The AlgaePrize Competition
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The AlgaePrize Competition, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office and supported by The Algae Foundation and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), challenges students to become the next generation of bioeconomy professionals by developing novel solutions for algae production, processing, and new product development—paving the way toward gigaton-scale algae commercialization.
The registration date for the current iteration of the competition, AlgaePrize 2025–2027 has been postponed to a date yet to be determined. We are awaiting updates from the U.S. Department of Energy regarding the amended timeline and will share information as soon as it becomes available. Visit and follow our official competition site for more information. Find more information below about our most recent competition, which concluded in July 2025. -
Grand Champion Team
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Parachlorella Plastic Pals | University of California, San Diego
From Protist to Plastic: Microalgal Feedstock for Synthesis of 100% Algae-based Polyurethanes
Champion Teams
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AlgaeNano+ | University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Macroalgae-Derived Carbon Nanomaterials: The Next Frontier in Energy Materials and Soil Remediation
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Aloha Limu | University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, Hilo, Hawai‘i
Up-cycled Vertical Bag Culture of Halymenia
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BlazerBloom | Hood College, Frederick, Maryland
Harvesting Microalgae Using Magnetotactic Bacteria
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JCCC Chlorella Cavaliers | Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
Genetically Engineered Algae to Degrade Plastic and Improve Ecosystems
Finalist Teams
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AlgaeUnlocked
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, Illinois
Unlocking Algae’s Potential Using Oxidative Hydrothermal Dissolution
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Algators
Livingston High School, Livingston, New Jersey
Microalgae as Promising Biocatalysts to Enhance Food Production
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Blue Genes
Solano Community College, Fairfield, California
Phycocyanin: An Algae Pigment to Dye For
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Clean Green Feed
University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
Methionine Supplementation in Poultry Feed
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Just AD Algae
Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Microalgal Impact on Biogas Yield in Anaerobic Digestion of Used Cooking Oil
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KelBerry
University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
Improving Strawberry Shelf Life with Seaweed-Derived Edible Coatings
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The Algenius Thinkers
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
Green Gold: A Dynamic Duo for Cleaner Energy
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Questions?
Send questions to AlgaePrize@thealgaefoundation.org
Prize Description
AlgaePrize winners will be announced at the AlgaePrize Event and receive the following cash awards:
- $15,000 Grand Champion (1)*
- $10,000 Winners (5)
- $5,000 Finalist Student Teams
*The Grand Champion will be selected from the group of five winners and win an additional $5,000.
(up to 15 teams will be selected)Who Can Participate
- We encourage all high school undergraduate and graduate students to consider participating. See AlgaePrize Rules for more details.
- The AlgaePrize is open to all students enrolled in U.S.-based educational institutions including high school through graduate schools, who are focused on enhancing algae, its cultivation, and ultimately on algal-based biofuels and bioproducts. The competition defines algae as eukaryotic microalgae, macroalgae, and cyanobacteria; all of which are eligible contest target organisms.
Learn More About the AlgaePrize on These Websites
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