xfoundry

Transforming colleges into solution engines for society’s grand challenges

A growing alliance of universities solving grand challenges.

Accelerating solutions for a better future.

xFoundry activates students from every discipline through challenge-driven learning and high-impact competitions, channeling their creativity into real-world ventures. We transform campuses into solution engines, launching scalable ventures to solve global grand challenges.

The latest, all in one place

Explore opportunities and highlights from xFoundry. Click through to see what's new and discover ways to get involved.

Impact
Report 2025
Our Xperts
What did we
NEXPLORE?
September 2025

Mental Health Xperience

Registration Closes

Mar 26, 2026

Grand Prize

Up to $250k

Finals

Spring 2027

New team registration has closed, but you can still join an existing team.

Horizons Challenge

Registration Opens

Sep 01, 2026

Grand Prize

$2,040

Finals

Spring 2027

Three programs. One mission.

We provide the blueprint for multidisciplinary success, taking you from early research to venture launch.

01

Horizons Challenge

Define the problem.
Duration
Semester
Prize
$2,040

Small student teams conduct market research on a topic and put together a pitch to present to an audience of industry experts that will vote on the best topic. The winning topic becomes the target for the next Xperience competition.

closed

Horizons Challenge

Next Registration opens:
September 2026
02

Xperience

Solve the problem.
Duration
15 - 18 months
Prize
Opportunity to secure up to $2M in investment & company launch

Over 15 months, student teams tackle the selected challenge, collaborating to develop and compete with their solutions, competing for the chance to transform their ideas into a venture with up to $2M in investment.

Closed

Mental Health Xperience

Current Gate
Problem-Solution Fit
03

Xcelerate

Take the problem off the table.
duration
6 - 12 months

Xcelerate takes Xperience competition winners and transforms them into viable startups by partnering founders with seasoned CXO’s, strategic investor relationships, and operational support as they exit the university.

Xcelerate

Active for School safety Xperience competition winner: Team DefenX
Launch in April 2027

Powered by the Resource MatriX

The Resource Matrix is xFoundry’s comprehensive support system available to students throughout Xperience. It equips innovators with everything they need to turn ideas into ventures, accelerating research, collaboration, and real-world impact.

  • Community engagement platform
  • AI-powered tools and workflows
  • Asynchronous curriculum and mission guidebook
  • Free access to professional software
  • Expert mentor network
  • Funding pathways
Xpert Mentor Network
Xperience Mission Plan
ConneXions Digital Community
CognoXent AI
Xponential Investment Fund
Xchange
Xpert Mentor Network
Xperience Mission Plan
ConneXions Digital Community
CognoXent AI
Xponential Investment Fund
Xchange
Xpert Mentor Network
Xperience Mission Plan
ConneXions Digital Community
CognoXent AI
Xponential Investment Fund
Xchange
You're doing fearless innovation. You're going to change the human condition. And for that, I salute you.
Jay Perman, MD
Chancellor, University System of Maryland
It is critical that you interact with broad disciplines in order to solve problems. You bring multiple disciplines to the table in order to find the best solution, fastest.
Samuel Graham, Ph.D.
Dean, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland
This is a watershed moment for the University of Maryland. This is the most innovative ecosystem that we could have ever created.
Darryll Pines, Ph.D.
President, University of Maryland
These are the kind of minds that we need to bring together because in order for us to innovate, it really takes people that are accustomed to thinking outside the box
Christyl Johnson, Ph.D.
Deputy Associate Administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA
Having a program like xFoundry that interacts and touches on all the colleges in the university is very important.
Amitabh Varshney, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, University of Maryland
By collectively bringing these different entities together, I think our students will have a profound impact on these really important problems. So I am super excited about the prospect of our students being involved in this.
Sarah L.J. Michel, Ph.D.
Dean, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
Participating in multidisciplinary efforts like xFoundry will enhance our ability to truly embody and pursue the goals of our community.
Kimberly Griffin, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Education, University of Maryland
When different teams with diverse skills come together for a real-world project, the collaboration results in a great idea.
Prabhudev Konana, Ph.D.
Dean, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland
We're so interested in xFoundry because we need to get people who understand not just how to have a big concept, but also how to ensure that concept truly drives impact
Stacey Shulman
VP, Health, Education & Consumer Industries, Intel
Join the xFoundry Alliance

‍Partner with us to launch scalable ventures that solve global grand challenges.