Rules

1 | Eligibility Criteria

• Participants can apply individually or as part of a group (maximum of four members). All team members must fit the age criteria outlined below.
• Participants must be at least 18 years old by the submission deadline. There is no upper age limit, and participants of all ages are encouraged to apply. 
• This challenge is open exclusively to individuals and informal teams of individuals. Companies, organizations, institutions, associations or other legal entities are not eligible to participate or submit projects. 

2 | Participation Rules

• We welcome original projects from all areas of the digital world related to the challenge theme. Multidisciplinary approaches that combine different areas of knowledge, innovation, creativity and community impact are particularly encouraged.  
• Participation in this challenge is 100% free.
• To submit a project, participants must create an account on www.trojan-unicorn.com and start a submission draft by providing the project title, team name, idea description, and other mandatory information. Participants may save their draft and continue editing it at a later time. By creating a draft submission, participants acknowledge and accept these Rules and Terms.
• All submissions must be completed in English, and all mentoring sessions, communications, and presentations will be conducted in English. Participants should therefore be able to communicate effectively in written and spoken English without the assistance of third parties. 
• Participants may submit more than one project. However, only one project per participant may be selected as a finalist.  

3 | Submission Process

• To submit a project, participants must create an account on www.trojan-unicorn.com and start a submission draft by providing the project title, team name, idea description, and other mandatory information. Participants may save their draft and continue editing it at a later time. By creating a draft submission, participants acknowledge and accept these Rules and Terms. 
• Only one member of the team - the Team Representative - submits an idea or project. The Team Representative is responsible for managing the submission and adding all team members to the platform. 
• All submissions must be finalized and submitted before the official deadline. Once a submission has been formally submitted, it cannot be edited, amended or replaced. 

4 | Selection Process

All eligible submissions will be reviewed and selected by a panel of experts appointed by THU and Mota-Engil and previously announced on the THU Website. There will not be a public voting process.

The selection process will take place in three stages:

• Stage 1 – Shortlisting: Following the submission deadline, the panel will review all eligible submissions and select up to ten (10) teams to advance to the Pitch Day. 
• Stage 2 – Pitch Day & Selection of the TOP 5: The 10 (ten) teams will be invited to participate in an online Pitch Day, where  they will  present and defend their ideas before the jury.

Following the Pitch Day, up to five (5) teams will be selected as the TOP 5 and invited to participate in the Mentorship Phase.

The TOP5 teams will be announced via the official challenge website. Participants will also be notified via email and through the platform.

• Stage 3 – Final Pitch & Selection of the 3 Final Winners: Following the Mentorship Phase, the TOP 5 teams will present their developed projects and final outcomes, including the object created as part of the challenge, during a second online Pitch Day.

Following the final presentations, the jury will deliberate and select the 3 Final Winners.

The 3 Final Winners will be notified by email. The results will also be officially communicated through the challenge website and the platform.

4. 1 | Evaluation Criteria

All eligible submissions will be evaluated by a panel of experts appointed by THU and Mota-Engil. The same evaluation criteria and respective weighting will be used throughout the challenge, both for the selection of the top five (5) finalist teams that will advance to the Mentorship Phase and for the selection of the three (3) winning teams following the final Pitch Day: 

1. Innovation and Originality (25%) - The creativity, uniqueness, and originality of the concept, including new ideas, approaches, or perspectives.

2. Impact on People and Communities (25%) - The potential social, environmental, and/or cultural impact of the project, including how it improves quality of life and community interaction.

3. Feasibility and Scalability (20%) - The practicality of the solution and its potential to be implemented, developed further, or scaled in real-world contexts. The practicality of the concept and its potential to be further developed, refined, and translated into a tangible and meaningful outcome. 

4. Relevance to the Challenge Theme (15%) - How well the project responds to the theme of the challenge and contributes to the vision of future cities and communities.

