High School Innovators and Entrepreneurs Named Pete Conrad Scholars at the 2026 Space Center Houston Conrad Challenge, Presented by Equinor

HOUSTON, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This season, students from more than 70 countries collaborated across oceans on more than 1,500 projects, developing original innovations in Aerospace & Aviation, Cyber-Technology & Security, Energy & Environment, sponsored by Equinor, Health & Nutrition, and The Water Challenge. After progressing through three stages, Pete Conrad Scholars and Power Pitch Award Winners were announced at the Innovations Awards Ceremony on April 25 at Space Center Houston.

Founded in 2007 by Nancy Conrad in honor of her late husband, NASA astronaut Charles "Pete" Conrad Jr., the Conrad Challenge inspires students to design today's solutions for tomorrow's challenges, carrying forward his legacy for innovation and exploration. The Challenge is a globally recognized Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) innovation and entrepreneurship competition in which high school students (ages 13–18) present their original innovations to a panel of expert judges.

"We are excited about this year's impressive pioneers," said Daniel Newmyer, Chief Learning Officer at Space Center Houston. "Seeing these passionate students collaborate on such amazing inventions underscores what's possible through STEM principles."

Each winning team member is awarded scholarships and an all-expenses-paid trip to Boston (airfare provided by United Airlines), as well as additional resources from Equinor to further their journey. Select groundbreaking inventions will receive patent support, while others may be used in space.

2025-2026 Conrad Challenge Top Awards

Aerospace & Aviation

• Pete Conrad Scholar: Aphelion - Santa Monica, CA

• Power Pitch Award Winner: Flux Orbital Solutions - India

Cyber-Technology & Security

• Pete Conrad Scholar: VOCL - Naperville, IL

• Power Pitch Award Winner: DiveGuard - China

Energy & Environment, sponsored by Equinor

• Pete Conrad Scholar: The Bee Initiative - San Jose, CA and Groton, MA

• Power Pitch Award Winner: OctoScope - China

Health & Nutrition

• Pete Conrad Scholar: The Cartographers - Redmond, WA

• Power Pitch Award Winner: Vigil - Suwanee, GA

Currents of Change: The Water Challenge

• Pete Conrad Scholar: Soaring Seeds - China

• Power Pitch Award Winner: BlueFlow - Irvine, CA

"My husband, Pete Conrad, would be incredibly proud of what these students have accomplished so early in their lives," said Nancy Conrad, founder and chair of the Conrad Foundation. "Their work is already making a meaningful impact and paving the way for the next generation of innovators."

Chris Golden, U.S. country manager and senior vice president at Equinor, presented the Equinor Searching for Better Award to OctoScope. This award honors the team that embodies progress through innovation, community, and service. It recognizes an idea that reflects not only ingenuity but also the determination to keep pursuing better outcomes for people and the planet.

To learn more about all award recipients, visit the 2026 Innovation Summit Award Winning Teams.

Next year marks the 20^th anniversary of the Conrad Challenge. Students interested in applying to compete in the 2026-27 Challenge can visit the Conrad Challenge website.

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