All students of Maastricht University, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Fontys and HAS can apply (Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD and PDEng). Recent graduates can also apply if they graduated after January 2025.

Yes. Participation is free of charge.

Dates differ per edition. You can always find the most up-to-date schedule on the Timeline page.

No. An individual cannot apply with more than one team.

No. One team can submit only one project (one team, one project).

Yes, as long as the project fits one of the categories. The challenge is designed for projects at different stages (from ideation to more advanced prototypes/MVPs).

You fill out which category suits best. The final placement of projects in categories is decided by the Brightlands Startup Challenge organisation.

The challenge accepts a wide variety of projects, ranging from initial ideas and early prototypes to more advanced research or startup concepts. Depending on the current maturity of your work, you can enter in either the Ideation or Advanced category. This structure allows projects at different stages to be evaluated fairly.

No, the Brightlands Startup Challenge is open to students from all academic disciplines, including the social sciences, humanities, law, science, and economics. We actively encourage interdisciplinary teams, as combining different perspectives and fields of expertise often leads to the most innovative and impactful solutions.

1. Login to the dashboard.
2. Go to “Profile”.
3. Fill in all the required boxes (name, surname, phone number, nationality, stage of education, faculty, what are you really good at, what are your passions/interests, etc.).
4. Save your profile.

1. Login to the dashboard.
2. Go to “About your project”, and then “Members”.
3. Click on “Add team member”, and then on “Activate sharecode”. 
4. You’ll see a unique share code pop up. This code you can use to invite team members. You can send them an email with the code if you fill in the email address

1. Login to the dashboard.
2. Go to “About your project”
3. Fill in the required fields under “Public Project Information”.
4. Add a logo + banner that represents your team in “Media”
5. Save your profile. 
6. Check if it looks good in “Preview”.

Ideation: submit at least one deliverable such as a sketch, 3D model, calculation, value proposition canvas, or imagery plus an idea description.
Advanced: submit at least one deliverable such as a prototype, scale model, MVP, and/or evidence of customer validation.

Core prizes include:

• Ideation Award: €2,500
• Advanced Award: €3,500
• Social Impact Prize: €1,000

Yes. The challenge introduces you to an ecosystem of partners and organisations in the region, which can lead to future internships, jobs, collaborations, or next steps for your venture.

The Challenge collaborates with a diverse network of businesses, civic organizations, and academic institutions. These partners act as sponsors and mentors, providing the resources and opportunities necessary for meaningful collaboration. You can view the full list of current partners and their backgrounds on our dedicated Partner page. 

Yes. The Participants/Candidates section includes a ‘Teams looking for members’ option, so you can discover teams that are open to new teammates.

This way we can easily reach you. We stand for personal contact and believe that sometimes calling is better than sending an email. Furthermore, this means that we are always reachable via WhatsApp. As with other personal data, we won’t share this with other parties. More information about this can be found in our privacy and terms statements.