5. Quality of Presentation (15%) - Clarity, structure, and effectiveness of the submission and pitch, including storytelling, visual communication, and overall coherence.

5 | Mentorship Phase

• The up to five (5) selected teams will participate in a three-month structured Mentorship Program led by industry experts and mentors previously announced on the THU website. The mentorship sessions may be scheduled during or outside standard working hours. The final schedule will be communicated to the selected teams before the programme begins. 
• During this phase, teams will further develop, refine, and strengthen their projects with guidance from their assigned mentors, with the goal of preparing for the final evaluation stage.
• At the end of the Mentorship Phase, the teams will take part in a Final Pitch Day (online), where they will present the evolution of their projects to the jury.
• Following the Final Pitch Day, three (3) winning teams will be selected and announced during the Grand Final Event.
• The Grand Final is a 100% online event and will showcase the final presentations and winning projects.

6 | Pitch & Final Project Requirements

6.1 | Pitch Day – TOP 10

The ten (10) shortlisted teams will participate in an online Pitch Day, where they will present and defend their ideas before the jury.

The pitch is expected to follow the below guidelines:

1. Duration: The pitch should be no longer than 5 minutes, followed by a short Q&A session with the jury.
2. Challenge / Opportunity: Clearly define the challenge, need, or opportunity the project aims to address.
3. Concept & Solution: Present the proposed idea and explain how it responds to the identified challenge or opportunity.
4. Impact: Explain who the project is intended for and the potential social, environmental, cultural, or community impact it could create.
5. Development Potential: Demonstrate how the idea could be further developed and translated into a meaningful and tangible outcome.
6. Team: Briefly introduce the team and explain the perspectives, skills, or experience each member brings to the project.
7. Visual Communication: Use clear and engaging visual materials to help communicate the concept and bring the idea to life.

Following the Pitch Day, five (5) teams will be selected as the TOP 5 and invited to participate in the Mentorship Phase.

6.2 | Final Project – TOP 5

Following the Mentorship Phase, the TOP 5 teams will be required to develop a final project based on the ideas developed throughout the challenge and refined during the Mentorship Programme.

The final project will include:

A. Final Object / Outcome: Each team must develop a final outcome that communicates and materialises their project. This may take different forms depending on the nature of the project, such as a film, installation, object, piece of writing, interactive experience, performance, immersive storytelling, hybrid and mixed media projects. 

B. Project Story: Each team will provide a short description of the final project, explaining the initial idea, the development process, the evolution of the concept during the Mentorship Phase, the final outcome, and its potential impact on future cities and communities.

C. Exhibition Development & Project Budget

Following the selection of the Three Final Winners, each winning team will have access to a dedicated project budget to support eligible expenses related to the further development and production of their final outcome for the challenge exhibition. Eligible expenses will be reimbursed upon presentation of valid invoices or receipts, subject to prior approval and the applicable budget limits.

Further details regarding the format, submission requirements for the final project, budget, eligible expenses, and reimbursement process will be communicated to the teams.

6.3 | Final Pitch – TOP 5

Following the Mentorship Phase, the TOP 5 teams will participate in a second online Pitch Day, where they will present their developed projects and final outcomes before the jury.

The Final Pitch is expected to follow the below criteria:

1. Duration: The pitch should be no longer than 10 minutes, followed by a Q&A session with the jury.
2. From Idea to Outcome: Present the journey from the initial idea to the final project, highlighting how the concept evolved throughout the Mentorship Phase.
3. Final Solution: Clearly present the final project and explain how it addresses the challenge identified at the beginning of the process.
4. Impact: Demonstrate the potential impact of the project on people, communities, and future cities.
5. Final Object / Outcome: Present the tangible outcome developed during the Mentorship Phase and explain how it translates the project's vision into a concrete experience, solution, or proposal.
6. Learning & Development: Highlight the key insights, decisions, and changes resulting from the Mentorship Phase.
7. Team: Present the team and explain how its members contributed to the development of the final project.

