Wege Prize (wegeprize.org) is a yearly international student design competition that gives teams of five the chance to collaborate across institutional, disciplinary, and cultural boundaries, use design thinking principles, and contend for $65,000 (USD) in total cash prizes, all while helping to show the world what the future of problem solving looks like.
Teams are required to represent at least two different academic institutions and at least three different academic disciplines.
Wege Prize is organized by Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University’s (KCAD’s) Wege Center for Sustainable Design with the support of The Wege Foundation.
THE CHALLENGE: HOW CAN WE CREATE A CIRCULAR ECONOMY?
Wege Prize teams must leverage their transdisciplinary makeup to collaboratively design and propose a solution to a wicked problem of their choosing that can, in turn, help solve the wicked problem of transitioning from a linear economic model to a circular economic
model.
Our current linear economic system, in which we “take, make, and dispose,” relies on large quantities of easily accessible resources and energy, and as such is unfit for the reality in which it operates. Working towards efficiency—a reduction of resources and fossil energy consumed per unit of manufacturing output—will not alter the finite nature of these resources, but rather can only delay their inevitable extinction. Therefore, a change of the entire operating system seems necessary.One potential new system is the circular economy. A circular economy is one that is restorative by design, and which aims to keep products, components and materials at their highest utility and value, at all times.
In the words of architect Bill McDonough, “Doing less bad is not the same as doing more good.” Wege Prize teams work together to rethink and redesign the way our economy works by creating regenerative solutions that have a widespread and lasting positive impact.
THE PROCESS
Wege Prize is broken down into four distinct phases, with the scope and complexity of the challenge increasing at each phase. Following each phase, teams receive feedback on their work directly from a panel of industry expert judges, which they use to refine their projects for the next phase.
Those teams that earn their way to the final stage of competition are invited to Grand Rapids, Michigan to present and defend their work in front of the judges and a live/online audience.
FOLLOW ALONG
Stay connected to all the latest Wege Prize developments at wegeprize.org, on Facebook (facebook.com/wegeprize), Twitter (@wegeprize), and Instagram (instagram.com/wegeprize)
Wege Prize 2022
FIVE FINALIST TEAMS FROM FOUR CONTINENTS CHOSEN FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COMPETITION — ENTRIES OFFER NEW SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS FOR 2022 Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) announces finalists for Wege Prize 2022, global competition for the circular economy solutions Student teams from all over the world … More Wege Prize 2022 »
Wege Prize 2021 Winners
KENDALL COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN OF FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY (KCAD) ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF WEGE PRIZE 2021, AND PLANS FOR GROWTH, BIGGER PRIZE PURSE FOLLOWING AWARD OF 5-YEAR GRANT EXTENSION. A TEAM OF STUDENTS FROM GHANA AND COSTA RICA WINS FIRST PRIZE AND $15,000 USD WITH TRANSFORMATIVE CONCEPT TURNING WOOD … More Wege Prize 2021 Winners »
Wege Prize 2020 Design Competition Winners
Global Student Design Competition Ignites Game-Changing Sustainable Solutions for the Economy of the Future, Provides Powerful and Accessible Platform for Systemic Change Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) Announces Winners of Wege Prize 2020 Design Competition; 2021 competition launched Team of students studying in Uganda … More Wege Prize 2020 Design Competition Winners »
International Student Design Competition’s Largest Field To-Date Reflects a World Ready to Work Together for a Better Future
Wege Prize 2020 draws field representing 24 countries, 64 academic institutions, and 100 academic disciplines; inspires student teams to collaborate across boundaries and help accelerate the global transition to a circular economy Grand Rapids, Mich. November 22, 2019 – Everywhere we look, the dominant narrative seems to be one of divisiveness and … More International Student Design Competition’s Largest Field To-Date Reflects a World Ready to Work Together for a Better Future »
Wege Prize 2019 Winners
Now in its sixth year, Wege Prize is organized by Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University’s (KCAD’s) Wege Center for Sustainable Design with the support of The Wege Foundation. Beginning in August of 2018, Wege Prize 2019 challenged participating teams to develop a product, service, business/nonprofit … More Wege Prize 2019 Winners »
Wege Prize 2018 Winners
Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University’s (KCAD’s) Wege Center for Sustainable Design has announced the winners of Wege Prize 2018, the fifth iteration of the annual design competition challenging teams of undergraduate and graduate students from around the world to collaborate across institutional, disciplinary, and cultural … More Wege Prize 2018 Winners »
Wege Prize Winners Announced 2017
Global Student Design Competition Focused on the Circular Economy Names Winners of $30,000 in Prizes Winning teams announced in Wege Prize 2017; 2018 competition launched Collaborative team from Brown University, University of Michigan wins $15,000 top prize with solution to transform organic waste into animal feed and agricultural fertilizer; plans real-world prototype … More Wege Prize Winners Announced 2017 »
Wege Prize competition organizers are thrilled to announce the finalist teams for Wege Prize 2017!
Finalist teams named in international design competition focused on the circular economy; five innovative ideas will face off for $30,000 in total cash prizes Wege Prize 2017 finalists will present complete solutions on May 19, 2017; Internationally-recognized judges to evaluate and award $30k in prizes at Kendall College of … More Wege Prize competition organizers are thrilled to announce the finalist teams for Wege Prize 2017! »
Wege Foundation Grant Propels West Michigan-Based Student Design Competition Toward Broader Global Impact
$444,000 grant awarded to Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University’s Wege Center for Sustainable Design to extend Wege Prize competition for four years 2016 competition concludes May 14 – open to the public Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University’s (KCAD’s) Wege Center for … More Wege Foundation Grant Propels West Michigan-Based Student Design Competition Toward Broader Global Impact »
Wege Prize 2015 – Results
NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release Contact: Elena Tislerics Coordinator, Wege Prize Chief Communications Officer, Kendall College of Art and Design elena@wegeprize.org $30,000 awarded in wicked problem solving competition Winners of Wege Prize 2015 announced; 2016 international competition launched 1st place team Western Sustainers earns $15,000 for designing agricultural system that … More Wege Prize 2015 – Results »
WMU student team wins national Wege sustainability prize
by Cheryl Roland Click here to read article on WMU’s website March 30, 2015 | WMU News KALAMAZOO, Mich.—A team of five Western Michigan University students has won the 2015 Wege Prize, besting teams from around the nation in the eyes of an international panel of judges whose task was … More WMU student team wins national Wege sustainability prize »
Students Tackle a ‘Wicked Problem’ for $30,000
Consider what these things have in common. A vegetable garden in every living room; potato-made plastic bags; a hands-on cradle-to-cradle learning center in the now vacant Grand Rapids Public Museum. If you said whiz-kids’ solutions for creating a circular economy, a gold star for you. Another star if you know … More Students Tackle a ‘Wicked Problem’ for $30,000 »