Part design competition, part global learning lab—Wege Prize challenges transdisciplinary teams of university students to develop real-world solutions to complex, “wicked” problems through the framework of the circular economy.
Team applications for Wege Prize 2027 are being accepted now through October 4, 2026.
Build Your Team
Develop a Circular Solution
Propose a product or service that solves a wicked problem while making circular design its differentiator.
Evolve your solution through an iterative design process driven by in-depth feedback loops with Wege Prize judges at each phase.
The Four Phases
Compete for $65K in Prizes
What Sets Wege Prize Apart
Judges who coach—not just score
Wege Prize judges provide direct, in-depth feedback at every phase, helping your team refine and evolve your solution as the competition progresses. More than a score, we want teams to walk away with a transformative learning experience.
Your ideas stay yours
Your solution and everything that goes into it remain your intellectual property from the moment you submit—yours to develop, pitch, and build on however you choose. Wege Prize exists to strengthen the work your team does, never to lay claim to it.
Transdisciplinary teams by design
Wicked problems reach across boundaries, and so do we. In converging different perspectives, expertise, and strengths, Wege Prize teams mirror the kind of cross-functional collaboration it actually takes to solve complex problems in the real world.
All circular projects are welcome
There’s no single “right” kind of solution here. Whether you’re developing a circular product or service from the ground up or using circular design to uncover new opportunity in something that already exists—you belong in this competition.
Learn More: Live Info Session on September 1
Curious how Wege Prize works? Join us for a live overview for potential participants—and the faculty, mentors, and advisors who can help them build a team.