EXPLORE · Central America · Nicaragua
SOLVE FOR TOMORROW · 2026
Nicaragua.
Lakes, volcanoes, and community health.
- REGION
- Central America
- LANGUAGE
- Spanish
THE CHALLENGE
Innovation with purpose, in Nicaragua.
The 2026 edition of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow in Nicaragua invites student teams to pick one of the four global themes and tackle it from a local lens. Define a real problem in your city, school, or region — then design, build, and test a prototype that solves it.
What you'll build. A working prototype — hardware, software, service, or social — that tackles a specific problem in your community. Your solution should be original, testable, and rooted in real user needs.
Who leads. Student teams of 3–5, guided by a teacher-mentor. Judges score on insight, originality, prototype quality, and local impact.
THE 4 THEMES
PICK YOUR THEME.
FOUR PATHS.
Nicaragua runs on the four global themes of the programme. Pick the one that fires you up — every team starts here.
Sustainability & the Environment
Care for the planet and build a better future.
How could you design a more efficient, sustainable, or smart solution for your community?
Health & Well-being
Improve physical and emotional well-being.
How could you create a more effective way to improve health or prevent problems in your environment?
Supporting the Community
Strengthen communities and support people.
How could you build a solution that truly works and reaches the people who need it most?
Sport for Everyone
Use sport as a tool for positive impact.
How could you adapt, improve, or reinvent sport so more people — including people with disabilities — can take part and benefit?
KEY DATES · Nicaragua
FIVE STAGES.
SIX MONTHS.
From the first idea to the national final. Every team runs the same five stages — here's what happens, and when.
- 01Inspiration
Teachers train as Solve for Tomorrow Tutors with Design Thinking and Lean Canvas. Non-competitive — but it's where every classroom adventure starts.
- 02Ideation
Students aged 14–19 in 8th–12th grade submit ideas to solve a real problem with STEM. Apply solo or as a team. The top 10 proposals per country move on.
- 03Co-Creation
Semifinalists get intensive coaching to sharpen their problem, define who their solution serves, and project its community impact. The top 3 per country advance.
- 04Bootcamp
Each finalist team is paired with a Samsung mentor and works on a conceptual prototype, an explainer video, and a sharper pitch.
- 05Champions
The 3 finalist teams pitch live to a jury of STEM, entrepreneurship, and social-innovation experts. One team is named Solve for Tomorrow 2026 Champions of the country.
WHO CAN APPLY
ELIGIBILITY.
Student teams
- Ages 14–19, enrolled in grades 8–12 (or equivalent)
- Apply solo or as a team — if you advance, you'll form a team of 3–5 with a teacher tutor
- You can submit several ideas, but only continue with one team if you advance
Teacher-mentor
- One lead mentor per team, employed by the school
- No prior innovation experience required
- Mentor toolkit and online training provided
Your idea
- Original work started for this programme
- Addresses a real problem in your community
- Inspired by one of the 4 global themes — combine, reframe, or stretch them
Language
- Submissions in Spanish (English also accepted)
- Video pitch: 90 seconds max
- Project brief: up to 4 pages
* Full eligibility terms vary slightly by country law. Review the Nicaragua handbook before you register your team.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
FIVE STEPS FROM
IDEA TO FINALIST.
Form your team
3–5 students, one teacher-mentor. Mixed ages and skills make the strongest entries.
Pick a local problem
Start from something you see every day in Nicaragua. Small and concrete beats big and vague.
Register online
Open your application at solvefortomorrowlatin.com. Takes 10 minutes.
Build a prototype
Sketch your solution with what you have — paper, code, cardboard. The conceptual prototype gets sharper later in the Bootcamp, with a Samsung mentor.
Submit your pitch
Submit your idea before 17 July 2026. If you advance, you'll record a video, refine the prototype, and shape your pitch with Samsung mentors.
PAST FINALISTS · Nicaragua
WHAT Nicaragua BUILT BEFORE.
Yolixpan Tecno Escolar
Centro Educativo Sor María Romero
Aquaponic system to produce nutritious food in schools.
An ecosystem that feeds minds and bodies at school.
COMMON QUESTIONS
QUICK ANSWERS.
OTHER CONTESTS · Central America
KEEP EXPLORING Central America.
READY TO APPLY
IN Nicaragua?
Your next deadline: July 17, 2026. You've got this.