GENIUS Olympiad

What GENIUS Olympiad does

GENIUS Olympiad is an international high school project competition focused exclusively on environmental issues, organized by Terra Science and Education, a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2011 and based in Syracuse, New York. The platform runs a two-tier structure: students first compete through 12+ licensed national GENIUS Olympiads or ISEF-affiliated regional fairs, with the top 5% advancing to international finals hosted annually at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, NY. The competition spans eight disciplines (Science, Art, Coding, Robotics, Music, Short Film, Speech, Entrepreneurship) with environmental themes, and added a GENIUS AI category in 2025. The supporting technology stack is intentionally lightweight: an online application portal (apply.geniusolympiad.org), an online judging platform with phone/tablet rubrics, YouTube-hosted video submissions, and a read-only mobile companion app with OTP authentication for finalists. The organization publishes the peer-reviewed International Journal of High School Research for winning science projects.

Revenue is generated through a combination of fees and sponsorship. Applicants pay $60 per project, accepted finalists pay $600 per participant, and optional educational trips (DC-NYC, Boston-NYC-IVY) are priced $695-$1,095. Corporate sponsorships range from $500 to $20,000 across five tiers. The organization claims 1,300+ hosted international finalists annually from 70+ countries, 2,723 project applications in 2025 with a 30.1% acceptance rate, and 65,000+ annual website users from 110+ countries. The team is reported at 5 employees, leveraging volunteer judges compensated with $25 Amazon gift cards and university venue partnerships to operate at a global scale.

Name

GENIUS Olympiad

Legal name

Terra Science and Education

Website

https://geniusolympiad.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GENIUS Olympiad is a non-profit international high school project competition focused on environmental issues, organized by Terra Science and Education and hosted at St. John Fisher University, serving 1,300+ finalists annually from 70+ countries across eight disciplines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Student Competition / Educational Competition Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMAGAE

Academic Olympiads & Subject Competitions (Science, Math, Informatics)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Academic Clubs & Competitions (Debate, Model UN, Olympiads)

SECONDARYEDAMABAL

STEM Competitions & Olympiads (Science Bowls, STEM Challenges)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/STEM Enrichment & Science Programs

SECONDARYEDAMAGAL

Research & Science Fair Competitions (Science Fairs, Research Symposiums)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Academic Clubs & Competitions (Debate, Model UN, Olympiads)

Keywords

• International student competitions
• Environmental science olympiad
• High school project fairs
• Stem education programs
• Academic competition scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Syracuse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Application Fees: Students pay $60 application fee per project to submit their initial application. US/EU fair deadline is April 16 with separate application process.
2. Participation Fees: Accepted finalists pay $600 participation fee per participant to attend the international finals in Rochester, NY.
3. Optional Trip Packages: Optional educational trips to DC-NYC, Boston-IVY universities ranging from $695 to $1,095 per participant. Additional services include $100 JFK airport shuttle.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship tiers ranging from $500 Special Sponsorship to $20,000 Platinum Sponsorship with various visibility benefits including website placement, ceremony recognition, and advertising.
5. Judge Recruitment: Companies encouraged to send employees as judges; 3+ judges earns company sponsor recognition status. Judges receive $25 Amazon gift card per session.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GENIUS Olympiad operates an annual international high school project competition in eight environmental-themed disciplines (AI, Art, Coding, Entrepreneurship, Music, Robotics, Science, Short Film, Speech). Students submit project applications ($60/project), finalists pay a $600 participation fee to attend the international finals at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, NY, and winners are eligible for renewable RIT University scholarships up to $20,000.

Product overview

GENIUS Olympiad is a platform-plus-disciplines architecture comprising the core International GENIUS Olympiad competition and eight competition categories (AI, Art, Coding, Entrepreneurship, Music, Robotics, Science, Short Film, Speech) all focused on environmental themes. The platform also includes add-on services such as optional educational trips, the International Journal of High School Research for publishing, a mobile application for event logistics, and the International Culture Fair. National GENIUS Olympiads operate as regional first-step programs in over 12 countries. The organization is founded and operated by Terra Science and Education as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with St. John Fisher University as the host institution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GENIUS Olympiad International Competition Annual international high school project competition on environmental issues, hosted at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, NY. Students from 70+ countries compete in eight environmental-themed disciplines (AI, Art, Coding, Entrepreneurship, Music, Robotics, Science, Short Film, Speech). Requires a $60 project application fee and a $600 participation fee for finalists, with award winners eligible for renewable RIT University scholarships up to $20,000.
• National GENIUS Olympiads Country-based GENIUS Olympiad fairs operated under licensing agreements by partner organizations in 12+ countries (Ukraine, Indonesia, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Georgia, Greece, Angola, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Kenya). These act as the first-step competition, with the top 5% of each project category advancing to the international finals at St. John Fisher University.
• GENIUS Optional Educational Trips Optional add-on travel packages for finalists attending the international finals, including DC-NYC 3N2D ($695), DC-NYC 4N3D ($845), Boston-NYC-IVY 4N3D ($945), Boston-NYC-IVY 5N4D ($1,095), DC-NY-Six Flags ($925), and a $100 one-way JFK airport shuttle. Packages include transportation, hotels, breakfast, and university/Ivy League visits.
• International Journal of High School Research Peer-reviewed academic journal published by GENIUS Olympiad (ijhighschoolresearch.org) that allows winning science category projects and other high school researchers to publish their environmental research, providing a rare publication pathway for high school competitors.
• GENIUS Olympiad Mobile Application

