2024 Timeline
Expression of Interest open
December 2023
Academics from universities around Australia are invited to submit an expression of interest to reserve a place in the Challenge.
Registrations open
February 13th
Team registrations are officially open! Each team supervisor is invited to submit a registration form for their team. Registration for the 2023 Challenge is completely free!
Registrations close
April 17th
Team registrations close. The team rosters for all teams intending to participate in the 2023 Challenge must be finalised
Intro to the AusSynBio Challenge
April 27th
The Challenge officially kicks off with a welcome seminar for all team members! In this session, teams will be briefed on the requirements of the Challenge, hear from past participants and will hear all about what's on offer for the 2023 season
IDT Webinar
May 24th
IP Webinar
June 22nd
Design Review Written Summary Due
July 7th
The first submission of the Challenge, teams must submit the written summary for the Design Review. This is a document providing an overview of their project, including experimental plans and safety considerations. Reviews are submitted to each team's assigned Reviewer for feedback after the first event.
Design Showcase
July 14th
After the teams receive feedback for their Design Review comes the Design showcase. This event will see teams present their designs and introduce their projects for the first time. Expert reviewers from the field will be there to provide advice and give feedback to help each team tailor their ideas.
Benchling Webinar
August 23rd
Pitch party
August 25th
In preparation for the teams' final pitches, teams are invited to join this session to receive tips on how to deliver a great pitch.
Team logo, abstracts, and pre-recorded pitches due
September 18th
The second main deliverable for the Challenge, teams are required to submit a logo representing their project alongside a short abstract. These will be displayed on the website. Teams must also submit a 3-min long pitch ahead of the final event, as if they are intending on presenting their concept to a panel of investors
The Final Showcase
September 29th
The second and final major event of the Challenge, the Final Showcase is a one-day event that will be held in person for the first time at ANU in Canberra. Teams will give a presentation with Q&A from the audience. Team pitches will also be played, and guest speakers will talk about synbio opportunities in Australasia and career pathways. Everyone is welcome to attend - for tickets, register on the eventbrite link here (tickets are free of charge for students and academics!)