In 2023, the National STEM Challenge launched with a goal of attracting students to technical fields—including those who wouldn’t have necessarily seen themselves as traditional science types. 

Roughly three years later, the event—now known as the National STEM Festival—has drawn students from across the country to present innovative projects at its annual gathering in Washington, D.C. The festival, run by the educational media company Explr, has also provided connections with business leaders and public officials for students looking to explore what careers in science might look like for them and how they can take their projects further, whether that means additional research or filing for intellectual property protection.  

“We’ve been able to connect students with leaders and mentors and just bigger opportunities, so that they could develop their ideas even further,” says Kari Byron, who cofounded Explr and is a former cast member of TV’s MythBusters. 

Now, the festival is planning to expand abroad, starting with an inaugural United Kingdom festival slated for May 2027. K. event is open to students between 13 and 19 from England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, who can apply by November 22 to participate. Up to 40 will be chosen to present their work at the festival in London. As in the United States, part of the goal is helping make STEM fields accessible to people from a variety of communities and backgrounds, so travel and accommodations will be paid, says Jenny Buccos, Explr cofounder and CEO. Students will have the chance to meet a range of potential mentors and supporters .

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