The Davidson Inventors Challenge 2025

Empowering the next generation of innovators

All UK UK STEM students on cusp of university applications encouraged to apply

white robot near brown wall

Photo by Alex Knight on Unsplash

Photo by Alex Knight on Unsplash

Registration for the 2024/25 Davidson Inventors Competition has now closed. Entrants will be contacted via email for details of the next step.

We are delighted to have received a record number of registrations for this year's event.

Exciting new award

For 2025, IChemE has introduced a new age category for the Young Engineering Awards for Innovation and Sustainability (YEAIS) and are inviting young people who are participating in the Davidson Inventors Challenge to submit their ideas.

This prestigious award recognises new and emerging talent in the field of chemical and process engineering."
IChemE spokesperson

Participants in the Davidsons Inventors Challenge may decide to submit their main project, a development of their project or another idea they have been considering.

Team members are invited to submit their individual ideas if they prefer – entries into the YEAIS do not necessarily need to mirror DIC entries.

All YEAIS finalists will be invited to present their ideas at the Royal Society, in London on 16 June 2025.

Teachers who are keen to submit entries from young people aged 16 to 18 who are not participating in the Davidson Inventors Challenge are invited to email yeais@ichem.org to discuss the opportunity.

The Davidson Inventors Challenge is an exciting and impactful competition, inviting Year 11 and 12 students from across schools in the UK to channel their creativity and passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

Hosted by the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CEB), in collaboration with the Association of Science, Technology & Innovation – ASTI and supported by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), this challenge is more than just a competition – it's an opportunity to be part of something bigger.

At the heart of the Davidson Inventors Challenge lies a mission: to inspire the next generation of innovators and problem solvers to create solutions to some of the world's biggest obstacles. Centred on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, entrants are asked to reflect on the urgent need to address some of the most pressing global challenges, from climate action to clean water and sanitation, and to propose a cost-effective and considered response.

By participating in the Davidson Inventors Challenge, you won’t just be competing – you’ll be learning, growing, and contributing to a global cause. You’ll gain invaluable experience in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, two fields at the forefront of solving today’s most critical issues.

Through this challenge, you’ll develop essential skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork. These are not just skills for the competition – they are skills for life.

Is there a winner?

Yes. A winning team will be selected, and offered an exclusive opportunity to sample life at one of our esteemed Cambridge Colleges.

"We believe that young minds, when given the right tools and guidance, can develop groundbreaking solutions that could one day change the world.

- Kamran Yunus -
Associate Teaching Professor and Chair of the Davidson Inventors Challenge

The Challenge

To propose a solution to one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) outlined by the United Nations

Task: Each participating team will choose one SDG, research an associated problem, and craft a sustainable, innovative solution.

Team sign-up deadline: 27 September 2024

What next?

Following an initial competition launch webinar in early October – the time and date will be confirmed in team's information packs – teams will have access to bi-monthly webinars between October and January, delivered by expert members of the Institute of Chemical Engineering (IChemE), to help guide and shape their ideas.

Each team will be assigned a 'dedicated' mentor.

Start of December 2024: Initial project outlines to be submitted by participating teams

Mid-December 2024: Mentors to review initial project outlines and submit written feedback to student teams.

January 2025: Initial draft of project to be submitted.

End of January 2025: Mentors to provide further feedback.
An online advisory meeting of teams and mentors to take place by end of January.

28 February 2025: Students submit final project reports.

14 March 2025: Shortlisted teams confirmed.

28 March 2025: Final and awards ceremony.
Presentations from shortlisted teams on Zoom with audience including members of the department, graduates, and industry reps, with an e-certificate award by the IChemE President.

Start of April 2025: Competition wrap-up webinar and chance to ask about careers in chemical engineering and biotechnology with CEB graduates and mentors.

So what are you waiting for?

Get ready to put your chemical engineering and biotechnology skills into action, while developing essential problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities.

Listen to Davidson Inventors Challenge Chair Kamran Yunus provide more detail about the competition:

STEM Students: What's In It For You?

  • Learn more about chemical engineering and biotechnology and its role in tackling the biggest global challenges 
  • Develop your problem-solving and critical thinking skills 
  • Have fun working on a team project 
  • Get feedback and support from our mentors and industry experts   
  • Attendance to a series of professional webinars on topics of interest delivered by experts to help you throughout the competition  
  • An Opportunity to experience Cambridge and student life

    The Davidson Inventors Challenge winning team will be rewarded with an e-voucher for online purchases and have an exclusive opportunity to sample life at one of our esteemed Cambridge Colleges.

    The winners will immerse themselves in the Cambridge lifestyle and join us for a day at our department located in Cambridge West

    Past Winners: Celebrating Innovation

    Below is a list of inventions developed and presented by previous winning teams of the Davidson Inventors Challenge:

    2024 King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls, Birmingham

    Removing 'forever chemicals' from water

    2023 Benenden School, Cranbrook

    Sustainable flavonoids soaps made of plants against bacterial spreads

    2022 Eastbourne College, Eastbourne

    A solar water sterilisation system

    2021 The Tiffin Girls School in Kingston upon Thames

    A biodegradable facemask made of potato starch 

    Honouring the Legacy of a Pioneer

    The Davidson Inventors Challenge is named after Cambridge University Emeritus Professor John Davidson, the founding father of fluidisation.

    Launched in 2020, the Davidson Inventors Challenge is a competition and outreach initiative encouraging innovation in STEM. We honour Professor Davidson's legacy each year by inviting students in Years 11 and 12 to research sustainable development goals, select a problem to address, and present an innovative, sustainable solution that can make a positive global impact.