The Pathfinders Challenge
Your idea could change how college works for students
There’s a problem on your campus that shouldn’t exist in 2026. You’ve felt it. Or maybe your friends have. This is your chance to build a solution.
Create something that helps you navigate your college journey, and what comes after.
Stellic was founded by students who struggled to navigate college. We’ve spent a decade building software for higher ed, and we want to hear directly from you about what still needs to change.
Degree Planning & Discovery
Help students chart, change, or understand their academic path.
Overcoming Obstacles
Help students navigate cost, paperwork, scheduling, requirements, and the friction that gets in the way.
Campus Connection
Strengthen community, belonging, and how students find each other.
College to Career
Bridge the gap between graduation and what comes next.
You don’t have to be a CS student.
You need a problem you’ve felt, or watched someone live through, and a real idea about what to do about it. You’re a…
Important note: You must be an enrolled university student, 18 and over, in the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Australia. Solo or in teams of up to three. Teams can include students from different schools. You don’t need to go to a school that uses Stellic.
The path, start to Summit.
Stellic Summit is an annual gathering of the colleges we partner with. The top three finalists will get to present live in front of representatives of top colleges.
Plus a career conversation with our leadership team.
Two teams take home $2,500 each.
One per category, plus a feature in Stellic’s resources.
…and every qualifying submission earns a digital badge for your portfolio.
Tooling cost won’t stand in your way.
We’ve partnered with leading AI and no-code platforms so the cost of building isn’t the thing standing between you and your idea. Select the tool you'd like at registration.
Build full applications by describing what you want in natural language.
Claude API credits to wire Claude into what you're building, via Claude Code or your own app.
Start building.
Register now to claim your tooling credits and lock in your spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m not a coder. Can I still enter?expand_more
Yes, and plenty of the best ideas won’t come from coders. If you’d rather not code, use Lovable to build a real app just by describing it. If you do code, Claude API credits let you build with Claude Code and the API. Judges care whether it helps students, not how technical it is.
Who can actually enter?expand_more
Any enrolled college student, 18 or older, in the US, Canada, Mexico, or Australia. Undergrad or grad. Your school doesn’t need to use Stellic.
Do I need a team?expand_more
Nope. Go solo or grab up to two teammates, and they can be from other schools. If you win in a team, the prize is split evenly. You can put your name on up to three submissions, but you’ll only take home one cash prize (the higher one) if more than one qualifies.
What exactly do I submit?expand_more
Five things: a title and category, a 500-word write-up (what you built, the problem, who it’s for), a two-minute demo video on YouTube, Vimeo, or Loom, a working link a judge can actually open (live URL, Figma, or GitHub), and a list of every tool you used.
Can I submit something I already started?expand_more
No. It has to be built during the challenge window, July 20 to August 21. Using open-source libraries, public APIs, and normal dev tools is fine. The project itself just needs to be yours and new.
Are AI tools allowed?expand_more
Yes, and we encourage you to use them! Just list everything you used, AI included.
How is it judged?expand_more
Five things, weighted equally: does it solve a real student problem, is it original, how much could it help students if it scaled, the design and experience, and how well it’s built.
What can I win?expand_more
A $12,000 pool. The grand prize is $5,000 plus a 90-minute career conversation with our leadership team. Two runners-up get $2,500 each. Four category winners get $500 and a feature across our channels. The top ~15% earn an honorable mention, and every qualifying entry gets a digital badge for your portfolio.
What if I’m a finalist but can’t make Summit?expand_more
Each finalist team sends one delegate to present at Summit on September 23, and we cover their travel and lodging. Flag any conflict as early as you can. If you need help getting justification to attend, we'll help you at that point.
What happens to my idea?expand_more
You own it. By entering, you give us permission to feature your work and to learn from it as we build. The full terms are linked at registration and are important to read fully before you start building.
Where do I ask something not on this list?expand_more
Reach out at pathfinders@stellic.com, or hop into the Pathfinders Discord. We’ll get back to you no later than 2-3 business days.