Project Proposal

Thank you for your interest in working with an undergraduate student team. We are currently accepting project proposals for Fall 2025. Proposals are due by August 4, 2025.


Before submitting a proposal, please review our website and project sponsor guidelines.


You may download the project proposal planning worksheet to develop a proposal prior to submitting this form.


If you have questions about the form or need assistance completing it, email Lisa Gerber (lmg297@cornell.edu).

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

What is the mission or objective of the organization? What are the primary products or services the organization provides?

Please select all that apply.

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City, State, Country

CONTACTS

The Project Liaison is the individual at the organization or company who serves as the point person for the student team. This person will meet with the student team regularly over zoom (or if feasible, in person) and work directly with Dyson Grand Challenges faculty and staff.


The Project Liaison enables the student team to fulfill the project objectives by providing information, guidance, and access to key resources in a timely fashion.

City, State, Country

Are there additional contacts at the organization who will work with the student team?

Please list the First and Last Name, Email Address, and Role for anyone else at the organization who will work directly with the student team.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

When describing the project, please keep in mind that a student team can be expected to devote approximately 400 hours to a project over the course of a 15-week semester.

What is the primary question that the student team will investigate? Challenge questions should be one sentence (approximately 300 characters) and could take the form of "How might we...?" Students will be presented with Challenge Questions at the beginning of the semester as part of the project selection process.

How does the project benefit stakeholders beyond shareholders? How does the project align with the Dyson motto that "Our Business is a Better World"?

Please select all that apply.

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Please select all that apply. The SDGs are explained here: https://sdgs.un.org/goals

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In 500 words or less, describe the scope of the project. What information should the team consider when answering the challenge question and what are the boundaries of the project?

Please list the deliverables that you would like the team to work on (examples: summary of the current state, decision matrix, consumer profiles, cost analysis, recommendations for next steps, risk assessment, final report/presentation).

This could include data, reports, hardware, software, marketing/competitor analysis, contact lists, etc.

Upload any supporting documentation that may help a student team understand the project or your organization. Do not submit any proprietary or confidential information.

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An email confirmation with a copy of your submission will be sent to you.

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Attestation*

Clicking below confirms that you accept the following on behalf of your organization:

  • I have read the project sponsor guidelines.
  • I understand that projects are part of a credit-bearing course. Students are not interns nor employees of my organization.
  • I will not provide confidential information to the students, and I understand that students are required to present their work in public.
  • Submitting a proposal does not guarantee that I will be assigned a Grand Challenges project team.
  • I understand that the terms of the Cornell Master Project Agreement are as-is. If a project team is assigned to me, I will complete my portion of the Project Agreement promptly.
  • I give permission for basic information about the project (including my organization name and Challenge Question) to be displayed on the Grand Challenges website.
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