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DifferenceMakerTM $50K Idea Challenge Online Registration

View Past Finalists!

DifferenceMaker 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.
Where Can You Make a Difference?What Challenges Could You Take On?What Could You Create?
  • Your everyday life
  • UMass Lowell
  • The Greater Lowell Community
  • Massachusetts / the region
  • National or Global Challenges
  • Education
  • Environment and sustainability
  • Health and well-being
  • Arts and culture
  • Technology and cybersecurity
  • Economic Opportunity
  • Community Needs
  • A product
  • A service
  • A new program
  • A student organization
  • A nonprofit initiative
  • A social-impact venture
  • A business or startup
  • Something we haven't even thought of yet!

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.

2026 DifferenceMaker Fall Kickoff, Wednesday, September 16, 2026

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 DifferenceMaker Fall 2026 Kickoff

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.