📌 About the Event

The DEBUT Challenge is a national competition that invites undergraduate student teams to solve unmet health and clinical problems through innovative biomedical design. It is not just a theoretical contest; it requires the development of a working prototype that demonstrates engineering design principles, technical feasibility, and market potential. The 2026 edition features expanded prize categories from various NIH institutes, focusing on high-impact areas like HIV/AIDS, cancer, and healthcare for low-resource settings. Winning teams often use this platform as a springboard to launch medical startups or secure patents for their inventions.

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ℹ️ Event Details

• Category: Biomedical Engineering / MedTech
• Organizer: National Institutes of Health (NIBIB) & VentureWell
• Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students (2025–2026 academic year)
• Team Size: 3 to 8 Members (Must include at least one BioE/BME major if the institution has such a department)
• Effort Level: Very High (Requires a 6 page project narrative, 2 minute video, and working prototype)
• Submission Type: Project Narrative (PDF) and Demonstration Video (YouTube/Vimeo)

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📅 Important Dates

• Submission Deadline: 5 June, 2026 (11:59 PM EDT)
• Judging Period: June – August 2026
• Winners Announced: 25 August, 2026
• Award Ceremony: October 2026 (at the BMES Conference in Orlando, FL)
• Mode: Online Submission / In-person Awards

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🏆 Prize Details and Value

• Top NIBIB Prizes: * 1st Place (Steven H. Krosnick Prize): $20,000
  • 2nd Place: $15,000 | 3rd Place: $10,000
• Specialized NIH Prizes ($15,000 each): HIV/AIDS, Cancer Prevention, Women’s Health, Healthy Aging, and Rehabilitative Tech.
• VentureWell Prizes: Venture Prize ($10,000), Design Excellence ($5,000), and Rising Star ($5,000).
• Additional Perks: Winners gain entry into the dC3i Commercialization Course, providing expert guidance on bringing medical devices to market.

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🎯 What You Will Do

• Assemble a team of 3–8 undergraduates, ensuring at least one member is a BME/BioE major.
• Identify an unmet clinical need (e.g a low cost diagnostic tool or a new surgical instrument).
• Develop a functional prototype that proves your engineering solution works in a real-world scenario.
• Write a 6-page narrative detailing the significance, innovation, and technical approach of your design.
• Record a 2 minute video demonstrating the prototype in action.
• Certify your entry through a Faculty Advisor or Department Head before the June deadline.

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📦 Resources and Support Available

• Past Winners Archive: NIBIB provides a library of winning projects from previous years to help benchmark your design