Following the final presentations, the jury will deliberate and select the Three Final Winners

.7| Grand Final

7.1 | Prize

• The three (3) winning teams will receive a monetary prize of €15.000 per team.
• In addition to the monetary award, the winning projects will be offered exposure and showcased at M-ODU during the second quarter of 2027, as part of a public exhibition dedicated to the challenge outcomes.
• The three winning teams will have access to a dedicated project budget to support eligible expenses related to the development and completion of their exhibition projects. Eligible expenses, such as software licences, will be reimbursed upon presentation of valid invoices or receipts, subject to prior approval and the applicable budget limits. Further details regarding the budget, eligible expenses, and reimbursement process will be communicated to the winning teams.
• During the exhibition opening, a series of talks and panel discussions will be organized, featuring the winning teams. These sessions will provide an opportunity for the teams to present their projects, share insights from the process, and engage with industry professionals and the public.
• Participation in the exhibition and related talks is entirely optional for the winning teams. Winners may choose whether or not to attend or take part in these activities. All costs associated with participation in the exhibition - including but not limited to travel, accommodation, meals, and any other expenses - will normally be the responsibility of the participants. However, partial financial support or cost-sharing arrangements may be considered by the organizers on a case-by-case basis, subject to prior agreement between the parties.
• The organizers reserve the right to define the final structure, format, and programming of the exhibition and related events.
• Participation in the exhibition and public sessions is subject to coordination and availability of the winning teams.
• The three winning teams will be invited to attend the exhibition in person, and reasonable travel expenses associated with their attendance will be covered by the exhibition organizers. 

7.2 | Rejection or Withdrawal

• THU & Mota-Engil reserves the right, at their sole discretion, to reject, remove or disqualify any submission that: 
• Is incomplete, unclear or does not provide the required information. 
• Does not comply with the Rules, Terms, eligibility criteria or submission guidelines.
• Infringes intellectual property rights or any other rights of third parties. 
• Contains unlawful, offensive, discriminatory, harmful or inappropriate content.
• Includes false, misleading or inaccurate information regarding authorship, eligibility or project ownership.
• Employees of THU & Mota-Engil are not eligible to participate. Any submissions received from employees will be disqualified.
• THU and Mota-Engil also reserve the right to withdraw any participant or team from the challenge at any stage in case of breach of these Rules and Terms.

Intellectual Property and Rights of Use

• Participants must own or have the legal right to use all materials included in their submission. The intellectual property rights of submitted ideas and projects remain entirely with their creators. Selection as a finalist or winner does not transfer ownership rights to the organizers. 
• THU and Mota-Engil reserve the right to use submitted materials, including project descriptions, images, videos and related content, for communication, promotional, educational and reporting purposes connected to the challenge and its activities. Appropriate credit will be given to the teams. 

Originality, AI and Content Standards

• Submissions must represent the original work of the participants. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for research, drafting or technical support is permitted; however, AI-generated artwork, images, illustrations, videos, renders or other creative outputs presented as original artistic work are not allowed. Common assisted steps - such texture or lighting assistance, retouching, early-stage ideation, and reference-gathering are accepted, provided the creative authorship, composition, and final artistic decisions are demonstrably the participant's own. Participants may be asked to demonstrate authorship and creative ownership of submitted materials. 
• Projects must be original, lawful, and respectful of individuals and communities. Submissions containing discriminatory, offensive, harmful or unlawful content may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the organizers. 

Compliance, Disqualification and Final Provisions

• The organizers reserve the right to disqualify any submission that does not comply with these Rules and Terms, contains false or misleading information, infringes third-party rights, or is deemed inappropriate for the challenge. 
• The organizers reserve the right to amend the challenge timeline, format, judging process or related activities if circumstances require it. Any significant changes will be communicated to participants through the official channels. 
• By participating in the challenge, participants acknowledge that all jury decisions are final and binding.