VITAL Prize Official Rules

1. Challenge overview

 The National Science Foundation (“ NSF”) and Digital Promise (together, the “ Organizers”), present the Visionary Interdisciplinary Teams Advancing Learning Prize Challenge (the “ VITAL Prize Challenge” or “ Challenge”). The Challenge is funded by NSF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Schmidt Futures, and the Walton Family Foundation, (together, the “ Partners”) and administered by Digital Promise. This document describes the Challenge and contains the official rules (these “ Rules”) for the Challenge. The Challenge is governed by these Rules. By submitting an application to enter the Challenge, each participant (“ Participant”) is deemed to have accepted these Rules and agreed to abide by them.

The VITAL Prize Challenge will focus on providing interdisciplinary teams the funding and training to build K-12 learning technology innovations at speed and scale for adoption nationwide. The Challenge will be composed of four (4) progressive activities (Concept Paper, Discovery Round, Semi-Final Round, and Final Round). Teams applying to the VITAL Prize Challenge will submit an application to one (1) of three (3) K-12 technology translation tracks, depending on the anticipated application, end user, and area of impact: Rapid and Continuous Learning Assessment; Mathematical Literacy to Promote a Future STEM Workforce; or Other Innovations in Translational Learning Technologies. More details can be found in the NSF VITAL Dear Colleague Letter and on the Digital Promise VITAL Prize Challenge webpage.

Participating teams who progress through the VITAL Prize Challenge will be supported - through training, coaching, resources, and research and development (R&D) seed funding - to develop a marketable education technology prototype that can equitably impact learning. They will also simultaneously build capacities in entrepreneurship, research-based design, learner variability, inclusion, and equity in the education marketplace.

Winning teams will demonstrate a marketable technology prototype that can equitably impact learning in K-12 education and may receive over $300,000 in seed funding support and cash prizes

2. Challenge structure

The Challenge is structured into three (3) rounds over approximately twelve (12) months. Table 1 displays the initial Challenge calendar (“ Challenge Calendar”).

Table 1: Challenge Calendar

Note: The above dates are estimates only and are subject to change at any time in Digital Promise’s sole discretion.

2.1 Team Applications (Concept paper)

Teams with a research-based idea for an emerging technology that could serve K-12 students or contribute to more equitable learning systems should consider applying, if they meet the eligibility requirements stated in these Rules. Team members can come from any field (e.g., engineering, computer science, neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, economics), and need not have existing experience in education or technology. Team members can also be at any stage of their careers across academia, industry, or elsewhere (e.g., professors, students, researchers, teachers, computer scientists, product developers, early-stage entrepreneurs).

In order to participate in the VITAL Prize Challenge, teams will need at least one (1) individual team member with the capability to represent a concept and develop a prototype throughout the training and mentorship opportunities provided by the Challenge (read more on designating an Official Representative). Teams must be made up of at least two (2) individual team members, and must not exceed ten (10) individual team members. Individuals cannot be on multiple teams.

Any participant who registers or submits an entry (whether a private entity, or team or anyone acting on behalf of a private entity or team) to participate in this Challenge represents that they (including all members of their team) have read, understood, and agree to all terms and conditions of these Rules. This must be agreed to prior to the submission and review of any team application (Concept Paper).

Teams interested in applying will submit the initial application (Concept Paper) on the VITAL Prize Challenge website https://www.vitalprize.org/ (the “ Challenge Website”) during the application window. Each application must align to one (1) of three (3) “ Translational Learning Technology Tracks” (as defined herein) identified by Digital Promise, depending on the anticipated learning technology, end user, and area of impact:

1. Rapid and Continuous Learning Assessment: Advancing measures and tools that dramatically increase the speed and utility of student learning information for educators, students, and families.
2. Mathematical Literacy to Promote a Future STEM Workforce: Advancing a student’s capacity to employ fundamental critical thinking skills and quantitative reasoning in a variety of contexts.
3. Other Innovations in Translational Learning Technologies: Advancing novel concepts and technologies for diverse communities of K-12 student learners and teachers, outside of assessment and mathematical literacy.

