The Minister's Innovation Challenge

The Minister's Innovation Challenge

Up to 40 teams of Year 8 students from WA public schools will participate in the Minister’s Innovation Challenge 2025. Students will use design thinking to develop innovative solutions to local issues or problems.

The Minister’s Innovation Challenge aims to ensure our young people are better prepared to lead and innovate in our changing world. It forms part of the Career Learning Toolkit developed to addresses the need for career learning for secondary school students.

The challenge provides an opportunity for Year 8 students to engage in entrepreneurial education. Students have support from a teacher at their school and a local industry mentor.

Schools can nominate a team of between 6 and 8 Year 8 students to compete in the 6-week challenge. The challenge takes place in Term 4, 2025.

Teams submit their final pitches online and the 5 top-ranked teams will share a $35,000 cash prize pool. The Minister for Education will announce the winning teams during an online exhibition.

Key dates and activities
Key dates and activities for the Minister's Innovation Challenge 2025
Dates Activity
25 June 2025 Minister for Education launches the 2025 challenge. Student team nominations open.

4 August 2025

Student team nominations close.

11 August 2025

 Nominated teams are notified of outcomes.
3 September 2025 Professional learning and online resources are available to teachers.
13 October to 21 November 2025 The challenge starts and industry mentors support school teams over 6 weeks.
21 November 2025 The challenge closes and teams submit their final pitches

3 December 2025

 The Minister for Education announces the 5 top-ranked teams at an online exhibition.
Become an industry mentor

Each team of Year 8 students is supported by an experienced industry operator.

Industry mentors can have either a:

  • track record in leading, or being a key player in, start-ups
  • background in innovation in a public company.

They will also have:

  • an interest in mentoring young people openly and respectfully
  • a Working with Children Check or National Police Clearance Check (or willing to obtain one).

If you would like to be involved as an industry mentor, express your interest to Dr Lucy Halsall, Principal Consultant, Secondary, District High Schools and Post School Pathways by email at [email protected] or phone at (08) 6206 2039.

Participating schools and previous challenge winners

Following are the details of the winning and participating schools from previous years.

The challenge provides an opportunity for a broad range of Year 8 students to engage in entrepreneurial education. A teacher from each participating school coordinated a team of students and helped them engage with the online lessons. A local industry mentor provided advice and valuable insights.

Each team’s final pitch was showcased during an online exhibition. The Minister for Education announced the 5 winning teams, who shared a $35,000 cash prize pool.

The challenge was delivered online by Bloom The Centre for Youth Innovation (Bloom).

Challenge winners for 2024

First place: Halls Head College

Second place: Exmouth District High School

Third place:  Ballajura Community College

Fourth place: Esperance Senior High School 

Fifth place:  Lesmurdie Senior High School

The following schools, listed by education region, participated in the 2024 Minister’s Innovation Challenge.

Goldfields
  • Esperance Senior High School
  • Laverton School
Kimberley
  • East Kimberley College
Midwest
  • Champion Bay Senior High School
  • Exmouth District High School
North Metropolitan
  • Alkimos College
  • Balcatta Senior High School
  • Ballajura Community College
  • Belridge Secondary College
  • Bob Hawke College
  • Butler College
  • Christmas Island District High School
  • Clarkson Community High School
  • Duncraig Senior High School
  • Governor Stirling Senior High School
  • Joseph Banks Secondary College
  • Mount Lawley Senior High School
  • Ocean Reef Senior High School
  • Perth Modern School
Pilbara
  • Hedland Senior High School
South Metropolitan
  • Armadale Senor High School
  • Belmont City College
  • Canning Vale College
  • Cecil Andrews College
  • Darling Range Sports College
  • Halls Head College
  • Harrisdale Senior High School
  • Kalamunda Senior High School
  • Kelmscott Senor High School
  • Lakeland Senior High School
  • Lesmurdie Senior High School
  • Lynwood Senior High School
  • Piara Waters Senior High School
  • Warnbro Community High School
South West
  • Bridgetown High School
  • Bunbury Senior High School
  • Dalyellup College
  • Denmark Senior High School
  • Newton Moore Senior High School
Wheatbelt
  • Katanning Senior High School

The winning schools for 2023 were:

First place: Bob Hawke College

Second place: Denmark Senior High School

Third place: Exmouth District High School.

Learn more about the winning schools.

The following schools, listed by region, participated in the 2023 Minister’s Innovation Challenge.

Kimberley
  • East Kimberley College
Midwest
  • Champion Bay Senior High School
  • Exmouth District High School
North Metropolitan
  • Balcatta Senior High School
  • Bob Hawke College
  • Butler College
  • Clarkson Community High School
  • Dianella Secondary College
  • Ellenbrook Secondary College
  • Hampton Senior High School
  • Joseph Banks Secondary College
  • Ocean Reef Senior High School
  • Wanneroo Secondary College
Pilbara
  • Karratha Senior High School
  • Newman Senior High School
  • Tom Price Senior High School
South Metropolitan
  • Baldivis Secondary College
  • Coastal Lakes College
  • Halls Head College
  • Harrisdale Senior High School
  • Lesmurdie Senior High School
  • Lynwood Senior High School
  • Warnbro Community High School
Southwest
  • Albany Senior High School
  • Bunbury Senior High School
  • Dalyellup College
  • Denmark Senior High School
  • Gnowangerup District High School
  • Manjimup Senior High School
  • Margaret River Senior High School