The Biomimicry Institute invites students and professionals worldwide to participate in the 2020 Biomimicry Global Design Challenge to create viable solutions inspired by nature that address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Challenge aims to mobilize thousands  to look to life on our planet as models, mentors and as sustainable forms of measurement to help create peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

The theme for 2019-2020 is the SDGs.

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Register on our Challenge platform.

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Join us as a sponsor or partner.

Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge

The Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge (YDC) is a free project-based learning experience created to introduce middle and high school students to the rapidly growing field of bio-inspired design while enhancing STEM learning and 21st century skills.

Working in teams with an adult coach, students explore the wonders of natural world and apply what they learn to imagine innovative solutions to climate change challenges. The program provides classroom and non-formal educators a framework to introduce biomimicry to students, and an engaging interdisciplinary context for STEM learning and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). 

Our History

Our design challenges are built on years of success creating experience that inspire and equip emerging innovators to solve problems with a biomimetic lens. Read what others have said about our programs below and learn more about the evolution of our design challenges by reading our complete history.

The generosity given by this community of people to us is what our world really needs. How often do we get to be in an environment where young people from Egypt, Mexico, Belgium, Canada, Sweden and America get to learn from nature and share their ideas to benefit their communities? The experience gave us hope that small ideas can become realities and that a small group of young people can dream to help their country and change the world.

Nariman Lotfi

Product Designer & Winner of 2013 Student Design Challenge, German University in Cairo, Egypt

[Our team] got an intensive design course on using Life’s Principles, a mini “MBA,” an invitation to the global biomimicry conference in Boston, and the budget for our first working prototypes in Africa! Amazing experience!

Arne Pauwels

Product Developer & Winner of 2013 Student Design Challenge, University of Antwerp, Belgium

As the supervisor of team BioArch, I would like to thank you and all your colleagues for providing us with this great opportunity. We are glad to have this wonderful experience, and will continue being a part of this community.

Dr. Mehran Gharaati

Professor, Art University of Isfahan, Iran

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Support the Next Generation
of Nature-Inspired Innovators

Imagine a world where everything we make is inspired by the natural world. By supporting the Biomimicry Institute you:

  • Help bring biomimicry education to more students and educators
  • Accelerate the growth of more nature-inspired startups and entrepreneurs
  • Increase the number of biological strategies and resources on AskNature.org and across our entire organization.
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