Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Understanding the China-US Young Maker Competition
The China-U.S. Young Maker Competition is an international innovation competition co-organized by the Ministry of Education of China, Tsinghua University, CSCSE, and partners in the United States. It brings together young makers from both countries to collaborate on creative solutions to real-world challenges.
The competition aims to foster cross-cultural collaboration, inspire creative problem-solving, and promote open-source maker culture among young innovators aged 14–25. It encourages participants to design and prototype solutions addressing global challenges in areas like climate, health, and sustainability.
The competition is open to young makers, students, and innovators from both China and the United States who are passionate about creating and building innovative projects.
There are two tracks: the Young Maker Competition, focused on creative prototyping and innovation projects, and the Robotics Innovation Exchange Camp, focused on robotics engineering and AI. Teams may enter either or both tracks.
Yes. A team may submit entries to both the Maker and Robotics tracks, provided each submission is a distinct project with its own documentation and prototype.
No. Registration and participation are completely free. Finalists selected for the Beijing final round will also have travel and accommodation costs covered by the organizers.
Submissions must include a project description (max 500 words), a short demonstration video (max 3 minutes), and documentation of the prototype or design. All materials must be submitted in English through the official portal by the deadline.
A panel of expert judges evaluates submissions based on innovation, feasibility, social impact, and presentation quality. National finalists are announced at the end of July, and top teams from the U.S. are invited to Beijing for the international final round in August.
Projects are evaluated across four dimensions: Innovation & Creativity (25%), Technical Feasibility & Execution (25%), Social Impact & Sustainability (25%), and Presentation & Communication (25%).
All intellectual property remains with the original creators. By submitting, participants grant the organizers a non-exclusive license to showcase their work for promotional and educational purposes. Full IP ownership stays with the team.
Grand Prize winners receive cash awards, official trophies, certificates of excellence, and featured coverage across the organizers' media networks in both the U.S. and China. All finalists receive certificates of participation.
Click the 'Submit' button in the navigation bar or visit the registration page directly. Complete the team profile, select your track(s), and submit your project details before the July 25 deadline.