A Bigger and Better Contest Than Ever

As pioneers in topology optimization for over 30 years, we’ve created the Altair Global Student Contest to showcase student talent from around the world.
Engineering students from all over are invited to showcase their ideas by applying topology optimization using Altair® Inspire™ to create innovative, sustainable, lightweight designs.
The contest is designed to expand awareness of lightweighting through topology optimization, expose students to the technology’s capabilities, help students build skills that will set them above their peers, and, most importantly, have fun while engineering!
Picture an airplane whose internal structure looks like it came from an alien lab, a car whose frame looks like the skeleton of some ancient beast, or a building that looks like it grew from the ground instead of being built upon it.
Now, think of these structures as lighter, stronger, and more energy-efficient than anything before.
It may sound like science fiction, but it’s possible through an extraordinary engineering approach called topology optimization, which helps create designs that feature minimal mass while ensuring maximal strength.
Starting in May 2023, we'll award prizes for the most exceptional student submissions of the month within each global region.
Global Grand Prize (at the end of the contest):
$7,500 for the very best submission
Monthly Prizes:
$750 for the best entry of each region
$200 for the most creative promotion video of each region
$100 for a random wild card winner
Get the Free Inspire Personal Edition (instant download and use for 90 Days, renewable)
Get the Free Altair Student Edition ( quick request and approval, valid for one year, renewable)
Inspire Instructional Video Series
Tutorials to help you get started with Inspire
Before you submit your project, please read the contest rules and submission criteria.
For answers to common questions, submissions, and more, explore the FAQ page.
Download and read the terms and conditions of the Altair Global Student Contest here.
Previous Altair Global Student Contests yielded tons of awesome submissions that'll help inspire you.
See Previous EntriesThe outstanding product developers at 3D Systems are always pushing the boundaries with expert additive manufacturing solutions. The video shown here is a great example of what we want to see within the contest.
In their mission to create a lighter, more durable skateboard via topology optimization and additive manufacturing they used Inspire™ to optimize a traditional skateboard deck and trucks.
A quick process recap:
Check out their video to see the process and amazing results.
For over a decade, we've been awarding industry leaders with the Altair Enlighten Award for exceptional achievements in sustainability and lightweighting that successfully reduce carbon footprint and mitigate water and energy consumption.
By participating in the Altair Global Student Contest, you'll acquire valuable experience and skills that will prepare you to become part of the next generation of difference-makers in whatever industry you go into.
Showcase your optimization skills to industry leaders by submitting your lightweighting project.
Who knows - maybe your future employer will see it!