The application must include brief responses to prompts that describe the innovation and potential translational learning technology applying teams hope to develop and demonstrate the team’s capacity to achieve the goals of the VITAL Prize Challenge. A complete application must include the following information:

• Identification and a description of all team members, including their expertise;
• Designated Official Representative for the team;
• Any challenges the team foresees with regard to implementing the prototype;
• The team’s ability to meaningfully demonstrate capabilities in the timeline of the Challenge;
• A description of the proposed translational learning technology, focusing specifically on how the concept is a technically viable and innovative idea that is likely to fulfill a need and supports learning in the K-12 education;
• A description of how the prototype supports aspects of learner variability;
• An overview of the team’s commitment to equity and cited metrics and projections on the technology’s potential to fulfill a need for historically and systematically excluded learners;
• An overview of how the team might work with educators and other stakeholders in education; and
• The degree to which the team has the capacity to use lean, iterative, evidence-based design methods to refine an idea into a prototype.

Throughout the application phase, Digital Promise will host a series of webinars for all registered teams and teams considering registering for the Challenge. Digital Promise webinars will allow teams to get to know each other and also to receive important Challenge updates. Participation in these webinars, while not mandatory, is strongly encouraged.

A Judging Panel will review each application and the potential translational learning technologies outlined in the submission. Upon review, up to one hundred (100) teams, roughly split between each of the three (3) Translational Learning Technology Tracks (i.e., roughly thirty three (33) teams per track), will be selected and invited to participate in the “Discovery Round” phase.

2.2 Challenge rounds

Upon completion of the application (Concept Paper) phase, the Challenge embarks on three progressive (3) rounds of programming, judging, and team selection: Discovery, Semi-Final, and Final. During each of these rounds, teams will be asked to submit, within certain time periods, white papers, video footage, supporting documentation, and/or product prototypes that demonstrate the teams’ solutions in accordance with the Challenge criteria (each, a “submission”). Team submissions will be reviewed by an independent Judging Panel, which is responsible for making the final decisions on advancing teams from one (1) round of the Challenge to the next. Team submissions will be assessed in a way that maintains confidentiality as well as fair and equal consideration of all Challenge criteria, without favoring one (1) criterion over another unless explicitly specified.

Discovery Round (April 2023 - June 2023)

Participating teams will go through a brief orientation to concepts and activities they will develop during the Challenge before beginning the Discovery Round. The Discovery Round will be based on teachings from the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) program, which supports researchers and developers interested in entrepreneurial education and mentoring, with the goal of reducing the time it takes to bring technologies from the laboratory to the marketplace. Up to one hundred (100) teams will be selected for the Discovery 4 Round, roughly thirty-three (33) teams from each of the Transitional Learning Technology Tracks.

The I-Corps™ course provides participants with real-world, hands-on learning experience through customer discovery activities, which may include engaging with industry stakeholders – including potential customers, partners, and competitors.

During this round, teams will spend time interviewing commercial stakeholders and testing their concepts. Teams should assume an approximate effort of twenty (20) hours per week cumulatively across team members for the I-Corps™ program learning goals and associated development activities.

I-Corps™ Learning Team Expectations:

1. Participate in experiential learning opportunities to help determine whether a significant commercial need exists for their technology.
2. Engage in activities that will support them in articulating clear decisions regarding the commercial effort.
3. Develop a transition plan to move the technology forward to market

After the Discovery Round, teams will present their findings and customer discovery outcomes via an (8) eight-minute presentation that will be recorded, scored by I-Corps coaches, and presented to the Judging Panel. The Judging Panel will review these submissions and up to fifty-four (54) highly ranked teams, eighteen (18) from each of the Translational Learning Technology Tracks, will be selected to participate in a “Semi-Final Round”.

Semi-Final Round (August 2023 - October 2023)

Each team, up to fifty-four (54) teams total, selected to advance to the Semi-Final Round will receive $20,000 in research and development seed funding to help offset costs associated with early solution development.

