Biodesign Challenge 2024
This year, 50+ schools across 15 countries will participate in Biodesign Challenge, an international education program for high school and college students that introduces the intersection of biotechnology, art, and design and connects them to a global network of leaders in academia, industry, and entrepreneurship who are defining the field of biodesign. BDC aims to pioneer, envision, create, and critique transformational applications in biotech.
Orbweaver, University of Texas at Austin, 2023.
Pulmo Plastics, New York University, 2018.
The Summit
Finalists from schools across the globe gather in New York City at the Museum of Modern Art and Parsons School of Design to showcase their projects before leading thinkers in academia, industry, art, and design, and 400+ audience members. Teams compete for prizes, including the coveted grand prize—the Glass Microbe.
The BDC Book: Grow the Future
Selected from hundreds of artworks and designs from BDC, our first book is a compilation of projects and ideas that are influencing the emerging field of biodesign. In their own words, pioneers and BDC alumni explore the future of biodesign and its role in shaping people’s identities, cultures, and relationships with the living environment. Beyond being a primer, the book is a celebration of the first five years of our program and a deep dive into the minds behind biodesign. We are currently sold out of the book—click the button below to be the first to know when it’s available.
Photo credit: Valery Rizzo.
Program Alumni
BDC alumni have gone on to become biodesign instructors themselves, turn their projects into startups, and exhibit in public forums. Former students have raised over $30 million in investment for their startup companies, while others have exhibited their projects at venues including the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, MIT Museum, the London Design Festival, the Gregg Museum, Rhode Island School of Design, and elsewhere.
Public Resources
Learn how biodesign is changing familiar industries and ways of making.
Summit Archive
Revisit past student projects and Summit programming from previous years.
Judging Rubric
Learn how the expert judges will evaluate projects at the Summit.
Our Vision
Read about how Biodesign Challenge aims to foster the next generation of biodesigners.