Conrad Challenge - Houston, Texas

Adithya A.

Very expensive, no clear value. $500 per team for the innovation stage, but the competition provides nothing but an online platform, and judges feedback. The resources are not really helpful. If you get to innovation summit, that's $500 per person. But for the innovation stage, you get no value for money. They also delayed the innovation summit announcements, only informed after a few days, leaving everyone hanging. The judging process is not very quantitative and it’s unclear to me how the judging process worked. Other similar competitions like Diamond or Blue Ocean are free and better organised.

Lucas C.

The Conrad Challenge has the potential to be a fantastic opportunity for young innovators, but unfortunately, it falls short in several critical areas. As someone who has participated in the event, I have to say that my overall experience was disappointing and frustrating. Here are the main reasons why I cannot recommend this competition:

1. Poor Communication and Organization:
From the beginning, it was clear that communication was not a strong suit for the organizers. Important information about the competition timeline, requirements, and guidelines was often unclear or delivered late. Deadlines seemed to shift without much notice, and we were often left scrambling to adapt. When questions arose, getting a response from the event coordinators was incredibly challenging, and when we did receive replies, they were vague and unhelpful. This lack of clear communication created unnecessary stress and confusion.

2. High Entry Fees and Hidden Costs:
The entry fees for the Conrad Challenge are steep, and they only seem to cover the basics. We were under the impression that this fee would ensure a well-organized and supportive event, but it did not. Additionally, there were several hidden costs that we were not informed about beforehand, including travel expenses for the finals, lodging, and other miscellaneous fees. For a competition that claims to empower young minds, it felt like a money-making scheme. It is difficult to justify such high costs for the level of support we received.

3. Inadequate Support and Resources:
While the competition claims to provide mentorship and support for the participants, in reality, this was lacking. The mentors we had access to were either not very knowledgeable or not responsive. The materials and resources provided were minimal, and there were no clear guidelines on how to develop our projects effectively. We were essentially left to fend for ourselves, and it did not feel like a supportive environment for innovation. For a program that is supposed to be nurturing young entrepreneurs, the lack of guidance was disappointing.

4. Judging Criteria and Feedback:
The judging process was one of the most frustrating aspects of the Conrad Challenge. The criteria were not well-defined, and it seemed like the judges had their own subjective standards. This made it difficult to know what they were actually looking for, and many of the feedback comments we received were inconsistent or contradictory. When we asked for further clarification, the responses were vague and unhelpful. It felt as though the judging was more about personal preference than an objective evaluation of our projects.

5. Lack of Networking Opportunities:
One of the selling points of the Conrad Challenge is the opportunity to network with industry professionals and other participants. However, this was not our experience. The event did not facilitate meaningful networking or collaboration. There were no structured activities to help participants connect, and the few networking events that were held felt more like an afterthought than a genuine opportunity to engage with others. For a competition that is supposed to open doors and build connections, this was a huge letdown.

6. Questionable Selection of Finalists:
Another major issue was the process of selecting finalists. It was difficult to understand how certain teams made it to the finals while other strong projects were overlooked. Some teams that advanced had projects that were less developed or less innovative than those that did not. This raised questions about the fairness and transparency of the selection process. It left us feeling as though the competition was more about who you know than the quality of your project.

7. Over-Promising and Under-Delivering:
The Conrad Challenge markets itself as a prestigious event that will help participants gain recognition and develop their entrepreneurial skills. However, the reality does not live up to this promise. Instead of feeling inspired and supported, many

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Server refused to give me my food. Was very racist too.

Captain C.

Great!! Amazing experience!

Isaac C.

Mr Alden

disposable2 R.

so sigma

gu T.

Procrastination

Zoya H.