The Future Anything Challenge (previously Activate) is our flagship global innovation program that embeds future capabilities and integrates fully with mainstream curriculum delivery across many subject streams.

Teaching teams are supported with extensive and personalised professional development, comprehensive lesson materials, suggested formative and summative assessment tools, plus ongoing, real-time support that enriches the experience for educators, students and their school community.

The Future Anything Challenge culminates in an exciting national pitching competition where the best student-led enterprises can win the funding and support to take their ideas out of the classroom and into the real world.

In 2025, over 8500 students in schools across Australia were part of Activate, and 2026 is shaping up to be even bigger!

Download the Future Anything Challenge Program Overview here to see everything that’s included

Long story short – nothing.

Due to unforeseen circumstance the The [X] Challenge is now known as the Future Anything Challenge.

Listen to our CEO and Founder Nic give some more information on the name change.

Same award winning program – just a shiny new name.

Zing, is our new AI-powered learner profile platform to support capability growth.

More information and access to Zing coming soon.

The Future Anything Challenge includes eight engaging, curriculum aligned subject streams as well as the exciting option to create your own stream.

Enterprise Streams

Delivered most often in Business, Economics and Entrepreneurship subjects, our Enterprise Streams put students in the role of ‘entrepreneur’ and stretch them to develop financially sustainable ideas with commercial viability.

Impact Streams

Delivered in everything from Humanities and Science to Service Learning and Digital & Design Technologies subjects, our Impact Streams focus on curiosity and creativity, with optional booster modules which explore the ‘business’ side of innovation.

Click here to view our 2026 stream options.

We invite all Key Contacts to register for a bespoke ONRAMP or ‘kick off’ call with our expert team.

For new The Future Anything Challenge schools, this our chance to get to know each other and for hear about your aspirations for the program and ensure you’re across the key program logistics so you can start with a bang.

For returning schools, we’ll chat about what’s worked well for you in the past, opportunities for program evolution  and any ‘wish list’ requests for 2026!

Most importantly for all schools, we’ll explore how we can support you to make The Future Anything Challenge the best it can be for you and your students in 2026.

UPLOAD THE FUTURE ANYTHING CHALLENGE 2026 TEACHER CONTACT DETAILS HERE

The curricula for The Future Anything Challenge 2026 streams are now available. Each subject stream curriculum includes detailed lesson plans, resources, bespoke case studies, assessment tools, and more and are accessed via our online platform, Thinkific.

When your school has a) completed the Teacher Contact Details form and b) paid your The Future Anything Challenge 2026 invoice, every participating teacher will receive an email* with their own personalised Thinkific log in details, giving you your own dashboard through which you access all curriculum content and measure your progress through the program.

Click here to log in to Thinkific.

* If you have not received access to Thinkific, please check your junk folder for an email from “noreply@notify.thinkific.com”. If you still can’t find it, or are have issues logging in, just drop us a line to hello@futureanything.com. Please note that your school’s The Future Anything Challenge 2026 invoice must be paid and the Teacher Contact Details form been completed to receive access to Thinkific.

Professional development and peer exchange are core elements of The Future Anything Challenge 2026. We offer a range of professional learning experience as part of The Future Anything Challenge 2026, and we encourage every participating teacher, whether you’re new to the program or returning, to attend one of our The Future Anything Challenge PD workshops.

Together, we’ll unpack the all-important program logistics and explore the key pedagogical approaches that underpin The Future Anything Challenge. It’s also a great opportunity to network and collaborate with colleagues, hear and share best practice and to get set up for success.

We know securing release time can be challenging but we strongly encourage you to attend if you possibly can. We promise this PD will be fun, interactive and, most of all, practical. If you can’t make it to this event in person, you can choose from one of five short online workshops instead.

• Friday 20 March – ADELAIDE – Register here
• Friday 27 March – BRISBANE  – Register here

• Wednesday 25 March (morning) – Register Here
• Thursday 14 May (morning) – Register Here
• Friday 19 June (morning) – Register Here

Everything you need to deliver The Future Anything Challenge can be found in your subject stream course in Thinkific or here on this info page.

However, we know sometime tricky questions occur or you just need to run through something with a real live human.

If you want to unpack a particular activity or lesson, chat through ideas for your showcase, check in on program logistics, or it’s something else altogether, our friendly team is on hand before, during and after The Future Anything Challenge.

Meet the team and find all their contact details here.

Many schools find the Program Overview a good place to start. Download the Program Overview here.

See each of the unit overviews below. All curriculum resources can be found on Thinkific.

Social Enterprise (Primary) Unit Overview

Social Enterprise (Secondary) Unit Overview

Side Hustle Unit Overview

Passion Project Unit Overview

Tech for Good Unit Overview

Start up Venture Unit Overview

Market Boss Unit Overview

Impact 2030 Unit Overview

The curricula for The Future Anything Challenge 2026 is now available.

Each subject stream’s curriculum includes detailed lesson plans, resources, bespoke case studies, assessment tools, and more and are accessed via our online platform, Thinkific.

