1. Eligibility

• The competition is open to Year 9 and 10 students.
• Entries may be submitted by an individual student or groups of students.
• Participants must be enrolled at one of the following Franklin schools:
  • Wesley College
  • Pukekohe Christian School
  • KingsGate School
  • ACG Strathallan
  • Onewhero Area School
  • St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College
  • Waiuku College
  • Pukekohe High School
  • Tuakau College
  • TIPENE

2. Submission Requirements

• All participants must submit their proposal by Friday 3 July, 2026.
• Submissions may include: a detailed written report OR a video.
• Late submissions will not be accepted.

3. Project Submission Requirements

• Projects must be original and completed by the students.
• Projects must follow the proposal outline which received acceptance. Any changes must be outlined and explained.
• The deadline for final project submissions is 4 September 2026.

4. Project Guidelines

• Projects must adhere to the theme or focus area outlined by the competition: technology, science, energy, digital innovation, cultural understanding, or engineering.
• All projects must be safe, with potential hazards clearly identified and minimised.
• Entries must comply with scientific integrity and ethical guidelines, including avoiding plagiarism.

5. Judging Criteria

• Entries will be judged based on: feasibility, scientific value, originality, safety, sustainability, presentation, etc.
• The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the outcome.

6. Prizes

• Accepted proposals will be announced Friday 24 July 2026.
• Project winners will be announced on Friday 16 October 2026.
• Prizes: 
  • 1st place includes a trophy and $3000 cash prize awarded to the student/s of the winning project. 
  • 2nd place will receive $2000
  • 3rd place will receive $1000 
• Prizes are not transferable and must be accepted as awarded.

7. Intellectual Property

• By participating, entrants agree that the competition organisers may use images, descriptions, and videos of the projects for promotional purposes.
• Ownership of the project remains with the students, but the organisers retain rights to showcase the work.

8. Safety and Liability

• Participants are responsible for ensuring their projects are safe and pose no risk to themselves or others.
• The competition organisers are not liable for any accidents, injuries, or damages that occur during the development of the projects or participation in the competition. This responsibility rests solely with the school or the identified accountable person. Innovation Franklin (IF) holds no liability for the completion of projects or any incidents that may occur during the course of the competition.

9. Disqualification

• Participants may be disqualified for not adhering to competition guidelines, failing to meet deadlines, or submitting plagiarised work.
• Misconduct, unsafe practices, or failure to comply with ethical standards may also result in disqualification.

10. Data Protection

• Personal information collected during registration will only be used for competition related activities.
• By entering, participants consent to the collection and use of their data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

11. Accountability and Compliance

• Each entry must identify an accountable adult (a teacher or parent/caregiver) who will be responsible for overseeing the student’s participation, managing funds, and ensuring compliance with the competition’s terms and conditions.

12. Agreement to Terms

• By entering the competition, participants agree to abide by these terms and conditions.
• Failure to comply with these terms may result in disqualification from the competition.