Our Programs

Global AI Competition

Hosted by the ASU Spark Center for Innovation in Learning (SCIL) in collaboration with OpenAI and ASU's J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute, this challenge identifies and supports the most promising ventures at the intersection of AI, education, and inclusion.

The Global AI Challenge features two distinct tracks, ensuring innovators at every stage of growth can gain tailored support, access to global networks, and a platform to showcase transformative solutions.

Emerging Track for finalist winners of our Student Challenge events.
Growth Track for Series A+ ventures

Four winners will receive a non-dilutive cash prize, advance through a virtual Pitch Studio to prepare for a live, in-person pitch showcase, and then enter the virtual Venture Studio, where they will receive year-long support to refine their business model, validate impact, and prepare for investors.

Please sign up here for our newsletter to be updated on upcoming competition opportunities and check out our 2026 winners.

The Spark Center for Innovation in Learning Global AI Challenge seeks bold innovators building AI-enabled solutions that empower neurodivergent learners across the educational journey—early childhood through career readiness.

Applicants should demonstrate innovation and commitment to measurable impact.

We welcome a wide range of innovators, from across the U.S. and around the world, including:

University Researchers advancing applied research into deployable AI tools.
Entrepreneurs & Startups developing ventures focused on neurodivergent learners.
Educators & Practitioners with lived experience who are turning insights into scalable solutions.

Applicants must propose inclusive design solutions that align with one or more of the following categories:

Adaptive Learning Environments | Personalized educational platforms for K-12, higher education, and lifelong learning.
Diagnostics and Early Support | AI-enabled tools to enhance speed, accuracy, and accessibility of neurodivergent diagnoses.
Social and Campus Navigation | AI solutions that help neurodivergent individuals navigate educational, social, and professional settings.
Transitions to Adulthood | Tools that support independent living, workplace integration, and long-term life planning.
Educator Enablement | Systems to train and support educators in team-based, inclusive instruction for neurodivergent learners.

All applicants are required to demonstrate:

AI Integration | Every solution must demonstrate meaningful use of AI or machine learning to advance inclusivity, personalization, or accessibility.
Neurodivergent Impact | Solutions must directly address the needs of neurodivergent learners, improving access, outcomes, or opportunities.
Scalability | The solution should be designed for growth and broader adoption (schools, workplaces, communities).
Measurable Impact | Applicants should demonstrate or plan for how impact will be tested and validated (e.g., pilots, usage data, or case studies).

Non-Dilutive Funding | Winning teams will receive direct, non-dilutive financial support.
Pitch Studio | Winning teams are invited to our virtual Pitch Studio program where they can learn how to deliver engaging and successful pitches with the help of industry experts and mentors.
Venture Studio | Winning teams benefit from our Venture Studio programming to refine their pitch for investors, build their venture into a successful business, and work with technical experts to debug their MVP’s.
Much, much more | We can assist with sourcing pilot partners, providing AI tokens, validating research, fractional leadership and investor introductions.

Student Challenges

Named after our center’s founder, former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema, the Sinema Student Prize is awarded to postsecondary students who have competed in our annual Student Challenge. These students participate in a design sprint hackathon (usually one or two weeks in duration) where they research, design and pitch new solutions. These events vary in length and geography each year.

Prizes include scholarships, non-dilutive support for winning ventures and recognition as the Sinema Student Prize winner in the Global AI Competition, earning all the opportunities for continued support in our Pitch Studio and Venture Studio offerings.

Our next challenge opportunity is the North American AI Challenge and will be held in Fall 2026, team registrations for ASU students are open now.

team registration

Past Winners

2026 Competition Winners

Global Collaborative

The Spark Center for Innovation in Learning seeks to work with academic partners who are ready and willing to advance the SCIL mission while also fulfilling their own. This synergy should allow both partners to maximize the benefits of partnership in the shortest amount of time.

SCIL Partnership Goals

In the short-term, Spark Center partners will help:

Identify companies whose intelligent technology can be useful to the teaching/learning fundamentals of neurodivergent learners.
Convince those companies to participate in SCIL’s annual Global AI Competition, which awards the winner a cash prize plus mentorship and acceleration under the guidance of local and global business units.
Begin a series of research studies on neurodiverse-centered technologies that may support claims of their effectiveness.
Broaden the matrix of academics and academic centers capable of supporting the SCIL mission, and aid in the furtherance of technology cultivation in their geographic area.

In the long-term, the Spark Center and its partners will help:

Cultivate student populations - their own and/or others - willing and able to build intelligent technologies that support the teaching and learning among the neurodiverse.
Help accelerate the growth of those ventures who win our competitions.
Fund technology and design initiatives that support the development of ever more powerful and effective intelligent technologies for teaching the neurodiverse.
Utilize graduate students for both research design and technology scouting missions. This could take the form of graduate student research and/or grad student employees tasked with scouting, interviewing and recommending ventures deemed appropriate for the annual award challenge.

Partner universities

Our Programs

On This Page:

Global AI Competition

Innovation with Impact

Seeking solutions through inclusive design

Essential Requirements

Prizes Include

Student Challenges

Global Collaborative

SCIL Partnership Goals

Partner universities