Participant toolkit
Judging Rubric
The same criteria judges use, so teams know exactly what they're being recognized for.
Judges score each criterion from 1 to 5, scaled to the team's division — younger builders are judged on creativity and effort, older students on a higher bar.
| Criterion | What it means | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Originality & creativity | A fresh angle, an unexpected idea, or a clever twist. | 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Understanding of the problem | Real insight into who hurts and why it matters. | 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Clarity of solution | A solution that's easy to grasp and clearly connected to the problem. | 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Communication & pitch | A confident, clear, and engaging presentation. | 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Thoughtfulness & effort | Care, curiosity, and genuine work put into the idea. | 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Age-appropriate potential | How far the idea could go, judged against the division. | 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Total | / 30 | |
For the High School division, judges also weigh:
Market understandingFeasibilityDifferentiationRealistic next steps
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