PHASE THREE

Innovation Summit

Dates: April 22-25, 2026

Location: Space Center Houston

Cost: $499 USD per attendee

Fee does not include travel & accommodation expenses.

The Innovation Summit invites Finalist Teams to a 3-day summit at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas. There, Finalists deliver their Power Pitches to expert judges and showcase their innovations to the general public at the Public Expo. The Summit ends with a celebratory Awards Ceremony!

Finalists will connect with speakers, experts and students from around the world, as well as enjoy the many opportunities Space Center Houston has to offer.

The Innovation Summit is by invitation only, and will have Finalists showcase their innovations to judges and the public.

Important deadlines

If your team is selected as a Finalist, mark these dates on your calendar:

Registration and payment due for all attending team members: March 26, 2026

Power Pitch presentation due: April 2, 2026

3.1

Before you arrive

Prepare your Power Pitch

Before you arrive, your team will distill your year’s work into your Power Pitch, a presentation with slides, for our judges.

The pitch deck is due April 2, 2026, but it will be presented in-person at the Innovation Summit later in April so there will be plenty of time to practice!

Learn more about Houston, also known as the Space City

Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, filled with world-class dining, arts, hotels, shopping and culture. The city is also home to NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. This facility has led the United States and the world on a continuing adventure of human exploration, discovery and achievement.

3.2

Present your innovation

At the Innovation Summit, held on-site at Space Center Houston, you and your team will showcase your innovation in two ways: during the Power Pitch and at the Public Expo.

What to expect: Power Pitch

At the Power Pitch, your team will pitch your innovation on stage in front of your competitors and to a live panel of judges, comprised of top experts across industry, government and academia.

Immediately following your pitch, your team will participate in a short question-and-answer (Q & A) session with the judges. This will be the time to answer questions about your innovation, it’s impact, your team’s business model and other topics.

What to expect: Public Expo

The Public Expo at the Innovation Summit is where Finalists will present their innovation to the general public. Hosted in the main plaza of Space Center Houston, teams will display visuals detailing their innovation and answer questions from the public in an informal setting.

3.3

Celebrate your work!

It’s time to celebrate your team’s work and the work of all of the Finalists with a party! The final night of the Innovation Summit is the Awards Ceremony, where the top-performing teams will be named in each category, taking the honor of Pete Conrad Scholars.

You and your team’s participation will make you an official alumni of the Conrad Challenge! Learn more about what this means and how you can stay connected to your network of young innovators.