2025 National Finals

Feedback from the judges

2025 was the biggest ever year for submissions for the Future Anything National Finals!

Over 600 applications from 1500+ students from across Australia were received, and the standard was higher than ever.

Whether you made it to the next stage or not, we’d like to congratulate all teams who created such compelling, exciting ideas, and acknowledge all the wonderful teachers that supported them.

The reviewers had a super hard task to narrow down the applications to the top 40 pitching teams to progress to the National Semi Finals, and a further 15 showcase teams to progress directly to the National Grand Final Showcase.

Here we share some of the common feedback from the reviewers:

Explaining the Solution

What we noticed:

  • Some ideas didn’t clearly explain what the actual product/service was.

  • Parts of the solution were missing or unclear.

  • The need for the solution wasn’t always well established.

How to improve:

  • Start by naming your product/service: “Our solution is a … that …”

  • Show how all parts of your solution fit together.

  • Use evidence (surveys, quotes, research) to prove people need this.

Defining the Problem

What we noticed:

  • Some projects lacked stats or research to show why the problem matters.

  • A few tried to tackle too many different issues at once.

  • Personal connection or lived experience wasn’t always clear.

  • Sometimes the solution didn’t match the problem described.

How to improve:

  • Back your idea with at least one statistic or piece of research.

  • Keep your focus sharp – pick one key problem and dive deep.

  • Share a personal story or insight to show why this problem matters to you.

  • Double-check that your solution directly addresses the problem you’ve identified.

Explaining the Solution

What we noticed:

  • Some ideas didn’t clearly explain what the actual product/service was.

  • Parts of the solution were missing or unclear.

  • The need for the solution wasn’t always well established.

How to improve:

  • Start by naming your product/service: “Our solution is a … that …”

  • Show how all parts of your solution fit together.

  • Use evidence (surveys, quotes, research) to prove people need this.

Prototyping & Implementation

What we noticed:

  • Prototypes often didn’t show how the product actually works.

  • Some submissions didn’t include a prototype at all.

  • Branding/packaging was prioritised over the function of the product.

  • Technical feasibility (how it works) wasn’t explained.

  • A few video links didn’t have correct permissions enabled.

How to improve:

  • Include drawings, mock-ups, or a demo video.

  • Show functionality, not just appearance.

  • Explain how your product could actually be made.

  • Check that videos and prototypes are uploaded and accessible.

Presentation & Storytelling

What we noticed:

  • A few responses felt AI-generated and lacked human connection.

  • Too much jargon or assumed knowledge in technical ideas.

  • Surveys were mentioned but without clear numbers or quotes.

How to improve:

  • Use your own voice and let your passion and personality shine through.

  • Explain technical terms in simple language.

  • Share specific survey results or quotes to back up your idea.

The judges noticed that the ideas below appeared in multiple submissions. While it’s great to see these concepts explored in different ways, we’d love to see concepts that push beyond these common themes and show a different perspective.