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DifferenceMakerTM $50K Idea Challenge Online Registration

View Past Finalists!

Foley & Lardner LLP Logo.

Thank You To Our 2024 Corporate Sponsor

Competitions

Fall Francis College of Engineering Prototyping Competition

  • Hosted by The Francis College of Engineering and the DifferenceMaker teams
  • Seeks to turn ideas into real products. 
  • Assists students in thinking about an idea and actually building it into a reality.
  • Open to all UMass Lowell students, Each team needs to have at least one student from the Francis College of Engineering.
  • Apply to the Prototyping Competition.

Spring Idea Challenge 

  • Hosted by The DifferenceMaker team
  • Promotes University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) students to:
    • Engage in creative and innovative problem-solving. 
Develop real solutions to problems found:Address challenges as:Solutions can be a needed:
  • Personal lives
  • Campus
  • Community
  • Nation
  • World
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Health Care, 
  • Support for the arts
  • Cyber Security
  • Regional Unemployment
  • Others
  • Service
  • Product
  • New UML Student Club
  • Non-Profit
  • Social Impact
  • Business.
If you have creative and innovative ideas to address these types of problems consider entering the Idea Challenge and forming a team with students from different majors on campus to further explore and refine the solution. 
  • Student teams receive guidance and coaching in refining their concept and presentation.
Finalist teams can: 
  • Receive part of $50,000.
  • Receive a portion of 35,000 of funding toward your idea (Example: $2,000, $4,000, or $6,000 prizes)
  • Be eligible to apply for one of three $5,000 in-kind legal services prizes sponsored by Foley and Lardner
  • Attend summer Boot Camp to learn more about customer discovery and business models.

Idea Challenge Kick-Off and Idea Hack, February 3, 5 - 6:30 p.m.

Location: Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, Perry Atrium, North Campus - 40 University Ave., Lowell, MA
Learn more about the DifferenceMaker Idea Challenge and some of our current student projects.
Meet and network with other students, faculty and staff to:
  • Share your ideas with each other.
  • Brainstorm and collaborate
  • Find potential teammates and mentors.

Register for the 2025 Idea Challenge Kick-Off and Idea Hack

DifferenceMaker Information

North Campus – Stop by our location next to Starbucks in the Lydon Library.
Email questions or schedule an appointment - DifferenceMaker@uml.edu.

Questions

Email questions or schedule an appointment: DifferenceMaker@uml.edu.
Visit us on North Campus next to the Lydon Library Starbucks.