Orbnet have progressed into the global finals of the Conrad Challenge
We are excited to announce that one of our teams, Orbnet, have successfully reached the global finals of the Conrad Challenge, one of the most prestigious US-based STEM competitions. Orbnet is a team consisting of three Year 12 students, Tilly, Alice and Katharina. Orbnet, were selected as one of the top 5 teams in the ‘Aerospace and Aviation’ category for their idea of collecting and stopping orbital space debris, through a netting system, attached to a small drone-like spacecraft. The drone flies around at-risk satellites and positions itself in the path of any incoming space debris. This concept links with their passion to protect the natural environment.
Conrad Innovators
We are incredibly proud because all of our 5 teams reached the penultimate stage of the competition and, as a result, these teams have been recognised as ‘Conrad Innovators’. This is a fantastic achievement considering there were over 950 entrants, from over 50 countries globally. As part of the ‘Innovation Brief’ all of the groups were tasked to create a business model of up to 3,000 words, which outlined why they came up with the innovation concept and its impact in the market.
Impact on the learning experience
As well as the prestige that comes with entering such an important competition, our team, Orbnet, is the only team from Europe to reach the global finals. The finals are rigorous, involving an 8 minute pitch to a team of judges and a conference environment where they showcase their product and marketing collateral to judges, investors and finalists. Orbnet are busy working on their 3D prototype and developing their marketing materials, but are extremely excited to be involved in the next stage, which takes place in Houston, Texas, in the middle of April 2023.
When we spoke to Orbnet about this, they highlighted the importance of the Conrad Challenge on their education experience. Through the process they have learnt the importance of teamwork, effective planning and communication skills, whilst expanding their knowledge of the ‘Aerospace and Aviation’ industry.
Orbnet offered this insight on the experience “Spend as much time as possible coming up with your innovation, don’t stop or settle on an idea. Really continue finding ideas and think about new things and talking with your team until you’ve got something that you’re all 100% about.”
The competition has inspired them to delve more into the Aerospace industry, where they’ve been able to develop their passions in Maths and Physics. They’ve also developed essential knowledge in Entrepreneurship, Business and Marketing, including how to market their product to potential investors. Most importantly, they developed greater resilience in being able to respond and overcome any challenges as they came along.
Marina Gardiner Legge, Head of Oxford High School GDST said,
“I’m thrilled that Tilly, Alice and Katharina are the only team in Europe to be invited to the final in Houston, Texas. We had five strong teams enter the Conrad Challenge this year, all of whom put in a lot of work, effort and research and we are proud of them and our incredible staff who have supported them along the way. Oxford High School GDST has a proud and illustrious history of creating opportunities for women in STEM and we are so proud that that tradition continues. This team perfectly demonstrates the way in which our high-achieving girls exhibit their drive and determination to change the world for the better.”
To stay up to date on their progress, follow Orbnet on Instagram and Twitter: @orbnettech
What is the Conrad Challenge?
Students aged 13-18 years old, are tasked to design a product or service to address a global problem. The 4 key categories include: Aerospace and Aviation, Cyber Technology and Security, Energy and Environment and Health and Nutrition. The global competition, which is in its 17th year, enables students to develop science, business, writing skills and presentation skills. The top 5 teams in each category get invited to the finals. To find out more visit the Conrad Challenge website.