When your schools has a) completed the Teacher Contact Details form and b) paid your The Future Anything Challenge 2026 invoice, every participating teacher will receive an email* with their own personalised Thinkific log in details, giving you your own  dashboard through which you access all curriculum content and measure your progress through the program.

Click here to log in to Thinkific.

* If you have not received access to Thinkific, please check your junk folder for an email from “noreply@notify.thinkific.com”. If you still can’t find it, or are have issues logging in, just drop us a line to hello@futureanything.com. Please note that your school’s The Future Anything Challenge 2026 invoice must be paid and the Teacher Contact Details form been completed to receive access to Thinkific.

UPLOAD THE FUTURE ANYTHING CHALLENGE 2026 TEACHER CONTACT DETAILS HERE

We send regular updates and key program info to all The Future Anything Challenge teachers by email.

We know inboxes get busy and it’s easy to miss important info, so copies of all The Future Anything Challenge Update emails will also be posted below.

If you’re not receiving emails from Future Anything, please check your junk folder (they’re sent from ‘hello@futureanything.com’) or shoot us an email to hello@futureanything.com and we’ll re-add you to the The Future Anything Challenge mailing list.

We ask all educators (new and returning) delivering The Future Anything Challenge to complete a short survey prior to commencing and after completing delivery of the program.

We very much value input from educators. Your responses will help inform the development of the program in future to ensure it is as relevant and targeted as possible, and enable us to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the program.

• Click here for the The Future Challenge 2026 Pre-Program Teacher Survey
• Click here for the The Future Anything Challenge 2026 Post-Program Teacher Survey

We ask all schools to have their students complete a short survey prior to commencing and after completing of The Future Anything Challenge 2026.

This data is used to compile bespoke Benchmark (pre-program) and Impact (post-program) reports so that every school can see where their students started (and gain an understanding of which core competencies may need extra focus) and the change/impact The Future Anything Challenge has has on their levels of confidence in the core competencies.

PRIMARY SCHOOLS (also appropriate for cohorts with low literacy confidence)

• Click here for the The Future Anything Challenge 2026 Pre-Program Student Survey (Short)
• Click here for the The Future Anything Challenge 2026 Post-Program Student Survey (Short)

SECONDARY SCHOOLS:

• Click here for the The Future Anything Challenge 2026 Pre-Program Student Survey (Secondary)
• Click here for the The Future Anything Challenge 2026 Post-Program Student Survey (Secondary)

Every school can opt in to be matched with an Activator – think of them as your very own ‘Entrepreneur in Residence”.

Drawn from the worlds of innovation, business, science and social entrepreneurship, our Activators are all incredible humans who have volunteered their time to support The Future Anything Challenge 2026 teachers and students as your mentors, sounding boards, and cheerleaders.

All Schools will be introduced to your Activators via email prior to you delivering the program. To opt in to be matched, please complete the very short form here. 

Where possible, we match schools with Activators in their geographical region, but this will not be possible for all schools.

It is the responsibility of schools to proactively engage with their Activator.

We anticipate most Activator residencies will take place virtually (via Teams or Zoom). If practical, you may wish to invite your mentor  into to school but they may not be able to attend in person.

Activators have volunteered up to 5 hours in one school term. Schools should work with their Activators to allocate this time however works best for you both. We anticipate that most schools will engage with their Activator(s) in Week 7 and/or 8 of their FA Challenge term a while students are refining their ideas and developing their pitches.

Activators have been briefed on the program and we’ll ensure they have the necessary permissions to work with your young people.

We anticipate that most schools will work with their Activators during week 7 and/or 8 of their Future Anything Challenge experience, arranging for mentors to spend time with your students, listening to their business ideas/practice pitches, asking questions and providing constructive feedback to help them improve or pivot their thinking.

Other ways you could work with your Activator(s) include:

• Arrange a short workshop or invite them to lead a discussion on topics relating to their experience or area of professional expertise
• Involved them in a school-wide assembly, Q&A or panel discussion
• Invite them to be a judge at your school’s showcase event
• Work with them to leverage their connections to wider innovation/industry ecosystems to connect you and your students with people or places that help them progress their ideas further.

To be matched with an Activator, schools must ‘opt in’ via the very quick form here.

You must opt in by 27 March. This ensures both the school and the mentor have an epic experience!

We had a diverse mix of brilliant humans volunteering their time to support The Future Anything Challenge schools, teachers and students in 2025. Meet the Future Anything 2025 Activators here.

Our 2026 Activators will be unveiled soon!

A School Showcase is every school’s own ‘shark tank style’ pitching and/or trade show or marketplace event held at the conclusion of their Future Anything Challenge program.

These events are fantastic for engaging your local community in your incredible classroom work, and it also breaks down the transactional nature of assessment – allowing students to celebrate their final product and share their learning with a broader audience.

Check out our Showcase Resource Pack here (PDF) for ideas, inspiration and templates! 

You can arrange your own Showcase at a time that works for your students and your school community.