During the Semi-Final Round, teams will have approximately three (3) months to further develop their prototypes. Teams will be partnered with paid educator co-design mentors (“Mentors”) to provide contextual and application-driven feedback as they further assess the feasibility of their proposed translational learning technology concept.

All teams will receive additional training focused on designing emerging technologies for learning, including in-depth training on educational equity, participatory design, and the science of learning and learner variability.

At the end of the Semi-Final Round, teams will be expected to be able to:

1. Provide evidence and cited metrics that the prototype is likely to fulfill a need and supports learning in K-12 education;
2. Articulate how the prototype is designed to support learner variability;
3. Articulate how their concept could support the needs of historically and systematically excluded learners;
4. Collaborate with teachers using participatory design practices sustainably over time to improve their products; and
5. Use lean, iterative, evidence-based design methods to improve the development of the prototype.

Teams, along with their educator Mentors, will be expected to make significant progress towards the design and feasibility of a minimum viable prototype (“MVP”) during the Semi-Final Round. At the conclusion of the Semi-Final Round, teams will present their revised concept and/or initial prototype via the Challenge Website. The Judging Panel will review the submissions and select a subset of these teams to participate in the “Final Round” based on criteria below.

Final Round (November 2023 - January 2024)

Up to thirty-four (34) teams, roughly eleven (11) teams in each Translational Learning Technology Track, will be selected to advance to the Final Round. Each team selected to advance to the Final Round (“finalists”) will receive an additional $50,000 in research and development seed funding to help offset costs associated with the development of the prototype. These finalists will continue their partnership with an educator Mentor in an effort to further develop and technically validate their learning technology MVP, and refine their prototypes for impact across the education marketplace. They will receive mentorship and support on developing their prototypes into market ready solutions that are well-placed to garner further support from investors, and can be further tested and scaled in inclusive and equitable ways. Teams, along with their educator Mentors, will be expected at the end of the Final Round to have developed an MVP that meets the following criteria.

The MVP must demonstrate how the prototype:

• Represents a marketable education technology prototype that is likely to fulfill a need and supports learning in K-12 education;
• Is designed to support learner variability;
• Is designed to support historically and systematically excluded learners;
• Has integrated findings from participatory design practices to improve their concept; and
• Has integrated findings from lean, iterative, evidence-based design methods.

Upon completion of the Final Round, the Judging Panel will then identify three (3) winning teams within each of the Transitional Learning Technology Tracks. These winning teams will present their MVP via a live “Pitch Session” to a panel composed of committee members, NSF staff, sponsoring Partner representatives, and private sector investors in learning technologies. The Judging Panel will then identify within each of the Transitional Learning Technology Tracks a first, second, and third prize-winning team. Partner representatives may provide input to the Judges but will not be voting members of the Judging Panel.

2.3 Criteria

The Judging Panel will use criteria to review applications and judge each round of the Challenge. The following criteria represent examples of the types of criteria the Judging Panel will apply. The final criteria for each round will be published on the Challenge Website before submissions for that round can be submitted

Table 2: Application Criteria

Table 3: Discovery Round Criteria

Deliverable: I-Corps 8 Minute Presentation

Table 4: Semi-Final Round Criteria

Deliverable: Revised Concept or Initial Prototype

Table 5: Final Round Criteria

Deliverables: Minimum Viable Prototype and Pitch

2.4 Prizes

Discovery round prizes

During the Discovery Round, up to one hundred (100) teams will receive in-kind training and support.

Semi-final round prizes

During the Semi-Final Round, up to fifty-four (54) teams will receive $20,000 in seed funding to be used towards research & development (“R&D”) activities associated with the Challenge. Educator Mentors will also receive a $15,000 stipend during this round to support the team.

Final round prizes

During the Final Round, up to eighteen (18) teams will receive an additional $50,000 in seed funding to be used towards development and commercialization activities associated with the Challenge. Educator Mentors will also receive a $10,000 stipend during this round.

Grand prize

At the conclusion of the Challenge, three (3) teams from each Transitional Learning Technology Track will receive final prize winnings of up to $250,000 per team.

Table 6: Prizes and Mentorship Stipends