Symphony Contest-4th｜一般社団法人steAm BAND

We place great importance on speaking with experts in a variety of genres.

In a traditional competitive contest, entries are often judged and a grand prize is chosen, but this contest is open to those who "don’t know what to submit" or "don’t know how to do research, but would like to talk to someone about their interests and questions they have. We, steAm BAND, are holding the "STEAM Symphony Contest" in the hope that the curiosity and creativity that swell through encounters with experts in the fields of interest will provide invaluable nourishment for individuals and at the same time create great movement in society. We look forward to your participation!

The 4th STEAM Symphony Contest will be held as the selection event to decide Japan’s representative for the 2027 International Creativity & Innovation Award (ICIA). ICIA is an international educational platform established in alignment with the United Nations’ World Creativity and Innovation Day. It aims to foster creativity and innovation among young people through hybrid competitions (combining online and in-person participation) and collaborative activities.Final Rounders of this contest will be recommended as Japan’s representatives to the ICIA 2027 global round held in Indonesia.

Of the three ICIA categories listed below, the "Innovation Challenge" category (item ②) features a theme that changes annually.

① Inventor Wannabe (Ages 6–12) *The 2026 competition will be held online.
② Innovation Challenge (Ages 9–17) *Inquiry topic provided.
③ Innovation Award (Ages 9–17) *Open inquiry theme.

For this year

Join us for this exciting opportunity!

*Please note that the selection of representatives applies only to participants from Japan.

Contest Process

About Mentoring

This contest offers an opportunity to speak with experts across various fields.
We will provide details regarding the schedule at a later date.
To begin, please submit your entry via LINE.

Dates
・October 3 (Sat) [Deadline: September 28 (Mon)]
・October 20 (Tue) [Deadline: October 13 (Tue)]
・November 15 (Sun) [Deadline: November 5 (Thu)]
・November 25 (Wed) [Deadline: November 18 (Wed)]

※You are welcome to bring your family members, friends, teachers, etc. to the mentoring session.
※Reservations can be made after the first screening is completed.
※Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
※Online mentoring is available.

Contest Outline

Categories	Art and Philosophy: Artists and Philosophers Including Liberal Arts Basic Research: Researchers (Scientists and Mathematicians) Problem Solving: Inventors, Entrepreneurs and Engineers Applicants are encouraged to: - come up with new and original ideas. - describe the science, mathematics, and technology behind the idea. - show prototypes of some kind. - share your ideas toward an inclusive and diverse society. Please select one category for entry.
Registration Fee	free
Eligibility	Pre-school, elementary school, junior high school and high school students, and seniors (60 years old and older) * Any individual or group is welcome to apply. * If you are a group please apply with the affiliation of the primary applicant.
Information Session	Thursday, July 2, 16:30–17:30 *If you would like to watch a recording of the session, please register using the form below. https://steam21.wufoo.com/forms/steamsymphonycontest/
Mentoring Schedule (Tentative)	Booking Opens (Tentative): Thursday, September 24, at 12:00 PM (Noon) Mentoring Schedule (Tentative) Oct 3 (Sat) 10:00–12:00 Oct 20 (Tue) 19:00–21:00 Nov 15 (Sun) 9:00–11:00 Nov 25 (Wed) 19:00–21:00 Please book via our official LINE account. *Please review the "Mentoring Guidelines" before booking your session. Additionally, please complete the "Mentoring Sheet" mentioned in the guidelines and submit it to the administration office via LINE or email at least three business days prior to your scheduled session. Download Mentoring Guidelines
How to apply for the first selection （Entry）	Please register as a friend on the LINE below and then enter. https://line.me/ti/p/%40245ocvzo *If you are unable to register via LINE, please enter the required information in the Google Form below and submit it. Please also be sure to send your video data to the email address listed below. Google Form: https://forms.gle/96WvMti3ks9uiima6 Email Address: steamband@steam21.com [To applicants under 12 years old and their guardians] As part of our efforts to ensure that young people can use LINE safely and securely, we have raised the recommended age for use to 12 years and older. Therefore, for applicants under 12 years old, please ensure to register using the guardian’s LINE account.
First selection	Make a video up to 3 minutes in length and submit by the end of December 14. Please register as a friend on LINE, enter, and submit your entry via LINE. Applicants are recommended to include the following (in any order): - Introduction of yourself and your theme - Motivation, passion and purpose of your work. - Background and previous research Clearly cite your research. Plagiarism is not acceptable. - Concept, process, results, analysis, summary, reflection and your impression about your work. - Any prototypes or works of art (if applicable) Slides may be used. There is no fixed format. Above all, explore your own ideas!
prize	・Grand Prize ・Jury Awards The winners will be announced on the special website. Only the winners will be notified by e-mail.
Final Judging Session	Date: February, 2027 Format: Hybrid format (real and online)
Judges (tentative)	Juichi Yamagiwa　 Research Institute for Humanity and Nature Kan Suzuki　　　　University of Tokyo Professor, General Corporation steAm BAND Executive Chariman Sachiko Nakajima steAm Inc. CEO, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Thematic Project Producer, General Corporation steAm BAND Representative Director Tetsuo Kobori　　 Tetsuo Kobori Architects Inc. Representative, Hosei University Professor
Organized by	General Incorporated Association steAm BAND
In cooperation with	steAm, Inc.

Introducing Mentors

※*The mentors listed below are those from the 3rd "STEAM Symphony Contest".
The list of mentors is subject to updates.

Color coding

ScienceTechnologyEngineeringArtsMathematics

Chair of the Board, steAm BAND
The University of Tokyo

Kan Suzuki

Social InnovationWell-beingPublic PhilosophyEducation and Sports Policy