Most schools run it either in the last week of the Term they’ve delivered the program in, or the first week of the following Term while it’s fresh in students’ minds.

No, each school runs their own event at a time and with a format that works for them. But, we’re here to help!

Use the tips and templates in our Showcase Resource Pack and, of course, reach out if you’d like to chat your ideas through, we’d love to help out and hear what you’re planning!

You can email us at hello@futureanything.com or contact your school’s Future Anything Program Manager.

Check out our Showcase Resource Pack here (PDF) for ideas, inspiration and templates! 

Do reach out to the Future Anything team when you start planning your showcase. We’d love to chat through your ideas and support you in your planning. We’ll also come along on the big day if we can!

You can email us at hello@futureanything.com or contact your school’s Future Anything Program Manager.

The Future Anything Challenge culminates in a national competition to find the best student-led enterprises and for them to win the funding and support to launch their ideas into the real world.

There are two rounds of finals:

• The Semi Finals 2026 – eight live one-hour online pitch events, each featuring five teams pitching their ideas live online to a panel of three judges. These events are broadcast live via YouTube so classmates, friends and family can watch along. The 2026  Semi Finals will take place in October 2026.
• The Grand Final 2026 –  a live in-person event in Brisbane in November. Eight teams (the winners of the eight Semi Finals) pitch live on stage, and a further 20 (approx.) teams showcase their ideas in a marketplace experience. In 2025, Grand Final winners took home prizes in cash and support worth over $140,000!

Applications for the Future Anything Finals are OPEN NOW – everything you and your students need to know is here.

The Semi Finals 2026 will be held online in October 2026.

There will be eight one-hour Semi Finals spread over two days with a total of 40 teams pitching live online. All the details will be announced in due course.

The Grand Final 2026 will be held in Brisbane (and livestreamed via YouTube) in November 2026.

While is it not compulsory for students to apply for finals, we strongly recommend that ALL Future Anything Challenge students apply. The process of creating and refining their pitch, and sharing their with judges and audience in the real world is extremely rewarding.

Any Future Anything Challenge student (or team of up to 4 students) can apply.

They do NOT have to have won your school showcase to apply for Finals.

In fact, often, the judges in our finals select very different winners to those chosen by teachers or in school showcases.

Applications for the Future Anything Finals are OPEN NOW- everything you and your students need to know is here.

All students can apply for the National Finals 2025.

40 teams will be selected to pitch in the National Semi Finals (online via Zoom).

A further 10 teams will be selected to go straight to the National Grand Final Showcase Expo.

The Winner from each Semi Final then progress to pitch live in the Grand Pitch Final for the chance to be crowned Future Anything Grand Final Winner 2025! The Runner Up from each Semi Final progress to the Grand Final Showcase Expo.

Applications for the Future Anything Finals are OPEN NOW – everything you and your students need to know is here.

Don’t forget nominations for Educator Awards will also open in Term 1. Read about the 2025 winners here.

Prizes for 2026 will be announced closer to the Grand Final.

In 2025, the prize pool included funding, mentoring, branding/website support, experience days and lots more support to help students launch their ideas into the real world. The total prize pool was worth over $140,000!

Applications for the Future Anything Finals are OPEN NOW – everything you and your students need to know is here. (This is the best link to share with your students).

The deadline for applications is Wednesday 16 September at 11.30pm AEST. Please that no late entries will be accepted so please ensure all your students are aware of this deadline.

Students have the option to submit a 1 minute video to accompany their application. This shouldn’t be a formal pitch. Instead, students are prompted to explain “Why you and why now?”.  This is a great place for them to expand on their connection to the problem, and why they are excited or passionate.

There is a 10MB limit to the video upload. Students may need to look into video compressors or converters to ensure their file size is small enough (e.g. Handbrake, Any Video Converter Free or similar).

Alternatively, students can choose to add a link to a video (such as from OneDrive, Google Drive) or upload as an ‘unlisted’ on YouTube or Vimeo or similar. If they choose this option, students need to ensure sharing permissions are set so that external contacts can view the video.

If we can’t open the video, we won’t watch it. This will not exclude students from being eligible, but they will lose the opportunity to share their idea via video.

We sure can! Drop us a line at hello@futureanything.com any time!

While the Future Anything Grand Final celebrates innovative, scalable, and sustainable student enterprise ideas, it’s also a platform to celebrate YOU, our Future Anything Challenge educators.

The Future Anything Educator Awards recognise the teachers who’ve not only led the Challenge in their classroom but who have lived it through their own enterprising approach to teaching and learning.

Nominations for the Educator Awards 2026 are NOW OPEN

Unveiled at the high profile Future Anything Grand Final in November, winners will share in over $10,000 of prizes to support their schools’ entrepreneurial aspirations.

We send huge congratulations to everyone who was nominated or took out a winner’s spot in the 2025 awards. It’s a wonderful achievement and is a testament to the incredible work happening in Future Anything Challenge classrooms across Australia. Read about the 2025 winners here.