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,300+ students hosted annually at international finals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• St. John Fisher UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Current host of international GENIUS Olympiad finals since 2023, located in Rochester, NY. Previously hosted at SUNY Oswego. Provides campus facilities, student life experience, and scholarship opportunities for participants.
• Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Provides scholarship opportunities for award winners (up to $20,000 renewable). RIT Open House during finals provides college application guidance and program information.
• Junior Academy of Sciences of UkrainecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Coordinates GENIUS Olympiad Ukraine national competition, the first licensed national GENIUS Olympiad. Top 5% of each project category advances to international finals.
• Junior Academy of Sciences of UkrainecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021National organizer of GENIUS Olympiad Ukraine - the first licensed national GENIUS Olympiad. Coordinates competition in Ukraine, selects top 5% of projects to advance to international finals.
• Terra Science and EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Founder and organizer of GENIUS Olympiad. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of education through project-based learning. Manages all GENIUS Olympiad operations, sponsorship, and expansion.
• Eduversal IndonesiacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational organizer for GENIUS Olympiad Indonesia. Coordinates competition to select finalists for international GENIUS Olympiad.
• Korea Science & Engineering Fair (KSEF)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational organizer for GENIUS Olympiad South Korea. Coordinates competition to select finalists for international GENIUS Olympiad.
• BilimtechcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational organizer for GENIUS Olympiad Kyrgyzstan. Coordinates competition to select finalists for international GENIUS Olympiad.
• AseedercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational organizer for GENIUS Olympiad China Regional. Coordinates competition to select finalists for international GENIUS Olympiad in AI, Coding, Entrepreneurship, and Science categories.
• International Contests and AssessmentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational organizer for GENIUS Olympiad Pakistan. Coordinates competition in Art, AI, and Science categories.
• International Olympiads BangladeshcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational organizer for GENIUS Olympiad Bangladesh. Coordinates competition in AI, Entrepreneurship, Music, and Short Film categories.
• RoCo AcademycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational organizer for GENIUS Olympiad Georgia. Coordinates competition in AI, Coding, Entrepreneurship, Robotics, and Science categories.
• EduactcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational organizer for GENIUS Olympiad Greece. Coordinates competition to select finalists for international GENIUS Olympiad.
• Maid of the MistminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegendary boat tour operating since 1846, provided as complimentary experience for participants to visit base of Horseshoe Falls during Niagara Falls trip.
• STEM Learning EcosystemsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTerra Science and Education is a partner in the international STEM Learning Ecosystem network, collaborating with school districts, colleges, museums, and educational nonprofits.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Microsoft Imagine Cup: Global student technology competition with coding and AI tracks producing demo-based project submissions. Comparable in Coding/AI category overlap and corporate-sponsored prize structure, though aimed at university students as well as high school.
• Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF): Operated by Society for Science, ISEF is the largest international pre-college STEM competition, with regional fair affiliation pathways and significant corporate sponsorship. Directly comparable as a global high school research competition and explicit affiliation partner of GENIUS Olympiad.
• Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS): The most prestigious U.S. high school science competition, run by Society for Science with $250K top prize. Comparable target market (high-achieving HS researchers) and STEM focus, though U.S.-only and research-paper-based rather than project-presentation-based.

Direct peers

• FIRST Robotics Competition: International high school robotics competition with team-based engineering challenges. Directly comparable as a global, project/robotics competition with sponsorship tiers, regional qualification pathways, and a teacher-coached school-team participant base.
• Conrad Challenge: International high school innovation competition with multiple categories (including Aerospace & Aviation, Cyber-Technology & Security, Health & Nutrition) producing project-based submissions. Comparable as a project-competition platform with category-based structure, global reach, and sponsor-driven prize model.
• Science Olympiad (USA): National STEM competition for K-12 students with multiple event categories spanning science, engineering, and robotics. Comparable category-based tournament structure and STEM focus; serves a similar teacher-led, school-affiliated participant base.
• DECA ICDC: International Career Development Conference for high school business/marketing students, with project-based role-play and entrepreneurship categories. Comparable as a multi-category, in-person international competition with sponsorship tiers and corporate-recruitment ties.
• Diamond Challenge: Horn Entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware's global entrepreneurship competition for high school students. Directly overlaps with GENIUS's Entrepreneurship category and shares a university-hosted, project-presentation-based competition model.

Emerging players

• BioGENEius Challenge: Biotechnology Innovation Organization's international high school biotechnology competition. Overlaps with GENIUS's Science category for life-sciences projects and shares a project-presentation model with scholarship/recognition pathways.

Regional players

• International Young Physicists' Tournament (IYPT): International team-based physics research competition for high school students with structured presentation/defense rounds. Comparable tournament-based research-presentation format and international finalist model, though narrower in disciplinary scope than GENIUS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GeniusOlympiad
• Facebookfacebook.com/GeniusOlympiad
• Instagraminstagram.com/geniusolympiad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/genius-olympiad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GENIUS Olympiad