Founded in 2005 as a collaboration between UC Berkeley and Intel, Intel Global Challenge is a business plan competition that encourages emerging entrepreneurs and rewards ideas that have potential to become a new business or even a new industry. The program showcases business opportunities with the greatest potential for a positive impact on society through the commercialization of new and truly innovative technologies.

At the competition, student teams from around the world vie for $100,000 in prize money and receive direct feedback from leaders in the Silicon Valley entrepreneur community. Many of the winners of past competitions have gone on to start successful businesses - making an impact on their industry and often on their communities as well.