer necessary to do so. If you fail to do this, or we have reasonable grounds to suspect you have failed to do this, we reserve the right to disqualify you from the competition in our discretion, and/or to take any other measures we consider necessary or appropriate based on the relevant circumstances. 

64. By taking part in this competition, entrants agree that the submission:

1. is their original work;

2. was not created in the course of their employment;

3. is not defamatory, discriminatory, distasteful or illegal;

4. is not in breach of any contractual obligation to any person;

5. does not violate any applicable law or regulation or codes of good practice;

6. is not in breach of any third party intellectual property rights;

7. does not contain anything which might be confidential or commercially sensitive;

8. obtained the prior written consent from anyone featured or mentioned and obtained the consent of the relevant parent/guardian (for those under the age of 18). 

65. If your entry contains photographs or video images of people, you must ensure that you inform them that you intend to use the material for the purposes of this competition and obtain their consent. If your entry contains photographs or video images of people under the age of 18, parental or guardian consent must be obtained.

66. The organiser may ask you for evidence of any such consent and reserves the right to disqualify your entry if you are unable to provide it or if we have doubts about its adequacy.

67. The organiser will not accept competition entries that are: 

• automatically generated by computer or created by artificial intelligence (including but not limited to chatbots such as ChatGPT or similar software applications);

• completed by third parties or in bulk;

• illegible, have been altered, reconstructed, forged or tampered with; 

• photocopies and not originals; or

• incomplete.

68. The organiser does not claim any rights of ownership in your competition entry.

69. You will retain ownership of all intellectual property rights (including copyright) in your entry, but you agree to grant us a licence to use it for specific purposes and for any other purpose connected to this competition.

70. The licence will last for the duration of the relevant intellectual property right and includes the right for us to:

• edit or modify your entry (including resizing, adjusting the colour and adding elements such as text); 

• adapt it or incorporate it into other materials;

• sub-license it to third parties or companies in our group to use for specific purposes; and

• republish it (or any version modified in the way described above) on any media anywhere in the world.

Liability 

71. Your entry or participation in the Competition and/or prize is at your own risk. The Competition or prize may require that you undertake physical activity. Therefore, please consider this before entering the competition. Furthermore, all competition prize winners should inform us before or at the time of claiming the prize of any underlying medical condition, physical or other impairment or medication they are taking which may be relevant to the operator’s administration of the Competition and which could adversely affect your use or enjoyment of the prize, or ability to claim the prize. This will enable us to determine whether we can make reasonable adjustments accordingly.

72. You must notify us immediately if you become ill or become aware of any other relevant medical or health and safety information which could affect your participation in a Competition and/or prize. If you have a disability, please make this clear to us when you claim the prize, so we can consult with you well in advance of the prize and make such reasonable adjustments as are practical and within our reasonable control, based on all the circumstances, to ensure that you can enjoy the prize to the fullest extent. 

73. You may be removed from the competition if you behave in a way which is abusive or which exposes you or others to any medical, security, safety or similar risk whatsoever (including if you are intoxicated or abusive in any way) without limiting the options available to us. You agree that you have not done anything and will not do anything which is likely to bring the organiser into disrepute or which might adversely affect our reputation or the competition.

74. The organiser, its agents or distributors shall not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate competition entrants, prize winners, and anyone else for any claims, costs, losses, including indirect loss, and loss of earnings damage or harm of any kind arising from or in connection with the competition or any prize.

75. The organiser does not accept any responsibility if you are not able to take up the prize.

76. The organiser shall have no liability to you and anyone else for any claims, costs, losses, including indirect loss, damage or harm of any kind arising from or in connection with the competition. For example, if you book or take time off work with the intention of taking up a prize and the event is subsequently postponed, changed or cancelled, we would not be responsible for covering your wages or salary for your missed day of work on that day or any other day off you take. This is only one example and is not intended to limit the general interpretation of this clause.

77. Save that nothing in the Terms and Conditions limits or excludes liability arising from fraud or from death or personal injury caused by negligence or any other type of liability which may not be limited or excluded by law, to the fullest extent permissible by law.

78. The organiser makes no representation, warranty, or guarantee in relation to the prize provided and have no liability in relation to its fitness for purpose or otherwise.

79. Unless otherwise expressly stated in the Specific Rules, the Competitions are in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with any social media platform (including without limitation X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube or TikTok). You hereby release all such social media platforms from any liability. Any questions, comments or complaints regarding this Competition must be directed to us only, and not to any social media platform.

80. The organiser reserves the right to withdraw or amend the competition if we consider it necessary or appropriate to do so for reasons beyond our reasonable control (including but not limited to strikes, labour dispute, illness, act of God, natural disaster, adverse weather conditions, actual or threatened pandemic or epidemic, disease or quarantine and/or any corresponding governmental action, guidance and/or ruling, damage, fire, floor and/or storm, compliance with law or governmental order) or if there has been a broadcasting or printing error.

81. The competition, and the Terms and Conditions, are governed by English law, and any disputes arising in connection with them shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

82. For all enquiries in relation to the competition or the Terms and Conditions, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.