2025 Theme: Revolutionizing Product Development with Data-Driven AI and 3D Innovation
Submissions Open 12 March 2025
The 7th Annual Grand Challenge, hosted by the 3D Retail Coalition (3DRC) in partnership with Kalypso and IEEE, is back with a bold new theme for 2025: harnessing the transformative power of data-driven AI and 3D technology to revolutionize the product development lifecycle. This year, we invite visionary minds to push the boundaries of innovation and reimagine how retailers and brands discover, design, make, and sell products.
The Prompt
How can data-driven AI and 3D be used together to revolutionize the product lifecycle?
- Discovery: How can data be harnessed to inspire and inform product creation and experiences?
- Design & Development: How can AI and 3D work together to iterate smarter, faster, and more creatively?
- Simulation & Production: How can advanced simulations and testing optimize manufacturing and bring ideas to life?
- Promotion & Sales: How can these technologies create more engaging, personalized, and seamless shopping experiences?
Note: Submissions could be touching any or all of the areas called out AND we will also welcome concepts that use data driven AI to improve processes in a way humans alone could not.
Submission Requirements
To fulfill the requirements of the brief, submissions must:
- Demonstrate how data-driven AI and 3D can inform and enhance each other.
- Focus on creating tangible products and/or consumer experiences.
- Showcase relevance to the apparel, footwear, and accessories industries.
- Deliver real-world value for brands, retailers, and/or consumers.
- Prove feasibility beyond theoretical concepts.
This is your chance to shape the future of product development and leave a lasting impact on the industry. Are you ready to rise to the challenge?
How To Qualify
Eligible participants must be affiliated with either a start-up or an academic institution, meeting the following criteria:
- Start-up Eligibility: A start-up, as defined for this contest, is a legally registered organization with fewer than 10 full-time employees and serving fewer than 10 active clients in the retail, footwear, and apparel industry.
- Academic Institution Eligibility: An academic or research institution, as defined for this contest, is a legally registered organization with an educational mission, non-profit status, and formal accreditation from a recognized accrediting body or governance agency.
Please refer to the official rules below for additional eligibility requirements.
The Submission & Review Process
The Contest is conducted in two phases as outlined below. Entries received before or after the entry period are void.
Phase 1: Preliminary Round
Entry Period: 12 March 2025 – 9 April 2025
Entries Must Include: Uploaded document(s) containing entrant contact information, confirmation of eligibility and responses to the prompt(s) outlined above. In Phase 1 responses should be a one-page synopsis. Links to relevant images and multimedia are permitted.
Phase 2: Semifinalist Round
Entry Period: 3 May 2025 – 30 May 2025
Entries Must Include: Chosen semifinalists from Phase 1 will be asked to submit additional information for Phase 2 which may include a white paper, research publication, solution schematic, thesis, video, demonstration, or other materials to provide greater detail on the solution / research.
Solutions will be reviewed for their relevance in the categories of:
- Applicability: the extent to which the submission addresses the challenge presented on the contest website and its relevance to the retail, footwear, and apparel industry
- Capability Impact: the extent to which the submission delivers either new capabilities or transformative improvements to existing capabilities
- Business Impact: the extent to which the submission creates new value for the retail, footwear, and apparel industry.
- Social Impact: the extent to which the submission addresses social and environmental impacts and implications
Solutions need to be submitted in one of the categories below:
- Start-up company
- Academic or Research Institution
All submissions will be reviewed by the 2025 3DRC Grand Challenge judges.
- Entrants must submit Round 1 entries by 9 April 2025, 11:59pm PST.
- Round 1 accepted submissions will be reviewed by judges and narrowed to semi-finalists. Semi-finalists will move forward to Round 2. This enhanced round will require further submission of research details and/or prototypes including features, capabilities and/or solutions.
- Finalists of Round 1 will be notified via email no later than 2 May 2025 and provided specifics on the submission for Round 2.
- Entrants must submit Round 2 entries by 30 May 2025, 11:59pm PST.
- Winners of Round 2 will be notified via email no later than 20 June 2025.
The winning entry shall receive:
- A featured presentation (virtual) to the 3D Retail Coalition (3D.RC) Board of Directors, and Committee Teams representing prominent brands
- A marketing & promotional package provided by Grand Challenge Sponsors including:
- IEEE featured blog post and/or e-publication
- Kalypso Viewpoint article and video interview
- Social media posts from IEEE, PI Apparel, and Kalypso
- A complimentary events package provided by MarketKey including:
- Two registration passes for one mutually-agreed upon 2025 PI Apparel event
- On-stage recognition & promotion during the above 2025 PI Apparel event
- The opportunity to present the winning research or solution during a webinar hosted by MarketKey & the 3D.RC
Have Questions?
For information or questions, please contact [email protected].