1 – Registration and submission of entries for the 2024 MAIC QLD Student Bionics Innovation Challenge must be completed online by the published deadlines.

2 – Individuals or teams intending to enter the 2024 MAIC QLD Student Bionics Innovation Challenge should read all information and requirements on our website before submitting their application.

3 – Students may submit an application for a bionic device, implant and/or treatments developed as an in-class assignment, OR an innovation developed in a start-up or small business setting. All participating students must be enrolled as university students in a health, medicine, engineering, science, design, business or technology-based degree program at a Queensland university.

4 – All entrants should familiarise themselves with the provided definition of ‘bionics’, and the Challenge theme, Innovating in Medical Bionics to Transform the Lives of those impacted by Trauma/Injury and related Disability or Disease. All proposals must align with one or more of the innovation domains: (1) Bionic Mobility, (2) Bionic Senses, (3) Bionic Implants and Organs, or (4) Brain-Computer Interfaces, Neurobionics and Electroceuticals.

5 – Students may enter as an individual, or as a team (with a maximum of six participants including a nominated Project Leader).

The MAIC QLD Student Bionics Challenge is open to Queensland-based entrants only.

The winning teams will share in $15,000 cash, to be allocated and expended in line with each entrant’s agreed project plan and milestones (included in a Deed of Grant signed by Bionics Gamechangers Australia and the recipient).

Cash prizes must be expended by winners on project-specific consumables, research, information/research and day-to-day costs that support the winners’ further development of their project or innovation. In most cases, the monies are managed by the institution where the Project Leader is enrolled.

If the Project Leader or student team has their own Australian Business Number (ABN), a Deed of Grant and the cash prize can be arranged directly with the start-up/small business.

All winning teams must participate in a customised Mentoring and Acceleration Program delivered by Bionics Gamechangers Australia.

6 – For team-based entries, a Project Leader must be nominated, with the remaining team members providing an appropriate mix of researchers, engineers and technologists.

7 – Submissions of all materials and presentations must adhere to all related guidelines and judging criteria. A failure to do so could disqualify a team.

8 – The application submitted to Bionics Gamechangers Australia should include a project title, the name of the Project Leader and all required content as per the Guidelines listed on our website. For team-based entries, include the names of all other participants. You may also wish to list the roles and skillsets each team member brings to the project.

9 – The Project Leader of a team must notify Bionics Gamechangers Australia of any expected changes or issues arising with team membership after the application closing date. Changes to team members at any point during the Challenge must be approved by Bionics Gamechangers Australia.

10 – All participating students must make themselves available to participate in judging events and the winners’ publicity campaign on specific dates as nominated by the Challenge organisers.

11 – Prior to registration, students should identify and remove any unprotected intellectual property included in written submissions or pitch presentations that is owned by individual team members, other individuals or organisations. Any data or information discussed or divulged in public sessions by entrants should be considered information that could enter the public realm, and entrants should not assume any right of confidentiality in data or information divulged in these sessions. Due to the nature of this Challenge, our judges, reviewers, staff or the audience are not obligated and will not be asked to sign non-disclosure statements (NDAs). If a team uses copyrighted materials and/or images from a third party in their submissions or presentations, they must obtain permission in advance and identify the source.

12 – If selected as a MAIC Qld Student Bionics Challenge prize winner, the individual or team Project Leader will be allocated a cash prize. Winners must:

• provide details of how the cash prize will be exclusively used for project expenses aligned to milestone activities and achievements, and
• agree to a schedule and timeframe for team reporting and engage with Bionics Gamechangers Australia on the progress of the project.

13 – Participating students are responsible any tax implications that might arise as a result of accepting cash payments from Bionics Gamechangers Australia.

14 – All participating students are required to take part in media and press opportunities related to the Challenge, including media interviews and statements released to the media in oral and written form. All Challenge entrants sign a waiver allowing Bionics Gamechangers Australia the right to photograph and film their participation during the Challenge events and post-judging publicity campaign for marketing purposes. Participation in media and press opportunities does not require entrants to disclose any proprietary or otherwise confidential information related to their research, business or product concepts.