
Biomimicry Global Design Challenge
In partnership with the Biomimicry Institute, UC San Diego is providing an opportunity for all UC San Diego students to learn biomimicy and participate in a Global Biomimicry Design Challenge competition.
Over billions of years, living organisms on our planet have learned to adapt, survive, and thrive. We need to do the same. The impacts of our rapidly-changing climate are becoming more evident every day, with rising sea levels, warming oceans, shrinking ice sheets, and extreme weather events happening with increasing frequency. Inventors worldwide are using nature-inspired design to create solutions to address energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, food systems, transportation, water management, coastal communities, and fossil fuel usage. Applying nature’s design blueprints to our climate crisis can turn the tide.

Earth has always been a changing planet, but the rapid climate and ecological changes humans have set in motion in the last century are like nothing experienced before. Hungry for energy, food, and other resources, our growing populations are pushing Earth’s systems toward a frightening and well-documented tipping point. We need a new generation of innovators who know how to create human materials, products, and systems that are regenerative and generous to all species.
2021-21 Challenge:
Create a nature-inspired innovation (a product, service, or system) that aligns with one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals, outlined by the United Nations while incorporating all three essential elements of biomimicry into your proposed solution.

What Are We Looking For?
The Biomimicry Global Design Challenge calls for design concepts addressing any issue(s) outlined by the Sustainable Development Goals. We know that the SDGs are vast and expand across many subject areas, but this diversity means there are also just as many solutions out there waiting to be discovered. Successful teams will define a concrete, well researched area of focus for their design efforts and apply the core concepts and methods of biomimicry in developing a solution.
The Biomimicry Global Design Challenge is a team competition
You must be part of a team of 2-8 individuals in order to enter. Each member of the team must register for the Challenge individually, but only one team member needs to submit an entry. The Basement will cover the registration costs.
How to Apply
Deadline: Sunday, January 10th, 2021 at 11:59 PM (US/Pacific)
*In order to apply, you must first create a free StartUp Tree account*
Key Dates
September 18 - Registration opens
June 30 - Submission deadline
July 15-29 - Phase 1 judging
August 5-19 - Semi-finalist round of judging
August 19 - Final judging call
August 27 - Notify finalists privately & invite to Launchpad
The Basement will provide:
Biomimicry workshops, seminars and panel discussions
Project support and guidance
Tailor entrepreneurial curriculum
Mentorship
Prototyping funding (if applicable)
Access to the Biomimicry Institute webinar series
Cover the registration cost for the Biomimicry Global Design Challenge (BGDC)