Built to empower young innovators and foster bold ideas, XPRIZE Connect equips students across income, race, age, and identity groups with customized learning experiences tailored to their unique abilities and aspirations. Through its partnership with Students for a Better Future, this initiative will be the first in South Africa to inspire students to solve the world’s most pressing challenges.
XPRIZE Connect recently partnered with Students for a Better Future (SBF), a prestigious scholarship program based in South Africa, to provide students access to a premier academic development program. This partnership was made possible by the Joffe Family Foundation.
Geared towards middle and high school students, XPRIZE developed the XPRIZE Connect program to mirror XPRIZE Visioneering, a signature event that brings bright thinkers across competitions together to shape the future of innovation. This experience nurtures the next generation of thought leaders, prompting students to identify the world’s biggest challenges and create lasting, positive change within their community and beyond.
Motivating students to become leaders, regardless of the zip code they’re born in
Students for a Better Future is a non-profit scholarship and development program that equips high-potential students with the opportunity to learn resilience, skills, and confidence to excel from middle school through landing their first job.
"There is a familiar version of future readiness that hands young people a list of skills to acquire and boxes to tick. XPRIZE Connect is not that,” said Halli Manolakos, CEO, Students for a Better Future. “It puts a different question in our scholars' hands: not how do you fit into the world that exists, but what would you change about it. That is the question we want our young people working on."
"None of this is possible without the Joffe Family Foundation. Their belief in our young people has made this opportunity real. Our scholars are not being prepared for someone else's future. They are being trusted to imagine their own.”
Unlocking a better future through student-driven innovation
XPRIZE Connect is rooted in real-life problem-solving, enabling millions of students aged 13-18 to cultivate a deep sense of purpose in their everyday lives. With the assistance of educators and community partners, students are encouraged to consider how their vision for the future can be translated into practical solutions. Pinpointing global challenges allows participants to become the change they wish to see in the world.
Modeling XPRIZE's world-renowned prize formula, SBF students will work in a self-paced, collaborative space. Over the course of the program, they will learn how to translate their ideas into tangible concepts that have the potential to create sustainable, global impact.
From pitch drafting to presenting skills, students follow a structured process that prepares them to become passionate changemakers. They will develop the skills necessary for curiosity, research, and critical thinking with the guidance of a tailored resource library, trained educators, and thorough toolkits. Participants will envision their ideal future, target a specific issue of interest, outline a prize, and sell their vision to an audience of professional problem-solvers.
The DEFINE Experience calls young scholars to believe in their potential and foster their ingenuity
“As XPRIZE Connect continues to expand internationally, partnerships like this play a vital role in revealing the potential of young innovators everywhere,” said Alexander Nicholas, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Learning & Society at XPRIZE.
“By connecting students to real-world obstacles, mentorship, and a global community of problem-solvers, we are helping cultivate the skills, confidence, and sense of purpose needed to drive meaningful change. Together, we are co-creating pathways for a more inclusive, sustainable, and opportunity-rich future.”
XPRIZE CEO Anousheh Ansari elaborated, "When we empower young people with purpose and possibility, we are actively investing in a force capable of transforming the world. Students for a Better Future is a natural partner for XPRIZE Connect, with a shared commitment to nurturing curious, driven, and capable students who are eager to turn their ambition into meaningful impact.”
Education is the key to empowering young people, regardless of their background. Ms. Ansari explains how this partnership pushes the next generation towards a voice and vision to solve the world’s greatest challenges. “By investing in these students today, we are helping create a future that is more just, inclusive, and abundant for all.”