Community College Innovation Challenge 2026
Sandra Porter, PhD, Digital World Biology
The American Association of Community Colleges, in partnership with the National Science Foundation, is inviting community college students to participate in the 2026 Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC).
The CCIC is a national competition where teams of community college students work with a faculty or administrator mentor to use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to innovate solutions to real-world problems, receive full travel support to attend an Innovation Boot Camp in Washington, DC, and compete for cash awards.
The Innovation Boot Camp provides professional development, mentoring, and coaching sessions to build strategic communication and entrepreneurial skills to help students advance their innovations. The Boot Camp culminates in a poster session on Capitol Hill with STEM leaders and Congressional stakeholders, and a pitch presentation in front of a panel of industry professionals to determine the first, second, and third place winning teams.
Information session and help: Attend an information session on February 5 to learn more and to hear from past CCIC faculty mentors about its impact on students—or have your students vet their ideas with former competition judges and participants on February 19.
Learn more or apply at www.aaccinnovationchallenge.com.
DEADLINE: Submissions are due by April 3, 2026.