Green Innovation Challenge

Solve the world’s biggest problems with many minds

Registration Link will appear here

Important Notice: The Green Innovation Challenge has been postponed and will instead take place in Term 2 (mid-year) 2023. Please email us success@mindhive.org if you have any questions, or to express your interest and we’ll update you once new dates have been confirmed.

What is the Green Innovation Challenge?

The Green Innovation Challenge (GIC) is a student hackathon hosted by Mindhive, in partnership with BDO, Brisbane. The purpose of GIC is to inspire teams of students to work together to come up with a solution to a pressing sustainability issue that is currently impacting companies around the world. The challenge is designed by BDO and students will use the platform, Mindhive, to collaborate and finalise their solution.

The top 5 teams who make it to the final round will be provided with training in how to deliver an effective pitch. These teams will then go on to attend Pitch Night, where they will deliver their solution in front of a small audience of industry leaders, and a panel of judges.

This challenge provides students with the unique opportunity to gain experience and skills in innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership and problem-solving - all imperative employability skills in today’s job market!

This event is in partnership with

How it Works

  • Ensure you register yourself, or as a team, within the registration period. The link will be shared on this webpage when registrations open - follow the link to the application page and fill it out. Don’t worry if you don’t have a team, one will be allocated to you.

    Ensure you select the correct number of members in your team and add their emails. Only one person from the team needs to register everyone.

  • A confirmation link will be sent out to all successful applicants with a link to a compulsory webinar. In this webinar we will be providing a demo on how to successfully utilize Mindhive, and going over important information for the challenge. You will also hear from key industry speakers on the challenge topic to get some more insight into your upcoming challenge.

  • You are now on your way to start solving! Your team will have access to your private Mindhive discussion board where you can begin brainstorming and developing your solution.

    You will also have access to a Mindhive ‘Lounge’ board accessible my all participants and the Mindhive organisers. If you have a question or are experiencing issues send it to the Lounge and we’ll help!

  • Once your team starts coming up with some ideas, you can invite other people to your Mindhive board and let them vote for their favourite insights to help you shape your solution.

  • Once you’ve finalised your solution, your team needs to submit an elevator pitch video (this means 3 minutes max) to the Mindhive Challenge Lounge. You can have one person or the entire team be in the video, it’s up to you!

  • Your videos will be reviewed by a panel of judges, and the top 5 teams will be chosen to go through to the next stage. The winning teams will be sent an email and will have 24 hours to accept.

    If you accept, this means you will be one of five teams to deliver a live pitch in front of a room of experts and industry leaders. So only accept if your team are committed to moving on to the next stage of the challenge.

  • We understand that speaking in front of a live audience can be daunting, which is why BDO will provide the top 5 teams with training on how to deliver an effective pitch. You will have time to practice with your team, and ensure you’re ready for the big night!

  • Only the top 5 teams will be invited to Pitch Night. This will be your chance to share the solution your team came up with, as well as network with industry leaders and experts. More information on the event will be provided closer to the date.

    The winners will be awarded a gift card and be given work experience with BDO to work alongside their team to implement the solution your team came up with!

Mindhive is more than a forum – it’s the future of finding answers.

Ask. Discuss. Ideate. Report.

FAQs

  • Participating in the Green Innovation Challenge provides a unique opportunity for students to showcase their skills, work on real-world sustainability issues, and apply theoretical knowledge in a practical setting. It helps to enhance problem-solving abilities and develop teamwork skills while learning from industry experts and peers.

  • All students currently enrolled at an Australian university are eligible to register for the competition. However, you must take into consideration that part of the program will be held in person in Brisbane, Queensland.

    Student teams should consist of a maximum of 3-4 students per team.

    Teams must be available to attend the Live Pitch Event in Brisbane, in person if they are one of the top 5 teams chosen.

  • The Challenge has been postponed to mid-2023, and finalised dates are yet to be announced. Keep an eye on this website for more information, or send us an email (success@mindhive.org) to express your interest and we’ll notify you once dates are confirmed.

  • The winning team will win a share of a monetary prize, and work an opportunity to work with BDO via paid work experience to drive their idea forward.

  • You have the option to enter with a team you have already created, or you can enter alone and you will be allocated to a team.

    If you are entering with a team, ensure you choose the number of participants during registration.

  • By submitting an entry to the Innovation Challenge, students are acknowledging that their ideas/research will be made publicly accessible and shared with industry professionals. Videos will be uploaded to Mindhive and disseminated through the BDO website and social media platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram), and BDO’s media channels. Student videos may be shared with BDO’s clients (they will be notified if and when and which clients). Judges, reviewers, staff and the audience will not be asked to sign non- disclosure statements.

    BDO may take stills, video and/or audio clips of the presentations, or copy material prepared for use in the presentation, for promotional purposes.

    If the student’s presentation draws on work/ research that is being/has been conducted under contract with an outside sponsor, they are advised to discuss the related contractual terms of confidentiality and intellectual property with their supervisor(s) before participating in this competition. BDO have the right to ask a student to withdraw from the competition if these conditions are not met.

More Information


Any questions about the Green Innovation Challenge please contact success@mindhive.org