Longevity Design Challenge 2026–27 Opens

In labs across the world, researchers and inventors are developing robotics for longer lives. The aim is to assist people with physical support, health monitoring and even emotional companionship. 

Robots may offer solutions for longer lives, but can they also strengthen the relationships and communities that make those lives worth living? This is the question posed by the Longevity Design Challenge, the annual innovation competition hosted by the Stanford Center on Longevity and open to undergraduate and graduate students globally. The goal is not to remove the human element from care or connection; it is to empower individuals and families by reducing burdens, improving safety, expanding independence and creating new opportunities for engagement. 

Teams will be asked to design robotic tools that address life-course challenges in one of the following categories:  

• Mobility and Physical Safety 
• Caregiving and Daily Living
• Social Connection and Human Interaction
• Aging Infrastructure

To get started, students can register for Living Futures: Robotics for Longevity Ideathon, October 20–21, 2026.

The deadline for entering the Design Challenge is December 1, 2026: https://longevity.stanford.edu/design-challenge/ 

Finalists, selected in January 2027, will be awarded $1,000 U.S. and paired with an experienced mentor. The final competition takes place at Stanford University in April 2027, with the winning team receiving a $10,000 prize.