Data to Impact Challenge

Open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students in Surrey Business School, including Surrey Hospitality and Tourism Management. Participants can compete individually or in teams of up to four members.

1. Form a team or register individually. Teams of up to 4 members or individual participants are welcome.
2. Register for the challenge
   1. Registration opens: 10 November 2025
   2. Registration closes: 23 February 2026
   3. Registration link: Register Here
3. Analyse publicly available data. Use datasets from reputable sources to uncover insights related to your chosen UN SDG.
4. Develop an innovative idea. Create a solution that leverages your data insights to address the problem.
5. Prepare your slide deck. Present your findings and proposal in a compelling presentation (maximum 15 slides).
6. Submit your entry.
   1. Submission deadline: 2 March 2026
   2. Submission portal: the link to submission portal will be sent to all registered participants
7. Final presentations and awards. Shortlisted teams will present to a panel of judges.
   1. Final presentation and award ceremony date: 25 March 2026

• Registration opens: 10 November 2025
• Registration closes: 23 February 2026
• Submission Deadline: 2 March 2026
• Finalists Announced: 9 March 2026
• Final Presentations and Award Ceremony: 25 March 2026 

• Data Analysis Quality (30%): depth and rigour of data analysis, appropriate use of analytical tools and methodologies, clarity in presenting data findings
• Innovation and Creativity (30%): originality of the idea, creativity in addressing the UN SDG-related challenge
• Impact Potential (30%): alignment with the selected UN SDG(s), feasibility and scalability of the solution, potential for significant social or environmental impact
• Presentation and Communication (10%): clarity and coherence of the presentation, ability to engage and persuade the audience

Participants are required to submit a slide deck (maximum 15 slides) that comprehensively covers their project. Finalists will be asked to prepare a 5-minute pitch in front of peers and a panel of judges. 

Introduction to the competition, overview of rules and guidelines, important dates and deadlines. 

Introduction to the UN SDGs, discussion on global challenges and opportunities, case studies of successful initiatives, Q&A session.

View the webinar from 2024/2025 Challenge

Data sourcing and collection, data cleaning and preprocessing, introduction to analysis tools, principles of effective visualisation, tools for creating charts and graphs, examples of impactful visualisations, Q&A session. 

View the webinar from 2024/2025 Challenge

Storytelling techniques, slide design tips, engaging your audience, do's and don'ts of innovation pitch, Q&A session. 

Q: How do I get started?

• A: Register for the challenge (more info soon), attend the info session, participate in the webinars, select your UN SDG focus (choose the goal(s) you are most passionate about), begin your project. 

Q: Where do I register?

• A: Register online: Register here

Q: Where can I ask for help and get more information about the challenge?

• A: All relevant links will be posted on this website and additional resources sent to those who have registered for the Challenge.
• A: If you still cannot find what you're looking for on the website, please send your queries to: sbs@surrey.ac.uk 

Q: Which data can I use for the challenge? Do they need to be quantitative?

• A: You may use open or publicly available data from trusted sources such as the United Nations, World Bank, OECD, etc., including data shared on data science competition platforms such as Kaggle. Please see some suggested sources on the website below. They could be numerical, categorical, or textual data.
• A: You may use quantitative and/or qualitative analyses for the competition, including a mixed-methods approach by, for example, triangulating trends with topics from (open) interview transcripts. 

Q: How do I submit my entry?

• A: All registered participants will be sent a link to drop their submission after registration closed. 

Q: What happens after the submission?

• A: A panel of judges will assess all submissions and select a few finalists, The finalists will be invited to deliver a presentation of their ideas in front of peers and judges. The winners will be selected following the final presentation. 

Q: How will the submissions be evaluated?

• A: Please see the evaluation criteria on this website (above). 

Q: What are the prizes?

• A: The winning individual/team will receive a £1,000 cash prize. Runner-up will receive a £500 cash prize. Several other awards will also be selected; they may receive non-cash prizes and certificates.