Program at a glance…

Students, educators, parents, administrators, and stakeholders are enthusiastic about the EMDC for many reasons such as it being cross-curricular, skill-based, and low-to-no-cost!

The EMDC is a place for young people with a variety of interests (engineering, science, creative and visual arts, theatre,…) to feel a sense of belonging and know they provide value to a team. It is an opportunity for students who struggle to connect with STEM concepts to engage with them in a different way – being an inspiration point for future interests.

The Engineering Machine Design Contest is an opportunity for teams of 5th-12th grade students to design and build a complex machine. Teams are evaluated on:

  1. Team Presentation
  2. Team Journal
  3. Machine Design and Operation

Students showcase their machines at regional events with the opportunity to advance to the Engineering Machine Design Championship, a multistate event.

The Engineering Machine Design Contest is guided by three primary objectives:

  1. Provide a low-cost or affordable learning experience that is accessible to students from underserved and rural communities.
  2. Inspire an interest in engineering and related career pathways.
  3. Equip students with skills that will help prepare them for future careers.

Creating awareness and connection to real-world challenges is an important aspect of the Engineering Machine Design Contest.

Each year a competition theme is chosen to guide the machine build and allow for whimsical creativity to flourish. Students are able to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) principles while having fun in a collaborative environment.

The program is aligned with the National Academy of Engineering Grand Engineering Challenges and Next Generation Science Standards.

Be a catalyst, sponsor today!

Impact

What do coaches say?

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Connects to Real-world Application

100% of coaches agree that the EMDC connects the dots of engineering and engineering technology learning and real-world application.

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Increases Knowledge and Advanced Skills

100% of coaches agree that students increase their knowledge and acquire new and/or advanced skills through participation in the EMDC.

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Increases Engineering Design Decision Making

100% of coaches agree that students gain knowledge upon which to base their decisions/actions related to engineering design through participation in the EMDC.

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Prepares for Future Careers

100% of coaches agree the EMDC equips students with skills that will help prepare them for future careers and achieving their professional interests and goals.

Why Sponsor? Be a Catalyst!

Financial support is needed to reduce barriers to participation and be a catalyst to engage youth from underserved and underrepresented communities. Sponsorships directly support program resource development, team registration scholarships, and offset direct costs to maintain (or reduce) team registration fees.

PROGRAM RESOURCES

Financial support will offset expenses to contribute to delivering a high-quality program, recruiting teams from underserved areas, and help keep operational expenses, and ultimately team registration costs, minimal.

TEAM SCHOLARSHIPS

Sponsorships will help offset program-related expenses for teams with very limited financial support at the local level.

OFF-SET DIRECT COSTS

Most contests have a negative balance on their contest operation costs. Sponsorships will offset expenses so contest sites are able to maintain a low (or no cost) registration.


Check out the  Program Impact and  Testimonials for more reasons to sponsor!

Company Benefits

Contact us today to discuss a custom benefits package tailored to meet your company’s needs.

All sponsors will have their logo placed on the program website, as well as be recognized in social media posts and e-blasts.

Customizations could include logo placement on select awards and t-shirts, a company-named award, a designated time to speak with teams at an event, promotion of company information to teams, or an event activity table.

If you have other ideas of how we could reach your goals, let’s talk! 

Be a catalyst, sponsor today!

Sponsorship Levels

Our sponsorship levels are flexible and we will work with your company to create a custom benefits package tailored to meet your needs.

1 Available

Elite

Only 1 sponsor position available at this level.

$ 6,000
  • Company-Named Award
  • Designated Lunch & Refreshment Sponsor at Championship
  • Premium Sponsor Level Benefits
2 Available

Premium

Only 2 sponsor positions available at this level.

$ 4,500
  • Custom Request
  • Company Rep. Event Speaker
  • Premier Logo Placement at Championship Event
  • Premier Logo Placement on E-blasts and Website
  • Preferred Sponsor Level Benefits

Preferred

$ 3,000
  • Feature in Champ. Event Program
  • Dissemination of Company Materials
  • Logo Placement on T-shirts
  • Logo Placement at Championship Event
  • Social Media Post Tags
  • Logo Placement in E-blasts
  • Logo Placement on Website
  • Guaranteed Judging Spot(s)

Basic Plus

$ 1,500
  • Logo Placement on T-shirts
  • Logo Placement at Championship Event
  • Social Media Post Tags
  • Logo Placement in E-blasts
  • Logo Placement on Website
  • Guaranteed Judging Spot(s)

Basic

$ 500
  • Social Media Post Tags
  • Logo Placement in E-blasts
  • Logo Placement on Website
  • Guaranteed Judging Spot(s)

Frequently Asked Questions

When do the contests take place?

The Regional Contests take place in February – March with the Championship taking place in late April.

How long has this program been around?

The Engineering Machine Design Contest started in 2018 with a single contest at Minnesota State University, Mankato. St. Angar High School in Iowa become the second contest site in 2019. In 2020, Anoka Technical College in Minnesota and CESA 10 in Wisconsin joined the program. The Virtual Open Regional Contest was piloted in 2021, which was the same year STEM Forward out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin became the fifth Regional Contest site. That was the same year the Minnesota State Engineering Center of Excellence organized the first Engineering Machine Design Championship.

How do schools implement this program?

Teams are generally formed within an existing class. For example, a Physics Instructor or a Career and Technical Educator Instructor will incorporate the machine build into their existing course. Alternatively, some teams are formed as extracurricular activities. Additionally, teams are not required to be school-based. Individuals from different schools or areas can form a team.

Some school implement the EMDC as a full school or grade program, having all of their students participate with select teams attending a regional event.

How much time does it take for a team to build their machine?

The time it takes to build a machine depends a lot on the time available to the team – most teams spend 30-40 hours preparing for the event. Some teams will begin brainstorming their design in September, while other teams may not start working on their machine until a or two month before their Regional Contest.

Is there a sponsorship cycle?

Sponsorships can be accepted at any time. However, to guarantee sponsorship benefits, the sponsorship should be committed by November. Sponsorships benefits are on an annual basis.

What is the “reach” of the website, t-shirts, or other promotional materials?

The Engineering Machine Design Contest website received approximately 11,000 views during the 2023 contest season. The 2024 contest season is anticipated to directly reach over 800 students across at least three states and 60 school districts.