Imagine you want teenagers to get excited about science and engineering, but lectures and brochures don't work anymore. SciChallenge flipped the script — instead of pushing content at kids, they ran a Europe-wide contest where 10-to-20-year-olds created their own science videos, infographics, and presentations. Everything was shared on social media and a dedicated web platform, turning students into science communicators. The project ran across 8 countries with prizes sponsored by industry, giving young people a real taste of STEM careers through internships and taster days.
Europe faces a growing shortage of STEM-skilled workers, and traditional science education methods are failing to attract young people into technical careers. Companies across industries are struggling to fill engineering, IT, and research positions, while enrolment rates in STEM degree programs remain stubbornly low — especially in newer EU member states. The disconnect between how young people consume information (social media, video, peer content) and how science is traditionally taught creates a pipeline problem that hits industry hiring budgets hard.
The project built a web platform (SciChallenge) in two iterations — an early prototype and a final version — designed to host a Europe-wide contest where young people aged 10 to 20 create digital science content (videos, slides, infographics). Alongside the platform, the team produced topic sheets, guides, toolkits, and an Open Information Hub aggregating science career opportunities and events, totalling 22 deliverables.
If you are an EdTech company struggling to keep students engaged with STEM subjects — this project developed a contest-based web platform across 8 countries where young people aged 10 to 20 created their own digital learning materials. The approach turns passive learners into active content creators. The platform was built in two iterations and tested with real users across 9 partner organizations.
If you are an enterprise struggling to fill technical roles and want to build a future talent pipeline — this project created a multi-channel engagement system combining social media, a web platform, and industry-sponsored prizes to attract young people to STEM careers. The consortium included 2 industry partners who offered internships and taster days to contest winners across 8 European countries.
If you are a science engagement organization looking for proven methods to reach young audiences through digital channels — this project built and tested a complete toolkit including topic sheets, guides, and a web platform that aggregated science events like slams, nights, and festivals. The system was deployed across 8 countries with 9 partner organizations coordinating outreach.
The project received EUR 1,342,844 in EU funding across 9 partners over 2 years. The web platform was one component among 22 deliverables. Based on available project data, specific licensing terms or platform costs are not disclosed — you would need to contact the coordinator SYNYO GmbH in Austria.
The platform was tested across 8 European countries with 9 partner organizations including universities, research institutes, and industry. The contest-based model and digital distribution through social media are inherently scalable. However, localization and partner recruitment would be needed for new deployments.
SYNYO GmbH (Austria) coordinated the project as an SME. As an EU-funded RIA project, IP is typically shared among consortium partners under the grant agreement. Based on available project data, specific licensing arrangements are not publicly detailed.
The project ran from September 2015 to August 2017 and is now closed. The project website was at project.scichallenge.eu. Based on available project data, current operational status of the platform would need to be verified directly with the coordinator.
The SciChallenge platform was built as a standalone web platform in two development iterations — an early prototype and a final version. Based on available project data, there is no mention of LMS integration capabilities. The content distribution relied on social media channels and the dedicated platform.
The project produced 22 deliverables across its 2-year lifecycle, including the web platform, topic sheets, guides, and toolkits. The contest model was executed across 8 countries targeting ages 10 to 20. Based on available project data, specific engagement metrics or outcome measurements are not included in the deliverable descriptions provided.
The SciChallenge consortium brought together 9 partners from 8 countries, giving the project genuine pan-European reach. SYNYO GmbH, an Austrian SME, led the coordination — a signal that the project was driven by an agile, market-oriented company rather than a purely academic institution. With 4 SMEs in the mix (out of 9 partners) and an industry ratio of 22%, the consortium leaned more toward education and outreach than commercial exploitation. The 3 universities and 1 research organization provided subject-matter expertise, while the 3 "other" partners likely included schools or youth organizations essential for reaching the target audience. For a business looking to adopt this model, the SME-led coordination is a positive sign — but the low industry ratio means the outputs are more educational toolkit than turnkey commercial product.
SYNYO GmbH is an Austrian SME that coordinated SciChallenge. SciTransfer can help you reach the right person on their team.
Want to explore how this STEM engagement model could work for your organization? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the SciChallenge team and help you evaluate the fit — contact us for a free one-page brief.
