Program: Xperience

Solve grand challenges and get real-world experience

Each year, students zero in on a unique challenge within one of our seven competition domains that cater to real market demands and investor interests across a spectrum of industries.
Xperience has two distinct tracks for tackling grand challenges: the academic track and the competition track.
15 months. 9 credits. 3 courses.

Academic Track

Learn more about the Xperience academic track and how students get exclusive access to resources for an advantage in the competition.

Learn more
xperience student writing on board
1 grand challenge competition.

Competition Track

Harness your passion and energy to compete to launch a fully-funded venture with your team’s solution to a grand challenge.

Learn more
isabella laurel at xfoundry xplore with spot the robot

Track focus

Build a solid foundation for success in the competition. Gain multidisciplinary skills and access exclusive resources to excel in the competition.

Students enrolled in the academic track are automatically registered for the competition.

Track focus

Compete to launch a venture and create your own career. Build your team to pitch innovative solutions to real-world challenges.

Rewards

  • 9 credits toward your degree
  • Micro-credential
  • Transcript notation
  • Graduation regalia
  • Winning teams also receive the rewards in from the competition track

Rewards

  • A new venture with $250K - $2M in investment
  • Reserved spot on the venture's product team upon graduation
  • Salary and equity stake in the venture
  • CXO network
Duration

3 semesters

Eligibility
  • All graduate students eligible
  • Undergraduate students must have an anticipated graduation by May 2026
  • Must be enrolled at the University of Maryland
Apply

Applications for the 2026 Xperience academic track cohort will open Fall 2024.

Sign up to be notified
Learn more about the academic track →
Duration

2 semesters

Eligibility
  • All graduate students eligible
  • Undergraduate students must have an anticipated graduation by May 2026
  • Recent graduates (≤2 years)
  • Must be enrolled at a University System of Maryland institution
Register

Join a pre-existing team or form your own! Additionally, connect with like-minded students on our Xperience competition Discord channel to find potential team members and collaborators.

Register your team
Join the Discord
Learn more about the competition track →
Which track would you like to learn about?
Academic Track
Competition Track
15 months. 9 credits. 3 courses.

Academic Track

Learn more about the Xperience academic track and how students get exclusive access to resources for an advantage in the competition.

Learn more
xperience student writing on board

Track focus

Build a solid foundation for success in the competition. Gain multidisciplinary skills and access exclusive resources to excel in the competition.

Students enrolled in the academic track are automatically registered for the competition.

Rewards

  • 9 credits toward your degree
  • Micro-credential
  • Transcript notation
  • Graduation regalia
  • Winning teams also receive all rewards from the Competition Track
Duration

3 semesters

Eligibility
  • Current second-year students or above
  • Must be enrolled at the University of Maryland
Apply

Applications for the 2025 Xperience academic track are closed.
Applications for the 2026 Xperience academic track cohort will open Fall 2024.

Sign up to be notified
Learn more about the academic track →
1 grand challenge competition.

Competition Track

Harness your passion and energy to compete to launch a fully-funded venture with your team’s solution to a grand challenge.

Learn more
isabella laurel at xfoundry xplore with spot the robot

Track focus

Compete to launch a venture and create your own career. Build your team to pitch innovative solutions to real-world challenges.

Rewards

  • A new venture with $250K - $2M investment
  • Reserved spot on the venture's product team upon graduation
  • Salary and equity stake in venture
  • CXO network
Duration

2 semesters

Eligibility
  • Current second-year students or above
  • Must be enrolled at a University System of Maryland institution
Register

Registration for the 2025 Xperience Competition Track will be open from April 16 - September 30, 2024.

Learn more about the competition track →
2025 xperience competition topic

School safety

Students helping students – detect an active shooter threat on a K-12 campus and appropriately notify key personnel.

Learn more
Journey through Xperience
Choose between two different tracks in Xperience.

Academic Track

Engage in the four phases of Xperience, while earning course credits and meticulously preparing for the upcoming competition with access to exclusive resources and mentorship, all while earning course credits.

Competition Track

Jump right into the competition, bypassing the preparatory preparation to focus solely on the thrilling final two stages, making your mark without the need for extensive preparation or exclusive resources.

Xplore

Phase 1

Event in the fall semester to vote on the next Xperience competition topic.

Learn about Xplore 2024 →

Xperiment

Phase 2

Foundational 3-credit course in preparation for the upcoming competition.

Xcelerate

Phase 3  |  The competition

Those in the academic track have two courses in this two-semester phase for 6 credits. The courses are to help them build, refine, and pitch their solutions for the competition.

Those in the competition track take these two semesters to build, refine, and pitch their solutions.

Xecute

Phase 4

Teams that win move on to this final phase. You have the backing and the expert guidance, it’s time to take a grand challenge off the table.

We give you the tools and resources to tackle complex grand challenges.
Now it’s your turn to decide what to do with it.
Sign up for more information
Areas of impact

Challenge domains

We tackle global challenges across seven distinct domains through collaboration and entrepreneurship, shaping a brighter future for generations to come.

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