Diamond Challenge
Organizer
Horn Entrepreneurship, University of Delaware
Focus
Business innovation or social innovation
Grade guidance & eligibility
Editorial preparation guidance: upper high school, or younger students with the prerequisites. Confirm official age, school and regional eligibility.
Output
Venture concept and pitch across selection rounds
Timeline
2027 cycle: submission opens Sep 16, 2026; deadline Jan 14, 2027 at 5pm EST; summit Apr 29–30, 2027.
Why choose it
Strong projects must connect the user problem, solution and a workable model. This can become the start of a real project.
Best for
Teams ready to test a problem and revise a venture concept
When not ideal
Not ideal for a polished slide deck with no evidence of need, or for a team unable to commit to iteration.
Strengths
research · writing · speaking
Category
Entrepreneurship
Description
Teams ready to test a problem and revise a venture concept Strong projects must connect the user problem, solution and a workable model. This can become the start of a real project. Not ideal for a polished slide deck with no evidence of need, or for a team unable to commit to iteration.
Team size
2–4 high school students aged 14–18 at submission; adult advisor aged 21+
Registration opens
Sep 16, 2026
Registration deadline
Jan 14, 2027 · 5:00 PM UTC-05:00
Rules
Official facts and registration rules: https://diamondchallenge.org/competition/ Editorial difficulty and workload describe preparation demands, not winning odds.
Preparation guide
Interview potential users, test a key assumption and explain what changed; keep business and social-impact claims distinct.