The team at ITZA has devised a challenge-based project that uses customised takes on popular entrepreneurial and design thinking tools. Those tools (or canvases to be more precise) enable a fun, independent project where the participant gets to research, discover and submit a pitch for a sustainable, planet-positive startup concept.

Besides feedback from our team of expert guides and an enjoyable, informative learning experience, participants that do particularly well in the challenge will be eligible for a ‘Promising Ecopreneur’ credential, with the five best pitches get the chance to attend The Villars Symposium in Switzerland this summer.

Although the Challenge is aimed at an audience age of 16 to 19, we actively encourage any younger learners with an enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and the environment to participate.

Participants from the following countries are able to join this round of The Future Fellows Experience: The United States, Scotland, India, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Whilst we expect to run more Future Fellows Experiences in the future, key dates for the Spring 2024 cohort are as follows:

1. April 1st: The Experience begins!

2. April 11th: The Future Fellows Experience Webinar takes place.

3. April 25th: The Future Fellows Canvas Clinics take place.

Students outside the UK

1. April 26th: Deadline for submitting your Futurecast Canvas and Planet-Friendly Canvas for review.*

2. April 29th: Participants receive personalised feedback from the ITZA team on their FutureCast and Planet-Friendly Pitch canvases.

3. May 10th: Final deadline for submitting your Reflect & Inspect Canvas for review.

4. May 13th: Selected participants present their canvases to the ITZA team.

5. May 15th: Promising ecopreneurs and Villars Symposium place winners outside the UK are announced.

UK students

1. May 24th: Deadline for submitting your Futurecast Canvas and Planet-Friendly Canvas for review.*

2. May 29th: Participants receive personalised feedback from the ITZA team on their FutureCast and Planet-Friendly Pitch canvases.

3. June 7th: Final deadline for submitting your Reflect & Inspect Canvas for review.

4. June 10th: Promising ecopreneurs and Villars Symposium place winners from the UK are announced.

*Deadlines for Futurecast Canvas and Planet-Friendly Canvas to receive feedback on your canvases and be able to improve your overall submission. You can still submit all 3 canvases by the final deadline (May 10th for students outside the UK and June 7th for UK students).

Keep an eye on this FAQ for any changes or additions to the dates and events listed.

You can download all of the elements of the ‘Challenge Toolkit’ together in one ZIP file here.

Or you can download each of the main canvas tools as a PDF below:

1. The Futurecast Canvas.

2. The Planet-Friendly Pitch Canvas.

3. The Reflect, Inspect & Adapt Canvas.

Yes! The challenge is 100% free of charge to enter for young learners that meet the eligibility requirements.